CANNED COCKTAILS
EASY DRINKING…ON THE GO 

If the pandemic has taught us anything, besides the healthy benefits of frequently washing of our hands and keeping a social distance to avoid common illnesses, it’s the convenience and comfort of having readymade cocktails on hand.

During quarantine, it was a real find to discover that Laneain Santa Monica was offering canned cocktails and flights to-go, as was Thunderboltin Echo Park. At Thunderbolt, you can order the Tepache Hi-Ball, a satisfying mix of tequila, fermented pineapple, cinnamon and clove from the Rock Steady Spiritsfolks.

L.A. bartender Aaron Polsky and his LiveWire Cocktailsoffer their LiveWire Heartbreaker—vodka, Oroblanco grapefruit, kumquat, jasmine, and ginger—for delivery at Thunderbolt. Other canned cocktails that the brand offers include the Golden God made with rye whiskey, brandy, apricot, green tea and elderflower; Honeydew Collins made gin, coconut, honeydew, lime leaf, and elderflower; and Rocket Queen with Magdalena Rum, pomelo, cinnamon and pandan with natural flavors.

Sure, there are plenty of canned hard seltzers to choose from, but if you want some craft in your cocktails, then check out Volley. Founder Chris Wirth has come up with what he calls the first clean tequila seltzer. He believes in drinking clean and knowing your ingredients.

Volley is made with only three ingredients, 100% agave blanco tequila from the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, sparkling water, and organic juice. This means Volley includes zero commonly-used fake sugars, preservatives, “natural” flavorings, essences and corn syrup that hide in the nutrition facts of most other seltzers on the market. Available in four guilt-free flavors: Zesty Lime, Spicy Ginger, Sharp Grapefruit and Tropical Mango, Volley’s gluten-free seltzers are best enjoyed chilled and from the can or mixed into a fun and fruity tequila cocktail. I found the Zesty Lime and the Tropical Mango to be quite refreshing.

Mico Tequilais a hard seltzer that launched in 2021. The new lineup of canned tequila seltzers includes Mico Seltzer Grapefruit, Mico Seltzer Cucumber Mint, and Mico Seltzer Lime. The lineup can be purchased individually or together in a mighty Mico Pack. 

Their master distiller creates proprietary blends in small batches. She is always attempting to find the optimal balance between smoothness + flavor, sweetness + spice. Personally, I find they work better with the addition of extra blanco tequila. That extra punch really gets the job done for some fun in the sun.

2021 also saw the birth of AMASShard seltzers, born out of a desire for quotidian pleasures made better by plants. The lineup of botanical beverages is designed for moments of celebration. You won’t find any artificial preservatives or unnecessary chemicals among the ingredients.

AMASS Botanic Hard Seltzers are meant for sharing with friends. Find your favorite flavor among Surfer Rosso, Faerie Fizz, and Sun Sign. Made with premium culinary botanicals and fermented organic cane sugar, each flavor was carefully crafted by Master Distiller Morgan McLachlan for a sophisticated seltzer. Sip it straight from the can or in a well-crafted cocktail. These canned cocktails are vegan, gluten-free and contain 110 calories each. While AMASS makes its own Dry Gin, the booze in the hard seltzer canned drinks is made with alcohol from fermented organic cane sugar. While I prefer more kick in my cocktails, this is cool canned cocktail great for brunch or add a little something extra (gin, rum or vodka) for some added flavor.

Taking social drinking to new highs, CANNis offering cannabis-infused social tonics. The drinks are a combination of 2MG of THC and 4MG of CBD. The social tonic is micro-dosed with cannabis that gives you a light and uplifted buzz, but supposedly offers no hangover along with fewer empty calories. Flavors include Lemon Lavender; Blood Orange Cardamom; and Grapefruit Rosemary. It’s cannabis in a can for those who want to play.

Story By: Jose Martinez

Photography Courtesy Of: Canned Cocktails