Pre-Mixed Cocktails for Summer
Now that summer is here, you’ll be spending more and more time outside. Be it a camping trip, a pool party, or just your own backyard. Wherever you venture to, one thing is certain – you’ll be bringing some booze. Most outdoor places have rules against glass bottles so, you’re either lugging a case of beer up a mountain, which is no one’s idea of a good time, or you’re the one casually sipping on a plastic handle of Señor Bob Tequila to the dismay of everyone around you.
The problem is that most of what comes in a can is beer. Well, that used to be an issue until alcohol companies saw an opportunity in RTD alcohol beverages. RTD stands for Ready-To-Drink and refers to beverages sold in a prepared form that’s ready for immediate consumption.
The two main categories of RTDs are Non-alcoholic Beverages and Alcopop.
The Non-alcoholic beverages are separated into dairy and non-dairy such as: iced coffee, Iced tea, herbal energy drinks, protein drinks, and yogurt-based drinks. While Alcopop are ready made cocktails that are either beer-based, wine-based or spirit-based.
Hooray learning!
(Now let’s get to drinking)
There are a ton of RTDs out there and finding a good one can be a painful trek through the ultra-sugary to the blatantly undrinkable, so we’ve put together a list of a few of our favorites to help you kick off summer like a champ.
1. Goslings Dark & Stormy Rum Cocktail
A deliciously spicy, 7% ABV rum cocktail in a can. Gosling is primarily a rum maker, but they also make a wonderful ginger beer, so they took the next logical step and combined them for you.
2. Rancho La Gloria Margarita
Great straight up or on the rocks, this tangy crowd-pleaser is sure to be a hit with its lively tropical citrus flavors and mouthwatering finish.
3. Shark Attack Margarita
Shark Attack is a single serving margarita in a tube. It’s made with 100% Blue Agave Reposado, orange liqueur, and 100% fresh lime juice.
4. Pampelonne
Pampelonne makes several sparkling cocktails made with fine French wine. The French 75, for example, has a refreshingly natural aroma, a floral and fruity taste with a Champagne-like finish.
5. White Claw
White Claw has created a refreshing hard seltzer using only natural flavors and containing 100 calories and 2g of sugar. The variety pack is an excellent introduction as you get 3 cans of 3 different flavors including lime, raspberry, grapefruit, and black cherry.
6. Twisted Tea
One of the first hard iced teas to hit the scene back in 2000, the original still holds up strong as a summertime favorite. But if you’re looking for more flavors, they offer a variety pack that’s worth checking out.
7. Malibu Pink Fizzy Lemonade
Malibu’s Caribbean coconut rum is premixed with sparkling pink lemonade flavors for a delightful cocktail full of fresh citrus flavors and subtle hints of coconut rum.
8. Mike’s Harder Strawberry Lemonade
Mike took his original Hard Lemonade and raised he alcohol to 8% while adding the taste of juicy strawberries to make it an instant summer favorite.
For these and other great ready-to-drink choices, stop by your nearest Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods and ask our experts for more recommendations!
