I Tried More Than 50 Canned Cocktails and Mocktails—These Are the Best Cans for Summer

It’s official. Canned cocktails and mocktails are taking over liquor and grocery store shelves, and here at BHG, we took it upon ourselves to give each one a try. The overall verdict? It’s going to be a good season of beach and poolside sipping. 

We gathered highly recommended drinks, which soon made my desk look more like a bar cart than a workstation. Luckily, the concerned glances didn’t last long, and I was able to throw not one, not two, but THREE in-office happy hours where editors and designers could try the latest cans of the season. We looked at the ingredients, considered the price relative to everything else in the market, and stuck solely to cocktail-inspired bevvies. 

And since premium summer sipping can come at a premium cost, it’s nice to know what cans are worth splurging on. I was especially surprised by the mocktails and how elevated they tasted. The bar for smooth sipping was raised even higher when we moved to the cocktails. We still wanted a bit of “oomph” with real ingredients and good flavor that tasted like we were sipping on a freshly shaken cocktail vs. a basic hard seltzer. 

The Best Canned Mocktails

If you’re enjoying a sober summer or want a non-alcoholic option on hand, these grown up mocktails range from fruity to complex and slightly tannic.

Mockly Love Bite

Mockly blends juicy pomegranate with spicy ginger in their brilliantly purple Love Bite flavor.

Lyre’s Classico Spritz

Lyre’s (the original premium mocktail brand) offers a refreshing and satisfying spritz with their Classico Spritz.

Belvoir Elderflower and Rosé Lemonade

Belvoir Elderflower and Rosé Lemonade is the grown up sister to your classic lemonade stand drink with floral notes reminiscent of St. Germain liqueur.

Mingle Blood Orange Elderflower Mimosa

Mingle makes a not-so-boozy brunch a breeze with their Blood Orange Elderflower Mimosa—drink from the can or pour into a glass and top with real bubbly, if you like.

Ghia-Soda

Ghia is for those who like a little spice and everything nice, and their Le Spritz is perfect for Negroni lovers who are taking it easy.

For Bitter For Worse Rose City Fizz

For Bitter For Worse makes ultra-concentrated mocktails—Rose City Spritz packs berries, cherries, and bitter orange into a petite can for a lovely slow-sipper.

The Best Canned Cocktails

Give your bar cart a rest and enjoy the convenience of tossing cans in the cooler. Our favorite cocktails included not-too-sweet flavor profiles and drinks that pack a punch.

Tip Top Margarita

Tip Top shakes up a (real) good Margarita that might just manage to match your favorite one in town, a bestseller for a reason.

Austin Cocktails Cucumber Vodka Sparkling Mojito

Austin Cocktails created a spa-like Cucumber Vodka Mojito that tastes crisp, refreshing, and not overly sweet.

Straightaway Cocktails Nitro Gin Fizz

Straightaway Cocktails recreated a New Orleans classic with their Nitro Gin Fizz made with house-blended gin and Tunisian orange flower water.

The Finnish Long Drink

The Finnish Long Drink is for fans of Fresca soda! Traditional Citrus flavor tastes ultra-refreshing, bright, and goes down just as smooth as the classic soda.

Lone River Lemonade Splash Collection

Lone River has a Lemonade Splash collection we can’t get enough of, which includes western-inspired boozy lemonade like classic, blueberry, hot honey, and prickly pear in this elevated hard seltzer variety pack.

White Claw—Claw Tails Collection

White Claw delivers big flavor this summer with their Claw Tail collection—cocktails that go beyond basic hard seltzers. Our favorite was the Strawberry Cosmo, but the Mango Margarita was a close second.