An exciting summer schedule means, come the weekend, masses of us are on the move.
It could be a gig in the city or a train ride to the races. Off to meet friends for a park picnic or attending a family barbecue. We’re constantly racing from A to B (and often the rest of the alphabet in the same day) to make the most of the sun and warmer weather while they’re here.
All this is to say: it’s thirsty work.
But salvation is here when plain old H2O doesn’t cut it. Summer is when cocktails in a can come into their own.
Perfectly measured and mixed, more than a few tinnies can be slipped into a crossbody sling bag (the undisputed day bag option). They also make lighter drink options to pack into picnic hampers and festival backpacks, and they’re wonderfully sessionable for camping trips.
Cocktails in cans used to be limited to a spirit and a mixer, and while we’re not knocking a trusty G&T tinny, we’re pleased to see more brands going the extra mile and adding innovative and exotic mixes to their single-serve tins.
Then there are relative newcomers, hard seltzers. A firm favourite in the US, the flavoured fizzy waters are winning fans on our shores too. They all come in easy-to-carry canned form exclusively.
Sure, they may not offer the pageantry of traditional mixology, but you will enjoy a precisely mixed tipple every time, and all without waiting in line at a bar and spending a fortune for the privilege. More time living, less time queueing? You don’t need to tell us twice.
They’re also much easier to keep cold than a full-sized bottle of booze - take it from someone who stashes them under their festival tent every year for cool bevs between headliners.
And when summer fades, don’t think the fun is over. Canned cocktails continue to serve party vibes through the year, from adult Halloween parties, Christmas carolling and Galentine’s feasts with your ride-or-dies.
See the best canned cocktails to buy now
MOTH: Cocktails Taster Pack
It's not a party unless MOTH is on the guest list. The palm-sized cocktails pack a punch and with a box of 24 full-strength assorted cans, you'll get a chance to sample each of the brand's bestsellers: Margarita, Mojito, Old Fashioned, Negroni, and Espresso Martini. It's expensive but less than buying the ingredients for each concoction and DIYing it yourself.
Six and 12-can packs are also available.
Buy now £72.00, Amazon
White Claw Watermelon Hard Seltzer
At 95 calories per 330ml, White Claw is famous in the US and an easy sell for anyone watching their waistline or trying moderate drinking. Containing 4.5 per cent ABV, the range is made up of natural flavours like black cherry, raspberry, lime and mango, all mixed with a triple distilled spirit for added buzz.
Named for the crest of a wave just before it crashes, we found the drinks delicious, tasty and a returning addition to our fridge. Watermelon, the latest flavour, is what we’ll be reaching for all summer.
Buy now £28.20, Amazon
The Drinks Bureau Dirty Shirley Four Pack Canned Cocktails
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More of a confection than a cocktail, the delicious flavour of cherries is balanced with a zip of ginger and lemon, stopping it from becoming too sweet. We wish we could say we stopped at one, but we polished off the lot (they come in packs of four for 'sharing'). Perfect for toasting birthdays or upcoming nuptials with friends.
For a saintly version try the brand's non-alcoholic alternative, Shirley Temple.
Buy now £15.00, Amazon
Mixtons Taster Box
Move over spicy margarita, there’s a new thirst-busting sheriff in town.
Vying for the cult cocktail’s crown is Spicy Melons from canned cocktail brand Mixtons. Sweeter and less acidic than a marg, the addition of watermelon offers a nicer balance to the chilli and tequila.
The brand has three other flavours - Dragon Mojo made with dragonfruit; Guilty Passion, bursting with mango and lychee; and Forbidden Zest, spiked with grapefruit and yuzu - each wrapped in bright, fun packaging that’s made for ‘Gramming.
They may look small but savour, don’t slam, these - or you’ll feel the 8 per cent ABV a lot sooner than you think.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
Niche Cocktails Premium Customised Six Can Pack
There's little point denying it: aesthetics matter. We eat - and in this case, drink - with our eyes first and Niche Cocktails presents a very elegant proposition indeed. Its striped cans are made for snapping and sharing online, and coordinating with your outfit. There's substance here too - up to 10 per cent ABV of it, in fact - proving these tins aren't just pretty faces. The selection box of six can be picked and mixed with your favourite flavours.
Buy now £26.00, NOTHS
Engine Gin & Tonic
Delight your pals by handing out these dinky RTD versions of Italian Engine gin. The can may look small at just 237ml but it contains 7.5 per cent ABV. Inside the serve is mixed the classic way - that is to say, with tonic - allowing the sage, bergamot and lemon botanicals take centre stage.
Buy now £3.25, The Whisky Exchange
Bombay Sapphire Gin and Tonic Ready-To-Drink Cocktail, 12 x 250ml
For those who argue it’s not a G&T without a glug of Bombay, the world’s best-known gin brand now offers tinnies in packaging as iconic as its bottles. The perfect measure of London dry gin with refreshing tonic, all it’s missing is ice and a slice - but it’ll do when you’re on the move.
A light variety is also available at The Bottle Club, a case of 12 x 250ml costs £26.99.
Buy now £26.28, Amazon
M&S Marksologist Salted Caramel Espresso Martini
If you can’t get enough of Espresso Martinis, M&S has a treat in store. The store has unleashed its summer food offering and in amongst the mix is this dangerously delicious cocktail with a salted caramel twist. Sling a few into your cool bag to surprise your mates at the next park gathering.
Buy now £3.50, Ocado
Grey Goose Essences Vodka Spritz, Strawberry & Lemongrass - 12 pack
If you want proof that tinnies have had a glow-up look no further than Grey Goose. The premium vodka label has joined the party with an RTD pre-mixed can in deliciously refreshing flavours like Strawberry and Lemongrass. Punching at only 4.5 per cent ABV, they contain no sugar meaning they're low calorie with only 79 calories per 250ml.
Buy now £28.44, Amazon
Pimm’s Ready To Drink, 12 x 250ml
The quintessential English summer drink, Pimm’s is made for any and all warm-weather activities, from watching the tennis and tending the BBQ, to day trips out to the coast. While you’ll find no actual fruit swilling around in the red and white striped tins, there are plenty of fresh, juicy notes coming from the bitter-sweet caramelised orange and citrus, all balanced with a splash of lemonade.
Buy now £18.30, Amazon
Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Gin and Tonic 12 x 250ml
Tanqueray brings the sweet, juicy flavour of Seville to its gin recipe with this sunny variant. Perfect for taking the sharp edge of its London Dry style, the brand adds a slosh of tonic water to finish the cocktail off. If you're enjoying it at home, an orange garnish is the perfect final flourish.
Buy now £28.80, Amazon
M&S Marksologist Rose Spritz Negroni 150ml
The high street hero has raised its food and drink game this summer with some tasty RTDs (housed in equally attractive packaging) ready to quench your post-6pm thirst.
Gin lovers will find a new favourite in the Rose Negroni Spritz, which is a softer take on a traditional Negroni. It uses rose vermouth, Italian amaro, gin and a touch of hibiscus in each 150ml can. Sip slowly - it may look made for Polly Pocket but it's a strong serve at 14 per cent ABV.
Buy now £3.50, Ocado
Malibu Coconut Rum & Pineapple Pre-Mixed Can
Warning: This drink will give you serious holiday vibes. The Malibu tinny is made up of a coconut flavoured Caribbean run given a fruity and tropical pineapple addition that will transport you to the beach with its sweet flavouring.
Buy now £23.88, Amazon
Smirnoff Raspberry Crush Flavoured Vodka & Lemonade 250ml
Succulent raspberries mixed with bright lemonade - now, doesn't that sound refreshing? Vodka king Smirnoff is on hand to quench your thirst with this 250ml can, perfect for keeping in the fridge for when the mood takes you or grabbing while on your way to the party.
Buy now £2.50, Amazon
Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb & Ginger Gin Liqueur 250ml
The delicious fruit-laden notes of Edinburgh Gin's Rhubarb & Ginger Gin Liqueur feel perfect for any time of year, but especially in summer. Tonic is skipped here and replaced with a hearty slug of ginger ale. The result is a can that's as delicious on the tongue as it is easy on the eye.
Buy now £2.25, Tesco
