Canned cocktails were once a single shelf in the bottle shop – at most. Now the category has expanded into whole fridges of options. We tasted our way through 22 Australian-made canned cocktails, and learned that the diversity, even for a group of sommeliers, hospo workers and friends who love a cheeky canned bevvy, is overwhelming. That makes this a really exciting choose-your-own-adventure category of drinks. You want something sessionable (that’s insider slang for a drink you can enjoy more than one of in a row) without reaching for a beer? Can’t be bothered to make your own cocktails? Crave something savoury? There’s a canned cocktail out there that fits the bill.
We scored each drink we tasted for packaging, with a separate score for taste or flavour. We split drinks into sections: vodka-based, gin-based, brewed, and “bartender strength” canned cocktails. Every drink was poured into a glass and tasted chilled – because we’re professionals (at least, until about the 16th can, when Elvis conspiracy theories took over).
