Give Canned Cocktails A Hard Pass If You Don't See These Ingredients Listed

We were told canned cocktails were the new trendy drink dethroning hard seltzers, but not all ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails are necessarily created equal. Before doing a bunch of ill-advised taste tests, we thought we'd ask Katie Vine, the food blogger behind Dinners Done Quick, for her advice on sussing out if your ready-to-go drink is actually good. 

Like anything you imbibe, the ingredients list is usually the clearest indicator, and the base spirit being clearly listed is promising. "It at least means they're using that spirit (instead of a malt or something else that's made to taste similar to the actual alcohol)," Vine said. "However, that doesn't stop the drink from having low-quality alcohol in it or a low ratio of alcohol to mixers." This means that an ingredients list that includes a specifically stated spirit is a good sign but still not a guarantee that it's an excellent product.

High-quality canned cocktails will specify the base alcohol, whether it's vodka, gin, tequila, rum, or whiskey. If the label uses vague terms like "malt beverage," "grain neutral spirit," or simply "alcohol," that's not exactly the same thing. It's really a flavored hard seltzer rather than a true cocktail, which can still be tasty — just know that they tend to lack the depth, warmth, and balance that comes from actual distilled spirits. Vine recognizes this nuance and shared what else she looks for. "I'm usually more concerned about the ABV and what 'else' is in it. Real fruit juice versus artificial flavoring is my personal pet peeve with canned cocktails," she explained.

Actual, real citrus juice in the ingredients is a green flag for canned cocktails. If you see phrases like "natural flavors," just know that this term is basically meaningless — it can refer to a wide range of taste-enhancing ingredients. While "natural flavors" aren't inherently bad, they're often used to cut back on costs, and that taste can come across as flat, overly sweet, or chemical-tasting. 

If you're wanting a classic canned cocktail, the "recipe" on the can should be more or less the same ratio of ingredients as if you've ordered it at a bar or made it yourself. Vine explained, "If it's an iconic cocktail (let's pick the white Russian), then it should have the same ratio of vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream as the scratch-made — it's a classic, common, widely known drink, so you should expect consistency." 

Today, the ingredients and flavors of RTD cocktails go far beyond the classics, and they're not just for boozers, either. We've also sampled some of the best and worst canned mocktails. If you're not expecting a legit margarita with the standard components, feel free to explore the more niche offerings that are tailored to a specific vibe or occasion, like fruity, low-alcohol options for beach days or boozy bottled and canned lemonade for cookouts. Vine said, "Honestly, I think it's nice to have the variety of options, too, as folks can choose what's best for their tastes and style that way!"