Sometimes, the perfect cocktail doesn’t need a bartender. It just needs a can and the right moment. These are the ready-to-drink brands we’re enjoying right now: inventive, flavorful, and perfectly portable. Whether it’s a sunny afternoon on the patio, a cozy night in by the fire with friends, or a last-minute toast to celebrate something small but meaningful, these ready-to-drink cocktails hit all the right notes.
We’re talking about drinks that feel elevated without being fussy, where quality ingredients meet thoughtful crafting. From small-batch hard teas with fresh herbs to zero-waste citrus sips made from upcycled ingredients, each can offers something distinctive. Some are playful and bold, others light and refreshing—but all of them make it easy to enjoy a cocktail on your own terms.
Toucan Cocktails
Dallas-based Toucan Cocktails, from Shaken Beverage Co., takes a bartender-approved approach to ready-to-drink with its patented Two-Can system. Instead of pre-mixing everything and hoping for the best, Toucan keeps premium spirits and fresh mixers separate until you’re ready to serve. Snap, shake, pour—and suddenly you’ve got a bar-quality cocktail, complete with real foam and bold flavor. Each Toucan makes two full cocktails and skips artificial sweeteners entirely. The lineup covers the classics (Margarita, Paloma, Cosmopolitan, Old Fashioned, Lemon Drop, and Espresso Martini) making it easy to please a crowd without playing bartender all night.
Owl’s Brew
Founded by Jennie Ripps and Maria Littlefield, Owl’s Brew blends premium spirits with real tea, herbs, and botanicals. There are no shortcuts and no artificial flavors. Within the portfolio: Chelsea Handler’s Vodka Lemonade, available in Classic, Pink, and Mint. This playful, refreshing lemonade packs 5% ABV at just 100 calories per 12 oz can. Then there’s Sun Tea & Vodka (half tea, half lemonade), with flavors like Blueberry Lemon and Strawberry Basil. Clean and hand-crafted, this one is vegan, gluten-free, and 100 calories. And the Rum Mojito is made with fresh-brewed organic tea. At 5% ABV and 110-calories, it’s a light, refreshing, and guilt-free option. You’ll find Owl’s Brew at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Erewhon, Target, Sprouts, Total Wine, and more.
Waste
If sustainability and flavor had a lovechild, it would be Waste, the world’s most eco-conscious canned cocktail. Spearheaded by Thad Vogler of San Francisco’s Bar Agricole and Simon Waterfall, Waste uses upcycled alcohol, organic citrus, reclaimed CO2, and 70% recycled aluminum cans to craft premium RTDs that are as good for the planet as they are for your palate.
Their new Citrus Vodka Soda is bright and light at 4.5% ABV, bursting with organic orange and lemon. Beyond just the can, Waste keeps sourcing local and impactful—whey from Bay Area dairy farms, apples from New York, and rice from Japan. The brand launches in California first, with a nationwide rollout on the horizon.
Surfside
Few RTDs have built the kind of loyal following Surfside enjoys right now. The brand has become synonymous with easy sipping—4.5% ABV, zero bubbles, premium vodka blended with real tea and real lemonade, just 100 calories and 2 grams of sugar per can. It’s the drink you spot everywhere once you start looking: professional sporting events, golf carts, tailgates and more.
Now, riding a wave of rapid growth, Surfside rolls out a fresh lineup just in time for spring and summer. The new Blueberry Lemonade + Vodka brings a juicy twist to the core lemonade profile, while the Half & Half Variety 8-Pack pairs the fan-favorite Iced Tea Half & Half + Vodka with three new additions: Raspberry, Mango Tea, and Blackberry Half & Half + Vodka. The appeal remains the same—clean, crushable, and crowd-pleasing—but the expanded flavor set gives longtime fans (and newcomers) more ways to stock the cooler.
The Cocktail Collection
For those moments when you want a proper cocktail without playing bartender, The Cocktail Collection delivers polished, pre-mixed classics made with some of the world’s most recognizable spirits. Just chill, open, pour, and serve—no jigger required. The sleek bottles earn their place on the bar cart, and the quality holds up in the glass. The lineup reads like a greatest-hits list: a bright and balanced Cosmopolitan with Ketel One; a Whiskey Sour with Bulleit bourbon, lemon juice and a touch of honey; an herbaceous Negroni with Tanqueray London Dry Gin; and both Old Fashioned and Manhattan expressions made with Bulleit. There’s also a smooth and velvety Espresso Martini with Ketel One that has just the right coffee kick. It’s an effortless way to offer guests real-deal cocktails that are consistent, recognizable, and ready when you are.
Photos courtesy of each brand
