13 Canned Cocktails You Should Be Sipping This Fall
Sometimes, you want to break out all the stops and make a fall cocktail from scratch. Other times, you want something that tastes as good as homemade (or, more realistically, bar-made), without having to play the role of an at-home bartender. If you're like us and are obsessed with the fall season, you probably want to spend more time enjoying the crisp weather, seasonal activities, and autumnal treats than you do whipping up drinks. Thankfully, there are seemingly endless ready-to-drink canned cocktails on the market these days — and plenty of them fit the bill for a fun, festive, fall-appropriate beverage.
From light, refreshing options that are perfect for those in-between warm days, to rich, cozy libations that seem like they were made for enjoying by a bonfire, we've rounded up canned cocktails you should be sipping this fall. Whether you prefer bourbon, vodka, tequila, rum, or even mezcal, there's something for everyone this season.
Cutwater Vodka Mule
Though you might associate ginger with winter holiday treats like gingersnaps, it makes an appearance in fall favorites like pumpkin pie, too. Dessert aside, it's also the main flavor in Cutwater's Vodka Mule, which contains ginger beer, lime, and, of course, Cutwater Vodka. While you can certainly sip on this portable beverage year-round, our favorite time to enjoy it is in early fall, since it's light and effervescent enough to drink before the weather gets too chilly.
Moscow Mules are traditionally served in copper mugs, so feel free to pour a can of this into one if you're feeling fancy. If not, it's still equally delicious when sipped straight from the can. At 7% ABV, it's strong enough to make you feel like you're drinking a cocktail, but not so potent that you can't enjoy more than one. It's nicely balanced and great for people who don't want to taste too much booze.
St. Agrestis Negroni
This one is technically bottled, but it's still a delicious portable sipper. Negronis, traditionally made from gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, are notoriously boozy — so they can be too heavy for a hot summer day. However, when the weather cools down, there's nothing better than this bitter beverage, and St. Agrestis nailed its bottled variation. We think this is one of the classiest ready-to-drink cocktail options out there, and we promise you'll feel like you're drinking a beverage from a nice cocktail bar.
St. Agrestis Inferno Bitter replaces the standard Campari here, and it's paired with a house-made, Torino-style sweet vermouth, and Greenhook Gin. Pour it over ice, garnish with an orange twist, and savor the easiest way to drink a high-quality Negroni. If you want something a little lighter, turn this bottled Negroni into a riff on a sbagliato by topping it with Prosecco. You can also drink it straight from the bottle at your next fall picnic. The company also offers premium alcohol alternatives, like its popular Phoney Negroni.
Kahlua Espresso Martini
When you want a canned cocktail with a caffeine kick, try a Kahlua Espresso Martini. It's smooth, rich, and has a great mouthfeel due to the addition of nitrogen, which gives it a silky, bar-worthy froth. The brand stuck to the basics here (we mean that in a good way), and all the usual espresso martini suspects are present: vodka, Kahlua, and coffee. We like this one for fall because it contains hints of vanilla and caramel that make it feel cozy and taste decadent.
At 4.5% ABV, it's lighter than most cocktails, so you can enjoy a couple without feeling the effects as soon. It works just as well as an after-dinner drink as it does for a festive fall brunch, so don't be afraid to crack open this caffeinated can any time of day. It's the perfect beverage to help you power through an afternoon of pumpkin picking or a night of watching a scary movie.
You & Yours Distilling Co. Cranberry Vodka Soda
If cranberry sauce is your favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, this one's for you. This sweet and tart ready-to-drink canned cocktail is a delicious iteration of one of the most popular mixed drinks out there. You & Yours Distilling Co.'s Cranberry Vodka Soda is made with the brand's own vodka, which is made from 100% grapes. All the flavors and colors in this sweet, tart, and bright beverage work together to result in a beverage that's as easy to drink as it is easy to grab out of the fridge.
This one rings in at 7.5% ABV, so drinking a can is about the same as drinking a strong IPA in terms of booziness. We'd also be remiss not to mention the beautiful packaging that practically screams autumn. The San Diego-based company nailed turning a simple vodka cranberry into a tasty canned treat.
Two Chicks Vodka, Elderflower, and Pear Cocktail
Though apple might be the first fruit that comes to mind when you think about fall, pear can taste autumnal, too. Two Chicks Vodka, Elderflower, and Pear Cocktail is perfect for when you want a drink that plays up the pear flavor. We love that this canned cocktail combines fruity with floral since the elderflower provides tasty notes of the latter.
It's interesting enough to taste like a real cocktail, but light and effervescent enough to be extremely easy-drinking. Once again, we have to give credit where credit is due here for the packaging, which is so pretty you won't want to pour the contents into a glass. At 5% ABV, it hits the mark of being boozy but not too strong. This flavor has won a slew of awards, so we're not the only ones who think it's worth adding to your rotation of ready-to-drink beverage options.
Tip Top Old Fashioned
If you like cozying up by the fireplace with an Old Fashioned, Tip Top's Old Fashioned is the canned cocktail for you. The ingredients are just whiskey, sugar, and bitters, so you know you're drinking a proper (portable) version of this classic cocktail. While there are plenty of Old Fashioned variations out there, sometimes you just want a well-made version of the original — and this consistently does the trick. Tip Top's Old Fashioned has the perfect amount of citrusy notes to provide balance and interest to the cocktail, as well as hints of vanilla, caramel, and stone fruit to let you know it's made with nice whiskey.
The brand's vintage packaging adds a nice touch of nostalgia to the drinking experience, making it all the more suited for drinking during (grown-up) back-to-school season. Since this is a true Old Fashioned, it's a lot boozier than other canned cocktails at a whopping 37% ABV.
Madre Original Desert Water
Madre is a great mezcal brand that offers canned mezcal and soda options. Our pick for fall is Madre's Original Desert Water. The smokiness of the mezcal makes it taste more autumnal than a standard tequila soda, but you can definitely drink this one all year round. Madre offers several unique flavors like Grapefruit & Yerba Santa, Prickly Pear & Lemon, and Mushroom, Sage, & Honey, but we really love the simplicity of the original version for the fall time.
It has a subtle hint of citrus that makes the drink even more flavorful and memorable. We also love this one because while there are dozens of vodka-based canned cocktails on the market, mezcal-based ready-to-drink options are harder to come by — so if you find it online or in stores, be sure to snag a few cans of this one if you want something unique for fall.
Dogfish Head Cranberry Apple Mule
It doesn't get more fall than cranberry, apple, and ginger — and this canned cocktail features a delicious combo of the autumnal trio. Dogfish Head's Cranberry Apple Mule features everything you know and love about a classic Moscow Mule, but with added depth and complexity. You could transform a Moscow Mule into a fall treat yourself, but this is a much easier way to enjoy one if you're pressed for time. The apple acts as a balancing foil to the spicy ginger beer, and the cranberry keeps it bright and just the right amount of tart.
Like many of the other canned cocktails on our fall-centric list, this mule rings in at 5% ABV, so it drinks more like a light sipper than a heavy, boozy cocktail. The only downside is that this flavor is only available as part of Dogfish Head's canned cocktail variety pack, but luckily the other flavors are tasty, too. So, crack open a can and watch your favorite fall movie, bake a pumpkin pie, go apple picking, or whatever your idea of a fun fall activity may be. You can enjoy this one well into the winter months, too.
503 La Vida Mocha
Chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, and rum make this canned cocktail rich, warming, and perfect for a fall nightcap (or brunch if you want to start your weekend off in style). You can conceptualize this one as a cocktail-meets-mocha latte, and it makes for a real treat. 503's La Vida Mocha is not only tasty, but it's also versatile, as you can heat this one up if you're in the mood for a cozy, hot beverage. You can also serve it over ice, add cream, or just drink it straight from the can.
As easy as this is to drink, it really packs a boozy punch at 12% ABV, so proceed with caution here (there are two full drinks in each can, so be aware of that). 503 also offers other creative ready-to-drink options like a Rhubarb Whiskey Smash and a Marionberry Margarita, and we encourage you to give them a try if you want a canned cocktail sans caffeine.
Chido Pumpkin Spice Latte
Chido's Pumpkin Spice Latte is arguably the most quintessential ready-to-drink fall cocktail on the market. After all, nothing signals the arrival of fall quite like the return of pumpkin spice lattes to coffee shops across the country. Don't get us wrong, we're as obsessed with regular PSLs as any other fall-lover, but adding tequila to the mix certainly doesn't hurt.
Chido's version combines tequila and pumpkin with arabica coffee for a delicious canned treat. The orange packaging adds to the overall fall feel, and it's the perfect thing to bring to any fall gathering where you really want to impress your friends and family. Trust us, this will be the first thing people reach for any time it's up for grabs. The brand's slogan is "Good Vibes," and picking up a pack of this canned cocktail will certainly help you curate them. Even though this drink features rich ingredients, it's 5% ABV and doesn't taste too heavy.
Faux Pas Bartlett Pear Vodka Mule
Faux Pas Bartlett Pear Vodka Mule is another tasty pear option that earns a spot on our list. The brand was created by Betches, a female-owned media company known for its serious sass, and Faux Pas' marketing is just as funny and creative as you'd think it would be. Once you stop laughing at the fact that the description for this flavor reads, "Highlights ginger and fresh bartlett pear, with the balanced acidity of telling your life story to your cab driver," you can focus on how tasty this ready-to-drink beverage is.
The 8% ABV can is made with just real vodka, sparkling water, and natural flavors, the ingredients aren't faux pas whatsoever. We're big fans of the colorful packaging, too. So, grab a can, and don't say we didn't warn you if drinking this one leads to a memorable night out on the town.
HaiBall Whiskey Seltzer
Sometimes, a simple cocktail is all you need — and HaiBall Whiskey Seltzer is a great option when you want something that's both simple and portable. Although it only contains two ingredients (you guessed it, whiskey and premium sparkling water), the quality of each makes HaiBall worth adding to your ready-to-drink cocktail rotation.
This cocktail is centered around the concept of a traditional Japanese whisky highball, but what really makes this brand stand out from the crowd is the fact that it blends its own whiskey, combining whiskies from Scotland, the USA, and Japan. This drink is light and refreshing enough to enjoy alongside a meal, as the appetizer, or somewhere in the middle, which makes it the perfect can to bring to your next autumn dinner party. You can even enjoy it on Thanksgiving, when you're wanting a lighter drink to balance out all the intense, heavy foods.
Spirited Hive's Bourbon, Rosemary, Lemon, & Honey
If you ask us, bourbon is the most fall-appropriate spirit out there. When you add the rich sweetness of honey, the herbaceousness of rosemary, and a little citrusy lemon zing, the result is a cocktail that will make you want to soak up every crisp fall evening you can. Spirited Hive's Bourbon, Rosemary, Lemon, & Honey canned cocktail means you can do so without breaking out your cocktail-making equipment (which means more time to enjoy the best time of year).
As the brand's name suggests, honey is a crucial player here. All of Spirited Hive's offerings are sweetened with 100% organic wildflower honey, which adds a nice layer of flavor to their already tasty combinations. This one is 7% ABV and just as tasty over ice as it is from the can. The bourbon is sourced from Green River Distilling in Owensboro, Kentucky, and we appreciate the quality, transparency, and attention to detail Spirited Hive offers drinkers.