Why Canned Cocktails Don't Always Taste As Boozy As They Are

Sometimes, even avid mixologists just want to enjoy the party with the rest of the guests, and canned cocktails are a much more convenient, labor-free way to unwind with friends. Every type of spirit has been incorporated into a long list of canned cocktail brands. But beware, these tasty premade cocktails are boozier than they taste. Here to explain why is Jaime Salas, head of Cuervo Legacy & Advocacy at Proximo Spirits. He told Tasting Table that our favorite line of ready-to-drink canned tequila cocktails from Jose Cuervo takes a unique approach to distillation. 

"For these ready-to-drink and ready-to-serve offerings, we use column distillation to create a refined tequila base that lets the other flavors really pop," he said. Column distillation, as opposed to pot distillation, eliminates most of the congeners, leading to a neutral, clean-tasting spirit. Column distillation is also more energy efficient and cost-effective because it operates continuously, so it can produce larger batches. 

According to Salas, using column distilled spirits in canned cocktails is "a modern approach to our craft and delivers the balanced, refreshing taste people want with the convenience they're looking for."

Gone are the days of stocking your home bar with multiple bottles of expensive liquor — you can simply pick up an array of six packs that satisfy all fan favorites. Far from a recent phenomenon, canned cocktails date back to the 19th century. During the 1880s, bartenders would premix and bottle cocktails to save them time during peak hours of service. In 1892, Connecticut-born brothers Gilbert and Louis Heublein capitalized on this strategy by debuting the first line of pre-bottled martinis and Manhattans. Prohibition put a stop to all mass-produced canned cocktail sales for the first few decades of the 20th century, but the 1960s saw a rebirth of them. 

While you might associate the canned cocktails of today with overly sweet wine coolers and hard lemonades, the industry has come a long way. The modern boom has shifted away from overly sweet cocktails, focusing instead on high-quality, craft cocktails that rival anything you can order at a bar. As Salas explained, canned cocktails are less alcohol-forward, letting you appreciate the flavors of mixers. Consequently, they'll go down very easily — so remember to pace yourself because tastes can be deceiving. Not only can you find a wealth of low-sugar canned cocktails, but companies like White Claw produce countless hard seltzers that basically taste like lightly flavored sparkling water.