Summer is a great time to take your entertaining outdoors and enjoy a few cocktails with friends. If you want to spend more time drinking cocktails and less time preparing them, why not let someone else take the reigns and opt for ready-to-drink cocktails instead? We tried a few options, from well-loved classics to contemporary twists, and we weren’t disappointed.
Betty Booze
4x 335ml cans, £12
Last year, the UK saw the launch of Blake Lively’s adult-inspired soft drinks brand Betty Buzz. This summer, the Hollywood actress launched her second brand in the UK by introducing her premium ready-to-drink cocktail range, Betty Booze.
The range is starting reasonably small, with three different flavour combinations and two spirits — bourbon and Tequila — currently available. Each cocktail has been blended according to Lively’s homemade recipes to create flavoursome, interesting cocktails that use some unusual ingredients. She aims to use fresh fruits, herbs, spices and juices to produce high-quality drinks that can be held to the same standards as the foods we eat.
The bourbon blend combines sour cherry, apple, ginger, sparkling water, and bourbon whiskey. The result is a fabulous yet subtle fruity drink, with a little spicy kick from the ginger and just a hint of bourbon to round out the flavour. The light carbonation from the sparkling water adds just enough fizz to make it light and refreshing.
Tequila fans have two options: Sparkling Tequila with lime shiso or sparkling Tequila with oak-smoked lemonade. Both have very different but distinctive flavours that work well with Tequila.
The Tequila mixed with the oak-smoked lemonade, a little orange and a dash of butter extract — yes, we were surprised, too — results in a light yet smooth cocktail with a hint of citrus and some spicy warmth from the oak.
The lime shiso takes the Tequila in a very different direction, with the fresh herb flavour complementing the sharp lime nicely.
All three varieties are full of fresh flavours with subtle carbonisation that never overpowers them. The alcohol content is relatively low, at just 4% ABV, making them very easy to drink on a hot day. You might be disappointed if you’re looking for punchy flavours, as everything is subtle and understated with Betty Booze. If you want well-balanced flavour profiles and quality ingredients, Betty is definitely your girl.
The Drinks Bureau
From £15
The Drinks Bureau’s range of ready-to-drink cocktails is vegan-friendly and allergen-free, so you can relax and serve tasty cocktails hassle-free.
The range includes classic cocktails such as the Shirley Temple and the Dirty Shirley and more contemporary offerings such as the Espresso Martini, Spicy Margarita, and Passionfruit Martini.
Each flavour is available in packs of four cans, which are perfect for stacking in the fridge to chill, but you might prefer a party box if you’re holding a larger gathering. Containing 10 servings of your chosen cocktail, the party box creates less waste — although all the packing used in the range is recyclable — and will keep the cocktails readily flowing.
We tasted the Espresso Martini, Spicy Margarita, and Passionfruit Martini and enjoyed their punchy flavours. At 10% ABV, you get a little kick of alcohol, which isn’t always evident in a canned cocktail, but it isn’t overpowering.
Of course, the Espresso Martini and Passionfruit Martini can be poured straight from the can, but if you want a bit more of that cocktail bar vibe, give them a good shake in your cocktail shaker and strain them into your martini glasses. Then, you’ve got a fabulous frothy serve.
If you opt for the canned cocktails, you can drink them at your leisure, with at least a 6-month shelf life. The party boxes have a much shorter lifespan once opened. If you store them in the fridge, be sure to drink them within four weeks; store them in the cupboard, and you’ll need to drink them within two. Having tasted them, I can’t imagine that will be a problem.
The spicy Margarita was a particular favourite. It puts a little twist on a cocktail classic, which works really well.
De Kuyper Ready to Serve Cocktails
£13
We’re all familiar with De Kuyper, which has produced cocktail liqueurs for decades. This year, it has gone a step further and released a range of cocktails
that are ready to drink, using the quality products we’ve all come to love but removing the mixing hassle.
The range includes classics such as Strawberry Daiquiri, Cosmopolitan, Passionfruit Martini and more unusual ready-to-serve options like Clover Club cocktail.
We tasted the creamy, tropical delights of the Pina Colada cocktail, which gave holiday vibes in the warm sunshine. To create this delightfully creamy cocktail, De Kuyper blends its coconut liqueur with white rum and pineapple. Chill it well and pour over ice; perhaps add a cocktail umbrella and a slice of pineapple, and you’re ready to sit back and enjoy.
Each 50ml bottle contains four servings unless, like us, you’re a little too generous, and has an ABV of 14.5%, which isn’t bad for cocktails that are ready to drink. The flavour is excellent, with lots of tropical pineapple and creamy coconut to carry the rum nicely.
We have only tried this one cocktail flavour, but if they are all made to this same standard, you won’t be disappointed.
Mermaid Gin and Tonic
12x 250ml cans for £36
Gin and tonic aren’t the most difficult drinks to mix, but if you’re heading out this summer for picnics or a festival, you don’t want to carry all the parts to mix one. Mermaid Gin, based on the Isle of Wight, have that one covered for you.
The signature gin used in the ready-to-drink G&T mix uses ten freshly and locally foraged botanicals, including rock samphire, which infuse the gin with its spicy notes and sea air salinity.
The Isle of Wight Distillery then mixes it with the perfect amount of good-quality tonic, resulting in a beautifully balanced drink that is ready for you to enjoy no matter where you are.
The taste is smooth and fresh, whether poured over ice or sipped straight from the can. The citrus notes compliment the peppery botanical notes nicely, creating a classically enjoyable G&T.
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