Here’s something weird that I actually don’t like thinking about: not everybody likes beer. I know. It’s an uncomfortable thought, considering that, well, beer is awesome. And yet, there is a percentage of the population that simply does not like beer. Similar to the percentage of the population that doesn’t like cilantro, or Seinfeld reruns. Kind of like a rare disease, really. It can be a tough world for these people, particularly weekends like the one upon us—Memorial Day weekend, which is typically full of picnics, river trips, barbecues, baseball games…all situations with coolers full of beer. Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend has been a frustrating time for these “non-beer” people, since there aren’t a lot of mixed drinks or bottles of wine making it to the river. But luckily, people who don’t like beer now have options. You can now find anything from red wine to rum and coke packaged in cooler-friendly cans. It’s a brave new world. Here are nine boozy beverages in a can (that aren’t beer) for beer haters.
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Cigar City Hard Cider
Yep. Cigar City makes a cider. It did pretty well in our blind tasting of hard ciders too (making the top 20). It's a little bit funky and has a lot of farmhouse qualities to it. It's subtle and aromatic and totally drinkable.
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Cutwater Spirits Rum and Ginger
Canned cocktails make a lot of sense, particularly when you're talking about a simple one-two-punch like rum and ginger, which combines Three Sheets Rum with cane sugar and a house-made ginger beer. And it's only 7% so you can have a few.
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Infinite Monkey Theorem
IMT was probably the first canned wine I tried. It was on a backpacking trip and it definitely hit the spot. They have a solid red and white in a can, but why not get crazy and try their dry hopped Sauvignon Blanc.
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Novo Fogo Sparkling Caipirinha
We fell in love with Cachaca and the Caipirinha during the Summer Olympics like everyone else in the world. Novo Fogo went ahead and did us a favor by putting a caipirinha in a can. Careful, it's 11.1% ABV.
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Porch Pounder Chardonnay
Okay, they offer this Chardonnay in a tallboy. It doesn't get much more Memorial Day than that.
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Shacksbury Dry
We had the chance to try a couple of different Shacksbury's canned ciders last fall and we fell in love a little bit. Especially their Dry, which is zesty with enticing notes of vinegar. It's tart and acidic and the perfect cider for those who don't like all that fruitiness that's typically found in the style.
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Sofia Mini
This is the canned wine from Francis Ford Coppola's winery. It's all summer with hints of melon and honeysuckle. The cans even come with a straw. Seriously. How Memorial Day is that?
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Underwood
Underwood has a full range of wines in a can, and the can is a legitimate 12-ounce of fun. Go for the Pinot Gris for summer-friendly notes of peach and grapefruit.
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Whiteclaw Hard Seltzer
When it comes to spiked seltzer, we say keep it simple. Whiteclaw's Natural Lime goes with pure seltzer water, booze and natural lime for a 5%, crushable beverage in a can. Take that Memorial Day.