Summer’s in the air (and on the weather forecast). Lean into longer nights with crisp cans of seltzer. Toast celebrations with a juicy limoncello spritz. Or opt for drinks with zero booze but plenty of flavour for your next Sunday sesh – your Monday brain will thank you.
Here are the local tinnies and bottles the Broadsheet team is stashing in cooler boxes and stocking in home bars for warm weather days to come.
17 of the best canned cocktails and premixed drinks for summer sipping
Curatif Limoncello Sour
$45
For Amalfi Coast energy, rooted in Melbourne, Curatif’s Limoncello Sour blends the sunlit citrus of Italy with a velvety foam and a hint of fizz. It’s crafted in collaboration with Tommy’s Limoncello, which distils its spirit in Brunswick and puts Victorian lemon peels centrestage. There’s also a pre-batched Tommy’s Margarita and an Espresso Martini made in collaboration with Tromba tequila and Archie Rose vodka to save you from getting out the cocktail shaker.Alcohol base: Limoncello | ABV: 13 per cent | Pack size: 4 | Shipping: From $5
Mode Frankie’s Sunset Dress seltzer
$81
This hard seltzer from Mode screams summer with its mango and pomegranate profile and aesthetic label. Shake off the hottest days with a four-pack of the vodka-based beverage – it’s a far cry from the RTD cans of your youth. If you can’t settle on a flavour, the brand offers a mixed case so you can try them all.Alcohol base: Vodka | ABV: 5 per cent | Pack size: 12 | Shipping: From $10.50
Sofi Blood Orange and Bitters canned spritz
$90
Sofi’s take on the Veneto spritz puts a distinctly Australian spin on the aperitivo moment. Crafted with blood orange, bitters, Australian sparkling wine and sparkling water, it’s citrus-forward with just enough bitters to keep things interesting. Designed for balmy arvos under lush park canopies, it’s tangy, tart and oh-so-refreshing. But if you prefer to pop a bottle, the label’s Davidson plum and finger lime spritz ($20) ups the flavour ante too.Alcohol base: Sparkling wine | ABV: 8 per cent | Pack size: 24 | Shipping: From $16
Papa Salt Paloma canned cocktail
$9
Papa Salt is the gin label created by a group of five friends who all met while working in the film industry: Josey McNamara, Regan Riskas, Charlie Maas, Tom Ackerley and Margot Robbie. (Yes, that Margot Robbie.) Moving into the canned cocktail space, the Papa Salt Paloma is made with Capi grapefruit soda and a whisper of rosemary. And if the taste and convenience of the summer sip isn’t enough to convince you, the whole “my drink was made by an A-lister” thing should be enough to swing it.Alcohol base: Gin | ABV: 5 per cent | Pack size: 1 | Shipping: From $12
Taylor & Smith Dirty Martini cocktail
$18
Is there anything as salty-chic as a Dirty Martini? It's been dubbed the it-girl drink of right now. Never mind getting it shaken or stirred because the collab between Hobart's Taylor & Smith and Dier Makr delivers it ready to drink in a sexy little bottle. Just add ice and a mammoth Sicilian olive, of course.Alcohol base: Gin | ABV: 29.8 per cent | Pack size: 1 | Shipping: From $15
Fellr ginger beer
$6
Fizz, spice and everything nice – Fellr’s ginger beer is all about keeping things fresh and fragrant. Crafted with Queensland ginger, all-natural ingredients and just the right amount of heat, it’s a far cry from overly sweet alternatives. Brewed for long afternoons in the backyard – or an added kick to your favourite cocktail.Alcohol base: Beer | ABV: 4 per cent | Pack size: 1 | Shipping: From $12
Saison Aperitifs x Mischief Brew Amaro tonic
$26
Bittersweet, sparkling and ready to pour – this stout ‘n’ sexy drinks collab is a love letter to the art of aperitivo. Saison Aperitifs (the side hustle for the owner-chef of Melbourne’s Embla) has blended its signature citrus-forward amaro with Adelaide-based Mischief Brew’s bespoke tonic for a refined yet casual drink. It’s the sundowner with a touch of sophistication – and a focus on natural production, with less sugar and less alcohol.Alcohol base: Amaro | ABV: 7 per cent | Pack size: 4 | Shipping: From $15
Batch & Co Negroni spritz
$16
If summer arvos had a signature drink, this might be it. Batch & Co’s Negroni spritz reimagines the Italian classic with a lighter, effervescent twist that feels at home in a picnic basket. Bold bitter orange and sweet vermouth lead the charge, balanced by a gentle fizz that makes it all too drinkable. The only thing missing? A shady spot and some good company.Alcohol base: Gin and sweet vermouth | ABV: 14 per cent | Pack size: 1 | Shipping: From $10.50
Bizzarro spritz
$28
Bizzarro isn’t just a spritz, it’s an attitude. Packed with native botanicals and a bold, bittersweet punch, this Adelaide-born brewer has personality to spare. The Bizzarro spritz is the small-batch label’s take on an all-natural Australian bitter aperitivo, and designed for those who like their aperitifs with a side of edge. Best served ice-cold with a slice of citrus, it’s simultaneously subtle, complex and more-ish, and is the ultra-refreshing accomplice for sun-soaked days ahead.Alcohol base: Aperitivo liqueur | ABV: 11.5 per cent | Pack size: 4 | Shipping: From $15
Zoncello limoncello spritz
$20
This zesty bottle is the perfect summer toast. Zoncello’s signature citrus liquor is batched ready-to-drink in a juicy spritz. At nine per cent alcohol, it’s an easy sip – especially on hot days. Bring a bottle out the next time a friend announces their engagement, buys a house or gets a promotion. Celebrations don’t belong to champagne.Alcohol base: Limoncello and sparkling wine | ABV: 9 per cent | Pack size: 1 | Shipping: From $10
Philter Phresh Citrus spritz
$96
Inspired by Palm Springs pool party nostalgia, Philter Brewing’s new spritz line is a summertime thirst quencher. The Citrus edition combines delicate yuzu with a dash of lime for pure refreshment with just a hint of zing. But there’s also the Tropical Punch for a tangy pineapple, blood orange and sweet mango alternative.Alcohol base: Vodka | ABV: 4 per cent | Pack size: 24 | Shipping: From $10.50
Everleigh Americano spritz
$33
Ah, la dolce vita! Classic meets convenience in the Americano spritz from Everleigh Bottling Co. With its bitter orange notes and light bubbles, this cocktail delivers all the elegance of a bar-made drink, minus the wait time. Add a slice of orange and it’s aperitivo hour, anywhere.Alcohol base: Campari and sweet vermouth | ABV: 7.1 per cent | Pack size: 4 | Shipping: From $10
Home Grown Pink Hibiscus spritz
$114
Park picnics, backyard hangs, beach sundowners or late night soirees, the Home Grown spritz is the on-the-go sip for summer. It blends Australian vodka with hibiscus, rhubarb and strawberry gum for a floral, punchy result.Alcohol base: Vodka | ABV: 5 per cent | Pack size: 16 | Shipping: From $10.50
Wonki Blood Orange & Mandarin seltzer
$69
Wonki takes funny-looking produce that would otherwise become food waste and turns it into seasonal hard seltzers. Founded by three Melbourne uni students, it’s a more sustainable alternative to classic ready-to-drink cans. The flavour of the moment is a citrus-packed blood orange and mandarin mix.Alcohol base: Vodka | ABV: 4.5 per cent | Pack size: 12 | Shipping: From $7
Monday Distillery x Bondi Wash Non-Alcoholic Native Bellini
$20
If you’re looking for a non-alcoholic start to weekend brunch, this native-flavoured Bellini is it. Made by Monday Distillery in collaboration with sustainable Sydney brand Bondi Wash, it comes in a 12-pack with a bonus handwash. You’ll taste notes of quandong (a native Australian peach) and strawberry gum in this gently fizzy drink.Alcohol base: Alcohol-free | ABV: 0 per cent | Pack size: 4 | Shipping: From $15
Versa Martini spritz
$39
Martinis continue to get weirder and more wonderful. Versa (which already offers a pre-batched bottle) has canned a spritz iteration for easy summer sipping. At eight per cent alcohol content, these cans pack a punch. Serve in a glass with an olive if you’re into drinks that are also snacks.Alcohol base: Gin and vermouth | ABV: 8 per cent | Pack size: 4 | Shipping: From $10
Non 3 Toasted Cinnamon & Yuzu drink
$30
Non is rewriting the rules of non-alcoholic drinks. Its toasted cinnamon and yuzu flavouring combines warming spice with a citrusy edge, creating a bottle that’s bold, nuanced and anything but boring. It’s made to pair with food – or to sip solo when you’re feeling contemplative.Alcohol base: Alcohol-free | ABV: 0 per cent | Pack size: 1 | Shipping: From $9
Additional reporting by Alice Jeffery, Lucy Bell Bird, Dan Cunningham and Grace MacKenzie.
We hope you like the products we recommend on Broadsheet. Our editors select each one independently. Broadsheet may receive an affiliate commission when you follow some links.
