A series of summer launches, finds Caitlin Agnew, suggest the stigma of canned wines and cocktails is disappearing
A few summers ago, cans of Palm Bay became the drink of choice for a certain breed of hip Toronto bon vivant who favoured fruity refreshments as much as they did irony. Available in flavours like raspberry passionfruit and strawberry kiwi, the sparkling vodka beverage took over Trinity Bellwoods, a downtown park well known as a destination for conspicuous imbibing.
In addition to the usual beer and coolers, Ontario's LCBO customers can now choose from a wider variety of conveniently canned offerings, including wine and cocktails. There are cans of Origin by Niagara-on-the-Lake winery Between the Lines and a pinot grigio and zinfandel from California's Big House, which are also on the menu at restaurants like Souk Tabule in Toronto's Distillery District. Less sweet than their cooler precursors, canned cocktails range from Quebec's Cabana Coast Moscow Mule and Greyhound to Georgian Bay Spirit Co.'s Gin Smash and Vodka Smash.
While wine or a cocktail in a can may be sacriligeous to some drinkers (even the LCBO seemed skeptical when it issued a release earlier this year titled "Wine in a can…really"), stats show that the pre-made cocktail category is booming in Canada. According to 2015 data from Labatt, which owns Palm Bay and Mike's Hard Lemonade, sales of pre-mixed drinks grew by seven per cent annually over the previous three years. The LCBO, meanwhile, reported the ready-to-drink category was up 11 per cent with $20.1-million growth in the 2015 to 2016 period.
Sabrine Dhaliwal, bar manager at Vancouver's Uva Wine & Cocktail Bar, says these canned cocktails fill a void in the market. The casual appeal of a canned cocktail lies in its ease, portability and convenience. "You're going hiking or camping, maybe you're going to visit family for the weekend and they don't have a full bar and you're limited on what you can bring," says Dhaliwal. "You're not going to bring a whole bar kit with you."
For the more ambitious mixologist on the go, Dhaliwal recommends pre-making cocktails in batches to bring along to the campsite or barbecue. Her favourite mix this summer is Uva's new Lady O'Keefe, a sour made with vodka and St-Germain elderflower liqueur. "It's light, it's floral and you get that nice texture from the egg white."
STYLE HAPPENINGS
- On June 24, Canadian footwear favourite John Fluevog will be opening a boutique in Victoria. Located at 566 Johnson St., in a spacious heritage building, the new store is the brand’s first on Vancouver Island. For more information, visit www.fluevog.com.
- Nike marked National Aboriginal Day on June 21 with the launch of its N7 Collection. Inspired by Jordan Nolan, the First Nations Ojibwe hockey star, the collection comprises men’s and women’s footwear and apparel featuring thunderbird imagery. Proceeds from sales will be donated to youth sport and physical activity programs in communities across North America through the Nike N7 Fund. For more information, visit www.nike.com.
- On the heels of acquiring Whole Foods, e-commerce giant Amazon has announced a new try-before-you-buy clothing delivery service, Amazon Prime Wardrobe. Prime members will be able to order from millions of items with no shipping fee for deliveries or returns and have seven days to decide on whether or not they will keep the items before being charged. For more information, visit www.amazon.com.