Be a kick ass home bartender with cocktail kits and purchasing canned cocktails. I love having a cocktail when I am hosting friends. Wine is super too, but during summer, I love to have a refreshing cocktail but who wants all the fuss of cocktail creation? What am I, a mixologist?
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The best canned cocktails are Tip Top Proper cocktails
Little things come in small package has never been more true than with these delicious small batch cocktails in a can. I’d had several cocktails in a can in the past and saying they were a disappointment was an understatement. Several years ago I bought some cucumber lime Cutwater cocktails. All things I love so I expected to enjoy these but they were a letdown.
At just under $4 a pop, these are the best and most potent cocktails for your buck.
So when I heard about Tip Top I thought I’d have the same experience, but picking up a few at my liquor store, I figured for five bucks I didn’t have much to lose. However, two of my favorite cocktails are Negronis and Manhattans. These are two of the three varieties of canned cocktails from Tip Top. The third is an Old Fashioned.
The cans are so small I figured there’d be almost no bang for your buck, but I was so wrong! These are a delicious treat in the evening as you unwind before dinner. These pre-made cocktails are strong too! See that on the bottom of the can above where it says 26% alcohol? Protip: If you want a pretty looking cocktail for a dinner party go with the Negroni. It has a gorgeous pink huge, whereas the other pre-made cocktails are more brown in color and not as easy on the eyes.
Cocktails too strong? On the lighter side, here’s a good for you seltzer? Check out Volley Seltzers
Try all the flavors of this good-for-you hard seltzer
Another delicious and easy sipping drink are Volley hard seltzers. I like them more than others because contain natural ingredients. These are 100% blue agave tequila, sparkling water + organic juice . They are gluten-free and have zero added sugars, natural flavorings, essences and corn syrup. Have you read the ingredients in other seltzers? Yikes!
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Watching your calories? Check out this light seltzer coming in at just 110 calories. Volley comes in an assortment of flavors – Zesty Lime, Pink Grapefruit, Spicy Ginger and Tropical Mango. For me, it was a tie between the Grapefruit and Spicy Ginger. Four packs of Volley are $13.99 and this seltzer can be ordered online.
Subscribe to a cocktail kit home delivery
The Cocktail Courier makes everyone an expert bartender with their mixologist-created cocktail kits. These are craft cocktails delivered to your front door. You’ll get unique cocktails like the Paloma Diabla or the Fig Reveal. But should you want something more traditional, go for the signature cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Manhattan or Margarita. Though I don’t know why you’d get something simple that is on every restaurant / bar menu.
The Cocktail Courier not only sources recipes from bartenders all over in cities like Chicago, New York and Paris, but they offer unique brands of liquor. Instead of a bottle of Absolut vodka for my Fig Reveal cocktail kit, they sourced Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka. Boxes are well packed and include everything (down to the fruit) you need to assemble the perfect cocktail, including exact instructions.
L: Well packaged kit from Cocktail Courier, R: Perfectly crafted cocktail just like the picture.
The Cocktail Courier provided the perfect excuse to have some friends over for drinks. My kit was supposed to make a dozen cocktails, however we ended up just making about half the amount. While we did have a lot of vodka leftover, we had to use a larger quantity of the fig syrup than the recipe indicated to really get the fig flavor. I didn’t mind though, and appreciated the ease of making a cocktail that deviates from perennial favorites like a margarita.
I priced the items out individually for everything and it adds up to around $62. The price listed on the site is $53.88 not including shipping. Breakdown of item cost if purchased individually:
- Bison Grass Vodka – $22.99
- Six Pack Fever Tree Club Soda – $6.99
- Bag of lemons – $3.99
- Scrappy’s Lavender Bitters – $20
- Fig Syrup – $12
The cocktail kit provided a great excuse to catch up with my friend since college, Tim!
The Cocktail Courier definitely provides a terrific service for those home entertainers that want to make a unique cocktail for guests. For me, it was the perfect drink to kick off my happy hour after a long work week. You can order kits to be shipped almost anywhere in the US, however, they may require the signature of someone over 21 (they didn’t ask me – humph!). I like that the recipes change often from the Cocktail Courier. If you are really into cocktails, you can even sign up for a weekly subscription for about $40.
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