So, *plot twist*, this post isn’t about actual beer. Some will be horrified by this, others will totally get me when I say that those little cans of alcoholic delight you grab for the train, don’t have to be beer and are quite often something else entirely. Here are the newest train beers (or canned cocktails, as they are probably officially known as) to hit the market:
BuzzBallz are the brainchild of Merrilee Kick, who used to work as a school teacher and had a craving for a cocktail whilst home marking one evening. She didn’t want to faff about with a delicate glass and wanted something she could drink from a plastic container. She was inspired by a snow globe and tennis balls for the design and, I think you can agree, it is certainly a different and eyecatching design.
At 13.5% abv, the boozy hit is there and there are 6 different cocktails to choose from. My personal favourite is the Tequila’Rita or the Choc Tease, the latter has Baileys vibes so also perfect for this time of year.
You can buy a 3 pack on Amazon from £11.99, although they are still fairly new to the UK so I expect more stockists will start appearing soon.
I think most will have either seen or tried Funkin products, perhaps without realising it. They have been making fruit purees for bartenders since 1999 and then realised they were getting all the fun! The Ready to Drink Nitro Cocktails are canned with nitrogen, which is activated when you pop them open. After a hard pour, the nitrogen infusion process produces a rich and silky texture, giving your cocktail a thick and creamy foam head.
There are 6 to choose from, but the foam is perfect for the espresso martini. They are all on the sweet side but at 5% abv, you can have a few! You can buy them on their website and prices start from £8.
Cutwater was founded by Yuseff, who used to work in the beer industry and actually made his first still from an upside down beer fermenter! His aim was to create bar worthy cocktails in a can, so he made his spirits and then started mixing it with high quality juices and purees to make his canned cocktails.
The result is a fine range of cocktails that you can buy in a classics or tequila mixed case, all up to 12.5% abv. They are not overly sweet and the tequila margarita has a fabulous tang, the way a decent margarita should.
You can buy them from their website. Prices start from £11.
A new kid on the block is Scottish born Angels Dare; a range of canned cocktails with the prettiest packaging I think I have ever seen. There are currently 3 drinks in the range, all completely unique and designed by the Angels Dare MD Michael, who has spent his entire life working in the hospitality trade.
The Cheeky Kiss is my favourite as it has such a unique flavour. Gin for dryness, ginger for a touch of fire and then a fruity kick with rhubarb, strawberry and cranberry. A cheeky kiss indeed.
They are priced at £5.50 for 3 and available on their website.
Finally, if a low or no alcohol train beer is your thing, I’d highly recommend giving Lyre’s a try. They set out to replicate the world’s most popular spirits without alcohol, as close to the original spirits as possible. The result being that their range can now be used to make 90% of the world’s best cocktails, without any alcohol or compromising on taste.
Lyre’s have developed this further by providing their own canned cocktail range, including the Amalfi Spritz, American malt and cola, dark and spicy or a classic G&T. The latter is spot on.
You can grab them from their website with prices starting from £28.
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