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Drinkers are seeking more adventure and escapism when creating cocktails, and brands in the alcohol category are creating new products to convey that feeling—even sourcing ingredients from outside the planet.
According to data from the Distilled Spirits Council of America, ready-to-drink canned cocktails, the fastest-growing segment in the spirits category, are expected to grow 26.8% to $2.8 billion in 2023.
Here are three brands looking to bring something new to the mixed drinks category this summer.
Pegasus Distillery Crash-landed in America with Vodka Made from Meteorites
A French brand's latest product aims to capture the universe in a shot glass.
Pegasus Distillery, a premium craft spirits producer from rural France, made its U.S. debut this summer with a range of small-batch botanical-infused spirits.
In particular, Shooting Star Vodka is fortified with an ingredient that literally came from outside this planet: meteorites. The brand says the drink is “distilled several times in slow reflux,” then reduced with water from underground wells for over a month and aged in meteorite-filled amphorae for at least a year to extract the minerals, the company says.
Pegasus also sells Orion Gin, a citrus and floral gin from the Swiss Alps, and Odor liqueur, made with citrus, sugar cane and orange blossom.
“At Pegasus Distillerie, we take inspiration from the starry sky and are guided by our unwavering commitment to quality. We utilize the purest natural elements to create simple, innovative and sophisticated spirits that evoke wonder and contribute to creating long-lasting shared memories,” founder Maxime Girardin said in a statement.
Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke was named the spirit maker’s global brand ambassador last month. The actress said in a statement that Pegasus represents “the best of French luxury,” making her another French spirit maker with a famous face behind the brand, along with Renais gin, co-owned by Harry Potter star Emma Watson, which launched in the US last month.
Pegasus Distillerie's spirits are currently available at select stores in New York, California and Florida, as well as on the brand's website.
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Courtesy of Surfside
Surfside brings strong tea and lemonade to the beach.
Surfside, the strong tea and lemonade brand, is looking to fill coolers and expand its national presence this summer.
The brand is launching five new flavors ahead of the holiday season: Raspberry Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Black Cherry Lemonade, Raspberry Tea and Green Tea. They join Surfside’s original lineup of Iced Tea, Peach Iced Tea, Half & Half and Lemonade. The drinks contain 100 calories and 2 grams of sugar per can.
The Philadelphia-based brand sells directly to consumers in Pennsylvania and launched nationwide in April. According to the brand, it sold 1.3 million cases of tea in 2024, but only in seven states.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for us, as from the beginning it has been our mission to build Surfside into a truly national brand,” said Clement Pappas, CEO of the hard tea maker, in a statement. “The three new lemonade flavors, two new iced teas and eight-pack lemonade variety flavors have been highly requested by our fans, and are our way of showing our love and gratitude to the people who have helped us get here.”
The growth of hard tea comes as canned cocktails that don’t include soda take precedent. Boston Beer has had great success in this segment for decades with its Twisted Tea, but other entrants to the space have entered the market with their own canned hard tea products in the past year. These include Peace Tea from Coca-Cola and Molson Coors, Nasty Beast from Monster Energy, and Smirnoff tea from Diageo.
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Served by Joshing Cocktails
Joshing Cocktails aims to capture the magic in the RTD cocktail space.
Another new entrant to the alcohol category is turning to the space theme with its latest release, the “Celestial” line of ready-to-drink cocktails.
Joshing Cocktails is launching its first line of canned cocktails made with vodka, lime and sugar cane. The Cosmic Tale features ginger beer with natural blueberries and basil. The Unicorn Tale features soda water and natural lychee flavor.
In a statement to Food Dive, the brand’s founder Josh Fruecht said the goal is to offer fun, high-quality products and a commitment to sustainability to stand out. Joshing Cocktails is a member of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of its annual sales to environmental causes, and partners with the Eden Reforestation Projects to plant one tree for every order.
“By focusing on these elements, we believe Joshing Cocktails can offer a unique and compelling value proposition in the RTD canned cocktail space,” Fruecht said.
The company said it plans to sell directly to consumers through its website this summer and is partnering with retailers and bars to expand distribution.
