10 Canned Mocktails for Alcohol-Free Socializing This Season
Updated: Jun. 28, 2023
These convenient off-the-shelf mocktails taste just as delicious as their alcohol-containing counterparts.
Long summer evenings and three-day weekends are a prime time to socialize, and nothing says summer like a peachy-pink cocktail or an ice-cold mojito enjoyed dockside. This year, however, many of us are looking to cut back on our alcohol consumption after the sobering news from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, which warned against drinking more than two alcoholic drinks a week (for women). Many other former-imbibers are feeling a bit drained and simply looking for healthier substitutes after taking a hard look at our increased drinking rates during the pandemic.
Fortunately, a splash of juice and Club Soda with maybe a sprig of mint is no longer the only mocktail option for teetotalers. Restaurant menus are now bursting with alcohol-free options and people are mixing them at home by using ingredients such as herbs, spices and non-alcoholic spirits.
Brands have picked up on the trend and made things easier by offering convenient mocktails in cans. Feeling like an espresso martini? There’s a can for it. Want to spice things up with a jalapeno marg? There’s a can for that, too.
Regardless of why you’re cutting back, these grab-and-go mocktails-in-a-can are refreshing and delicious, while still preserving the taste of their alcoholic versions (with none of the cancer-causing alcohol levels). Bonus: They’re easy to bring to backyard dinner parties, picnics or lakeside hangs, and they’ll blend right in with anyone enjoying a cold can of beer—no questions asked.
Here are some of the best off-the-shelf mocktails available from online retailers in Canada.
Best Low-Sugar Mocktail
Mocktails and cocktails alike have a reputation for being too sugary, or tasting like aspartame. But OPUS’s Gin and Tonic contains only stevia as a sweetener, recreating a low-sugar Gin & Tonic just like the original.
On sale for $16/4 pack, sansorium.ca
A Moscow Mule Mocktail
According to the rave reviews, DRNK’s Moscow Mule is a perfect replica of the original and steers clear of tasting like ginger beer. The added coffee fruit extract gives it a kick and is a perfect caffeine alternative for late nights out on the town.
$22/4 pack, well.ca
Trendiest Mocktail of the Season
Tequila, mezcal and agave-based spirits are having a major moment, and not in the back-to-back-shots-in-college type of way: People now talk about tequila and mezcal the way they used to talk about sophisticated wines. What better way to get in on this trend than with a classic Paloma? Edna’s zero-proof Paloma offers exactly this.
$18/4 pack, well.ca
No-Alc Aperol Spritz
ISH’s spritz contains all the ingredients—herbs and spices to add bitterness, and citrus for a touch of tang and sweetness—that make up the infamous Italian cocktail, minus the alcohol.
$20/4 pack, notwasted.ca
No-Alc Pre-Mixed Espresso Martini
Two Bears’ espresso martini cocktail mixer is made with some of the top coffee beans in the world, and formulated with nitrogen to give it a delicious froth just like the real deal.
$15.95/4 pack, clearsips.ca
Best Mocktail for Brunch
For lazy Sunday brunches when picking a drink is too much effort, Edna’s mojito is clearly a no-brainer.
$20.50/4 pack, soberlicious.ca
Best Spicy Mocktail
Avec’s Jalapeno and Blood Orange mocktail is guaranteed to satisfy your craving for a spicy margarita. It’s the perfect combination of blood orange, smoked salt and jalapeno.
$3.99, thesobrmarket.com
Best Non-Alc Sangria
Grüvi’s non-alcoholic Spanish sangria will make you forget that real sangria exists. This drink has won two awards: one at the International Wine & Spirits Competition and another at the International Alcohol-Free Awards.
$23.99/4 pack, well.ca
Your Summer Picnic’s BFF
Cipriani’s Bellini is a non-negotiable for summer picnics. Its prominent peach flavour and gorgeous pink colour scream summer, especially if you’re going for the Barbie-core aesthetic.
$17.95/4 pack, clearsips.ca
Elevate Your Classic Lemonade
Skip the lemonade and try out Wild Folk’s Bee’s Knees, a non-alcoholic version of the classic Bee’s Knees cocktail. It contains flavourful ingredients like lemon, honey, red clover, juniper and peppercorn to elevate the drink without alcohol.
$21.99/4 pack, notwasted.ca
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