The freshest – and handiest – drinks for a getaway.
No matter where you are in this big old country, you’re never far from fun. Almost all of our capital cities are within striking distance of wineries, beaches and national parks, meaning a long weekend filled with sipping, swimming or hiking is an easy sell. And hey, if you’re not in a big city, it just makes you even closer to long-weekend adventures – the kind we think are best with an ice-filled esky and a few easy-going premixed cans chilling inside.
With that in mind, we’ve curated a mixed pack of tins for your chilly bin, so all you’ll need is some ice, a destination and some good company. Let’s hit the road.
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1. The Kraken Spiced Rum & Dry
We all know that mixing rum and dry (that’s dry ginger ale, BTW) is a winner – the subtle heat of ginger and sweetness of the soft drink make a serious match for those woody, caramel-like notes in rum. The only thing is that it can sometimes feel a little plain, which is why we’re big fans of using a spiced rum instead.
One of the best spiced rums is the Kraken, which is a blend of dark rums loaded with spices like cinnamon, clove and ginger. The cans make these especially esky-friendly but, if you’re sipping one back at the caravan or Airbnb, we recommend pouring it into a glass and squeezing a little lime in there. Now you’re on holidays.
2. Hard Fizz Vodka Lemonade
Trust a Gold Coast boy to bring us a zesty, no-nonsense can of vodka lemonade. This easy-going vodka lemonade comes courtesy of Paul Fisher (AKA DJ Fisher) of the Hard Fizz clan – a group of Queenslanders dedicated to making fruity, fizzy premixes.
The idea is to match big flavour (from actual fruit juice) with low sugar, and we reckon Hard Fizz Vodka Lemonade strikes the balance just right. It tastes just like old-school lemonade, which should make it a perfect esky addition for anyone hunting down a little nostalgic refreshment while heading away to the coast. Turns out DJ Fisher can mix more than just beats, hey?
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3. Papa Salt Paloma
Back in 2023, everyone’s favourite globetrotting food lover, Stanley Tucci, raised some eyebrows when he posted a tutorial for a Paloma cocktail that used gin instead of tequila. While it’s not a cancellable offence (everyone loves the Tooch too much for that), it did give rise to the term ‘Gin-loma’ as a bit of a nod to the original. All of this is to say – Papa Salt co-founder and Aussie superstar Margot Robbie, no one minds if you call your canned gin cocktail a Paloma, even if it technically isn’t.
The great thing about the Gin-loma – and this breezy can from Papa Salt, in particular – is that the zippy tartness of grapefruit is a serious match for a botanical-forward gin. Here, we’re talking about native Aussie botanicals like wattleseed, plus ginger and a subtle saltiness. We reckon it makes a perfect esky option for those of us who live and holiday absolutely nowhere near the beach but want an excuse to pretend for a while.
4. Espolon Lime and Soda
If there’s one problem with tequila cocktails it’s that they so often seem to hide the main attraction behind a wall of other ingredients. Well, we like our tequila upfront – and, thankfully, so does Espolon. This simple serve is here to highlight one of our long-time favourite blanco tequilas (Espolon, naturally) with nothing more than crisp soda water and a little zesty lime juice to round it out. It’s fresh, it’s clean, it’s simple – and we think it’s about the best way to serve tequila if you really want to taste the spirit.
While we’re singing the praises of simple serves, the other great thing about a can like this is you can also see it as a blank canvas. Add it to a glass of ice with a splash of triple sec and sugar syrup and you’re looking at a long Margarita, or squeeze in some fresh grapefruit juice and you’ve got a Paloma. Wherever you’re holidaying, we think that’ll make the group taco night even better.
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5. Lost Scott Whisky and Cola
It’s hard to beat the classics. While you’ll always hear us shouting about the new and adventurous wave of crafty premixes that constantly roll out, we have plenty of time for the tried and true originals like Scotch whisky and cola – even if they are coming from new guys like Lost Scott.
The drink inside this can with the shaggy bull is simple and no-fuss, taking good quality blended Scotch and the sweet, vanilla notes of cola, and throwing them together. And while you probably won’t be dragging your esky to the Scottish Highlands (not for a long weekend, at least), we do think this simple serve is perfect among the rolling hills of our own country, so grab a few next time you get the urge to go camping.
6. Brookvale Union Lemon Lime & Bitters
You could put the Lemon, Lime and Bitters on our coat of arms, such is the drink’s iconic status here in Australia. And while the LLB has traditionally been the drink of choice for kids in pubs and anyone avoiding alcohol (especially in the days before the crafty non-alc renaissance), we’re pretty chuffed that Brookvale Union has given us a vodka-enhanced version.
You know what you’re getting here: a sweet, zesty, pink drink with a signature splash of aromatic bitters to round it all out – upgraded with a subtle hit of vodka, of course. We reckon Brookvale’s LLB is a perfect way to cap off a day spent sampling the sights and smells of this great country – whether that’s bushwalking, lying on a beach, strolling through a laneway or anything else that says Australia to you.
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