What Is It?
Vervet brands themselves as sparkling, farm-to-table canned cocktails. At 7% abv, the alcohol is well below the typical mixed drink. The slim can and colorful branding are attractive.
How Does It Taste?
I was excited to try Vervet canned cocktails. If a lower alcohol version of a margarita or Bloody Mary can taste good and is packaged in an easy to recycle can, then I am all in.
Pale Mary
A blend of gin, clarified tomato water, celery bitters, lemon, habanero bitters, and Salicornia (a bushy succulent), it drinks almost like a kids’ version of the classic. Not thick like a Mary you might get at your local watering hole. The habanero adds a hint of sweetness and spice, the Salicornia (a.k.a pickleweed or sea bean) adds salty savoriness. Refreshing. Nice. Recommend.
Tiki Tea
Prickly Pear vodka, lime juice, oolong tea, ginger and a house made infusion of spices made to taste like Falernum (a gingery liqueur), it drinks like your favorite lemonade-iced tea blend or kombucha amped up with ginger. I wanted a more lime-y zest or a punch of salt to balance the ginger and add depth. Felt innocuous but friendly. Recommend.
Angelicano
The company compares it to a Negroni spritz (Negronis are one of my favorite cocktails) and the flavor profile is designed for my palate: herbaceous with a tinge of bitter. Made with citrus peel amaro, cinnamon, burdock, rosemary and white vermouth. The rosemary could be dialed back a little (I found the pine flavor to be too strong) but overall, this was my favorite of the group, especially when I came back to it after it rested for a while. Recommend.
Sundowner
One sip of the Sundowner and I had to put it down. It’s a downer. The ingredients are stellar – citruds amaro, strawberry juice, champagne vinegar and bitters – but something was off on the flavor profile. Wish I liked it but just. could. not.
Toyo
Sake with tonic water, hops, yuzu, kumquat and holy basil. Pleasingly bitter but not too bitter. Easy to drink. I could see adding this to my daily after work routine instead of a glass of wine. Recommend.
In Sum
Is Vervet farm-to-table cocktails? Yes. Are they on-trend? Yes. Thoughtful sourcing and well-curated ingredients make some of the flavors shine. The flavor profiles are so distinct, however, each drinker will need to find the one or two that suit their palates best. Love the easy-to-recycle, safe for the beach can.
