Page 48 - Beverage MasterAug Sept 2020_Rev

International News

now comes pre-mixed in a can, no bartending skills The Professor’s Negroni is an example of a truly arti-
necessary. This is a huge draw when most bars have sanal RTD cocktail. Dillon’s Distillery crafts all three
been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandem- ingredients for the cocktail, from the Dry Gin to the
ic. The notion of sitting down and ordering a cocktail vermouth to the bitter aperitivo, made using rhubarb,
at a bar is no longer, so more brands are choosing to violet and wormwood. The distillery believes this sort
offer classic cocktails in a pre-mixed, RTD format. of spirit-forward RTD cocktail fits their brand better
than a canned drink and allows them to showcase
So, what’s next in the Canadian ready-to-drink cock- what they do best. The distillery has even tried a
tail movement? As single-serving pre-mixed cocktails kegged version of the classic Negroni, ideal for busy
become more popular amongst consumers, a new bartenders and extremely cost-efficient for restau-
line of spirit-forward beverages has started to appear rants. As the idea of easy, accessible, pre-mixed bev-
on the Canadian RTD scene. Dillon’s Distillers in erages continues to evolve, RTD cocktails might be
Grimsby, Ontario, has created a single-serving Negroni the new alternative to traditional bartending.
they call The Professor’s Negroni, available at Ontario
liquor stores. At 18.4% alcohol by volume, this prod- Presently, new RTD products are hitting the shelves
uct is the first of its kind in Canada. It took two years each month in Canada. From seltzers to spiked iced
for Dillon’s to get the product on the shelf due to teas to classic cocktails-in-a-can, the options are lim-
the cocktail’s spirit-forward nature. As of May 2019, itless. Unique cocktail creations are becoming more
Canada set in place restrictions on ABV in canned common with flavours that might be surprising to
cocktails. Previously a 568 mL beverage could contain find. Collective Arts in Hamilton, Ontario, is producing
an artisanal dry gin soda with grapefruit, lemon and
thyme. Little Buddha Cocktail Company in Toronto
makes a premium distilled vodka-based cocktail with
grilled pineapple and rosemary that also contains car-
rot and pumpkin juice. No matter their preference,
there’s an option for every cocktail lover.

With Canadians deprived of bars and restaurants for
the majority of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
and therefore unable to grab a cocktail made by a
proper bartender, the pre-mixed cocktail movement
may continue to rise. With seemingly many more
days of social distancing ahead, RTD beverages are
the perfect option for summer outdoor gatherings
and backyard barbeques. Opting for an RTD beverage
makes perfect sense for most, as opposed to spend-
ing money stocking a bar cart with expensive liquor
bottles and taking the time to prepare the perfect
cocktail to-go. As the food and beverage and hospital-
ity industries continue to change and evolve through
this pandemic, so too will the vision of the RTD cock-
tail.

up to 11.9% ABV. Now, a 473 mL canned cocktail may
contain 5.4% ABV, while a 568 mL can is limited to
just 4.5% ABV. Dillon’s Distillers has gotten around
these restrictions by classifying their pre-mixed
Negroni as a spirit and serving it in 125 mL glass bot-
tles. It isn’t located in the RTD section of liquor stores;
it is placed on the shelves alongside bottles of liqueurs
and aperitivos, despite being pre-mixed and ready to
pour over ice for quick and easy cocktail convenience.

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