New canned cocktails to try

New to the food and beverage area this month are the Colorado-based Cocktail Squad® products recently gaining distribution in Connecticut and Vermont. Cocktail Squad offers a line of eight sleek, ready-to-drink canned cocktails from the Rocky Mountains featuring four real spirits instead of just malt liquor.

The thin, attractive12-ounce cans -- with a bear, fox and bird logo -- are nice additions to camping, picnics the beach (where allowed of course), around a fire pit or on the deck. We tried them recently and judged them a cut above other canned cocktails, although some flavors were deemed better than others. 

The Bourbon Smash (at 10 percent alcohol with bourbon, blackberries, mint and pressed lemons) was a hit and the Margarita (10% alcohol) was refreshing while the Vodka Lemon (5% alcohol with a little carbonation) had a slight aftertaste. 

Cocktail Squad’s Classy Classics™ contain two servings per can, say the producers, so be advised about that. They are gluten-free or gluten-removed and have an MSRP of $4.99 per can or $20 per four-pack. 

The lower-alcohol Classy Casuals™ contain 0g sugar, 0g carbohydrates and no artificial sugar substitutes and come in two flavors- Whiskey Ginger Soda and the Vodka Lemon Soda. They run $3.49 per can or $13.99 per four-pack.

Here's a list of places you can get the canned cocktails: Al's Warehouse, Fairfield & Norwalk Bruce Park Liquor, Greenwich Cheshire Wine & Spirits, Cheshire Bottle Shop, New Haven JV Wine & Spirits, Killingsworth