Five Seltzers and Canned Cocktails to Help You Wind Down Summer

From lychee and yuzu to matcha, perilla, and Asian pear, these AAPI producers are bringing something different to the can.

September is when the weather teases us with below-80-degree temperatures, a sign that even the dog days are about to sweep over us. Say goodbye to oppressive heatwaves with these five easy-sipping, infinitely portable canned and low-alcohol beverages (all under 10% ABV, with the intention of being crushable.

The fact that these ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails hail Asian-American producers means that you’ll get new and potentially unexpected flavors that you might not see in a pack of Claws. We’re talking Korean plum, Vietnamese coffee, strawberry matcha, and yuzu umeboshi. Long past the peak of flash-in-the-pan brands that inundated the shelves of our beer caves just a few years ago, these exciting brands are a testament to the versatility of the genre of canned alcoholic beverages.

Lunar

When Lunar was founded in 2021, the hard seltzer market was riding a wave of popularity: dozens of brands appeared seemingly overnight, all with their glossy multi-million-dollar ad campaigns, while even major breweries were inundating the market with limited-edition seltzer packs and odd takes on existing flavors. Lunar distinguished itself by being unapologetically Asian: lychee, yuzu, and passionfruit, its core flavors. The gamble paid off: it’s become a mainstay on the shelves of Trader Joe’s, Target, Whole Foods, and some of the biggest retailers in the country.

Jumo

Aside from hard seltzers, one of the RTD market’s biggest areas of growth is canned cocktails. These tend to be higher in alcohol, seeing as they’re made with actual spirits, and run the gamut in sophistication from bartender-curated mixes to easy sippers. Jumo’s soju canned cocktail hits both of these points, and with combinations like cucumber, Asian pear, and Perilla leaf, or mango, yuja tea, and citrus mint, Jumo’s soju-based cans deliver balance, robust flavors, and versatility from “sunny beach days to swanky dinner parties.”

Nectar

This Los Angeles-based brand launched just a few years ago with Asian Pear, Lychee, Yuzu, and Mandarin in its original pack, but it’s since expanded its flavor portfolio on a wave of maximalist, irreverent branding. Li Hing Pineapple, for example, is described as “what we imagine The Rock’s forehead sweat to taste like,” while Lychee Lilikoi (part of its higher-ABV Hard Juice pack) is “delicate sweet, tropical and floral, everything you want in a lover.” The brand leans on a TikTok-heavy presence featuring DJs, pop-up events, an online radio station, and a podcast on YouTube called Under the Influence. And if you can’t find it in your local store, you can text Nectar directly.

Yoju

Yogurt soju is wildly popular in Korea, where it’s a staple of KBBQ and karaoke: often a combination of Jinro, a splash of lemon-lime soda, and Yakult, the popular Japanese bottled yogurt that’s lighter and smoother than, say, Greek yogurt or Yoplait. The result is a creamy, smooth, and tangy concoction that’s a perfect match with spicy food and long, boisterous nights. Yoju grew from a group of friends who made the drink for their buddies in college before transforming it into a business during the pandemic. Flavors include white peach, lychee, mango and a new hard matcha latte, a logical extension for both the smoothness of a latte and the wildly Instagrammable popularity of matcha.

Dirty Water

Dirty Water is more like a cross between a hard seltzer and a beer—the kind you’d get at a dive bar, preferably with a shot of well whiskey, while Bob Seger plays on a jukebox. Cheap light beers was founder Dominic Minogue’s inspiration in creating Dirty Water; even the stickers and logos are riffs on iconic American light beers. But unlike those old-school favorites, the signature Dirty Water features no sugar, carbs, light carbonation, and just 90 calories, with notes of pear and lemon. Leaning into the lowbrow, there’s even a Dirties Menthol with a tallboy can styled like a cigarette.