The complications of canning
It's important to understand that canning a margarita is not as straightforward as simply pouring lime juice into a can. Citrus juice, in particular, poses challenges for canning. This is largely because citrus juice loses its appealing flavor when not consumed fresh, and over time, it can develop a bitter and unpalatable taste. Furthermore, citrus juice oxidizes rapidly and has a limited shelf life of just a few days, making it unsuitable for canning.
While citrus juice, such as lime juice, can be pasteurized prior to canning to extend its freshness, this process can alter the flavor to some extent. As a result, many canned margaritas opt for citric acid instead of real juice to mimic the flavor without the drawbacks of using fresh juice. However, some canned margarita producers have discovered a method to capture the essence of lime by utilizing a lime concentrate that incorporates both the juice and oils from the lime, effectively recreating the taste of fresh lime.
No malt in your margarita
Many canned cocktails utilize a neutral malt base instead of distilled spirits. This choice is primarily due to the fact that malt-based beverages are subject to lower taxes compared to distilled spirits. Furthermore, malt-based alcohols provide a neutral flavor that allows other ingredients to shine when crafting canned cocktails. As a result, flavors like sweeteners and fruit juices can be more pronounced in the final drink.
Consequently, many so-called canned cocktails are crafted with malt-based alcohol, enhanced with various flavors to mimic their fresh cocktail counterparts. However, a growing number of ready-to-drink cocktails do use actual distilled spirits as their foundation. If you're in search of an authentic canned margarita, it's essential to seek out those made with distilled alcohol, rather than those based on malt or agave wine, which may taste similar to tequila but fall short of the genuine experience.
No labels
Given all this, you may find it challenging to locate a precise ingredient list on your canned cocktails. Unlike other products, such as non-alcoholic beverages and various food items, alcoholic drinks are not mandated to display their ingredients on the label (or at all). While many consumers desire greater transparency about what goes into their alcoholic beverages, the actual contents of your canned cocktail remain somewhat unclear.
So, how can you determine which canned cocktail to select? To increase your chances of enjoying a great drink, you may need to depend on what the packaging reveals. While some ready-to-drink cocktail brands are rather vague about their ingredient lists, others, like The Post Meridiem's The Real Lime Juice Margarita and Tip Top's canned margarita, prominently feature their ingredients on the label, ensuring a straightforward, tasty, and authentic cocktail experience. However, it's important to note that these labels differ from the ingredient lists found on other products and are not held to the same level of detail as those on non-alcoholic food and beverages. Therefore, discovering a genuinely fresh and simple canned margarita may involve some trial and error. But you can always consider that as another excuse to enjoy another drink.
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