5 Fave Fruity Canned Cocktails for Summer at Home in Japan

    With new states of emergency coming out for different prefectures seemingly every day and delta variant infecting people at an alarming rate, summer fun has taken on a distinctively domestic flavor. It just isn't safe to be out and amongst people these days, but what if you wanted to watch the summer wind down with a lovely fruity adult beverage? With that in mind, I have put together a list of my five favorite fruity alcoholic beverages that you can enjoy in your own home after purchasing them from most convenience stores or grocery stores.

Suntory Horokoi Peach and Pear

    This Peach and pear combination cocktail was on the low end regarding alcohol content but also quite delicious. The crispness of the pear comes through in the flavoring which otherwise might seem a little bit watery. The peach has a nice sweet overtone but not overpoweringly so. while I had originally bought this low alcohol beverage intent on using it as a mixer for coconut flavored rum, this was much better than I had expected that I never bothered to add the stronger liquor.


Suntory Horokoi Yuzu

    From the same beverage line as the peach and pear concoction, this yuzu flavored sparkling alcoholic beverage holds a similar alcohol content and tastiness. As far as yuzu flavor, the Craft Chu-Hi from Miyagi that I tried a few years ago was better as it also had a salty undercurrent that really worked well, but that drink isn't available right now. This sweeter and cheaper beverage was still highly enjoyable and is actually available. I would drink it again.

Nagano Anzu Cider

    One of the reasons why I picked up this can was its adorable mascot. I know that a cute can doesn't necessarily mean a good beverage and I was ambivalent about the prospects. The beverage actually wasn't too sweet and actually had very similar flavoring to Smirnoff Ice beverages circa 2005. If you are an elder millennial who wants some college nostalgia and had a penchant for these kinds of drinks, you will not be disappointed. I don't know if Smirnoff Ice ever came in an orange flavor, but if they did, it would taste like this.

Kodawari Lemon Sour-- Salty Lemon Flavor

    I was a little bit reluctant to pick this one up because a previous version in a similar can had not been terribly pleasant. When I saw this one in a group of similar cans, i decided to actually read the flavors on the labels and choose accordingly. I went with the salty lemon, and the resulting beverage was something like a lightly salted alcoholic version of Lemonheads candies, which I love. I very much enjoyed it overall. Anyone who really enjoys is sour lemon flavor a little bit of sweet and salty would probably also really like this beverage. It's not too expensive but is a little high in calories so drink carefully.

Suntory -196 Strong Zero-- 洋梨 European Pear Flavor

    The last drink that I tried for this one would up being one of my favorites, and that would be Suntory's -196 Strong Zero with specifically western pear flavoring. If you enjoy the taste of pear and want a higher alcohol content, this is a really good one. The sweetness and crispness of the pear flavor is evident and not overpowering. If you enjoy the strong beverages anyway, this is a good one to try and a nice way to wind down the end of the summer.

What are you drinking at home as summer comes to an end?