E AT & D R I N K
TABLE TALK
It’s In the Can
The ready-to-drink cocktail trend hits South Florida Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT
T
he spirits world has a new obsession, and it comes in a can. Ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails are stepping out of the hard seltzers’ shadow and into the spotlight. The Original Southside is the Florida Panthers’ exclusive RTD gin partner, and oo-Lah is a veteran-owned local brand that’s all about infusing a little R&R into our daily lives. We sat down with both founders to chat about this new canned craze.
OO-LAH
FOUNDERS: USMC Veteran Trevor Spiers and fellow entrepreneur Chris Klein LAUNCHED: July 4, 2024 in Hollywood, Fla. IT’S ALL IN A NAME: Spiers and Klein, along with their families, created endless lists of possible names and whittled them down to a handful. Klein’s young son mispronounced one of the names on the final list, and that was when the clouds parted—oo-Lah was born. RTDS VS. SELTZERS: Hard seltzers are made with malt liquor, which is made with similar ingredients as beer, while RTDs are blended with actual spirits like rum, vodka and tequila. This is why seltzers can be sold anywhere beer and wine is sold, like grocery stores, and RTDs are not.
WINNING THE POPULARITY CONTEST: Spiers attributes RTDs’ rise in popularity to the generation that came up after the craft beer and hard seltzer craze. He explains that the younger generation grew up having access to everything immediately on their phones. This behavior has made them less attracted to the time and effort involved in the art of crafting the perfect cocktail. But this doesn’t mean their expectations aren’t high; they’re still unwilling to sacrifice quality.“That’s something we’re concentrated on. It’s very important to us that we have bartender-quality recipes and drinks that are consistent every single time,” Spiers says. FAVORITE FLAVORS: Island Girl, made with coconut, pineapple, orange and rum, may be the company’s bestselling premium cocktail, but Spiers can’t get enough of the Spicy Margarita. The other two oo-Lah flavors are the Prickly Pear Margarita and The Big O, a vodka and citrus-forward sip. THE KICKBACK COCKTAIL: “Chris and I have created a brand that has a real soul and a real spirit to it,”Spiers explains.“We love the kickback lifestyle; we live it. It’s a crazy world, but what’s lost is people taking time to kick back and relax—even for a couple of hours with friends and family. It’s important to take a break and slow down. That’s what we hope oo-Lah is bringing back to people.” LOOKING FORWARD: This year, it’s launching Kickback Spirits, its own spirit brand that will sell its namesake rum, tequila and vodka. DETAILS: 5% ABV, low carbonation, gluten-free, made in USA, available at Total Wine in Town Center. oolahcocktails.com
THE ORIGINAL SOUTHSIDE
oo-Lah Spicy Margarita
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FOUNDER: Meredith Mills-Merritt LAUNCHED: 2024 IT’S ALL IN A NAME: Meredith Mills-Merritt’s mom, Leah, a fellow gin lover, refined a classic Prohibition-era recipe to create a beloved family recipe. The lightbulb moment came when Mills-Merritt saw that gin was primed and ready for a renaissance, and she decided to create a brand with her mom’s recipe. The Original Southside name pays homage to the recipe’s history and evokes a 1920s allure.“I’ve had a lot of bad ideas; this was the first good one,”Mills-Merritt chuckles. “BETTER FOR YOU” MOVEMENT: As a former beauty exec, Mills-Merritt saw the“better for
Meredith Mills-Merritt, founder of The Original Southside
you”movement firsthand when customers started to push for cleaner skin care.“Alcohol was still one of those areas where people threw what they knew out the window. They ask what’s in their skincare, haircare, makeup and foods they’re eating, but you move into the spirits world, and it’s less transparent.” Mills-Merritt designed The Original Southside for consumers who want all the cocktail and none of the compromise. She explains that the controlled ABV in these pre-batched cocktails is also great because consumers know exactly what they’re getting. THE FLORIDA PANTHERS COME CALLING: Mills-Merritt received an unsolicited email from a Panthers exec interested in learning more about The Original Southside. Her parents are dedicated snowbirds in Lantana, and Florida’s year-round summer weather made it a target market for the brand. However, the brand had just launched, so although it made sense to bring the refreshing, warm weather-forward drink to Florida, she “would not have entertained it had the Panthers team not been so incredible.” She admits it’s a dream come true and is grateful for the partnership. LOOKING FORWARD: The brand will premiere a lighter version with half the sugar and a lower ABV, and it’s also looking to launch a second gin-based cocktail. DETAILS: 10% ABV, made with premium gin that the company compounds itself, cane sugar, certified organic, gluten-free, vegan, made in USA, also available at Total Wine in Town Center. drinksouthsides.com
bocamag.com • • • • March 2025
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