Are canned cocktails the next big thing in Hong Kong?

After the sell-out success of canned wines at grocery giant Trader Joe’s in the US, young entrepreneur Victoria Chow has been taking note and recently unveiled a range of canned cocktails at her newly opened bar, Kwoon, in Central.

Kwoon, which is phonetically similar to the Cantonese word for “can”, now offers seven signature canned cocktails that are concocted by mixologists at Chow’s other cocktail bar, The Woods.

The cocktails, using Hong Kong ingredients such as five spices, dried tangerine peel, sour plums, as well as Thai flavours of Tom Yum, are created without the use of artificial preservatives and have a shelf life of two months when refrigerated, according to the company.

Billing the range as “Asia’s first brand of artisanal canned cocktails”, the use of can over glass bottles boasts lighter weight, easier recyclable material and ‘unbreakability’ at parties and events, said the company.

In addition, it argues that the airtight sealing and opaque container prevents carbonation from escaping and light from damaging the flavours, which is in line with the global movement of craft beers migrating from glass bottles to cans.

Chow also lent a hand in designing the patterns on the canned cocktails, while local fashion designer Melissa Bui was responsible for the High Tea chrysanthemum cocktail design.

The whole range comprises of High Tea, Pina Tang, Desert Rose, Major League Bourbon, Barley Sunny, Madame Ching, Tom Yum Cooler, and sells for HK$78 and up.