Surfside drink flavors: which 15 sips are worth ordering now

Show summary

15. Lemonade + Vodka
14. Blueberry Lemonade + Vodka
13. Raspberry Lemonade + Vodka
12. Iced Tea Lemonade + Vodka
11. Raspberry Half & Half + Vodka
10. Blackberry Half & Half + Vodka
9. Green Tea Lemonade + Vodka
8. Strawberry Lemonade + Vodka
7. Iced Tea + Vodka
6. Raspberry Tea + Vodka
5. Mango Half & Half + Vodka
4. Green Tea + Vodka
3. Mango Green Tea + Vodka
2. Peach Tea + Vodka
1. Peach Green Tea + Vodka
Quick buying notes
Methodology

Canned cocktails are everywhere this summer, and Surfside’s lineup — a mix of lemonades, iced teas and tea‑lemonade hybrids all spiked with vodka — is worth a closer look. With low calories and portable packaging, these drinks are easy choices for picnics or porch hangs; this taste test ranks all 15 flavors to help you decide which to buy.

Non‑carbonated — lighter mouthfeel than fizzy ready‑to‑drinks

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100 calories per can, 2 grams sugar, and labeled gluten‑free

Uses a mix of natural flavors and artificial sweeteners; many varieties include real tea or juice

15. Lemonade + Vodka

This is the most straightforward lemon‑forward option and, frankly, the least successful. The citrus is sharp but the artificial sweetener lingers, giving the can a one‑note finish. It isn’t unpleasant — it would do at a backyard grill — but compared with the rest of the range it feels flat and overly sweet.

14. Blueberry Lemonade + Vodka

The blueberry barely registers beyond a faint tail of fruit; lemonade dominates the sip. The berry presence is subtle enough that you need to hold the drink in your mouth to coax it out. A gentle idea on paper, but in practice it doesn’t make a lasting impression.

13. Raspberry Lemonade + Vodka

A brighter, livelier step up from the plain lemonade, with raspberry bringing some floral, tangy balance. The artificial sweetener still lingers, but overall the raspberry softens the tart edges and makes this one more enjoyable than the two previous cans.

12. Iced Tea Lemonade + Vodka

Think Arnold Palmer with booze. The black tea adds a pleasant tannic backbone that tempers the sweetness and citrus. It’s familiar, crowd‑friendly and useful as a simple grab‑and‑serve option at casual gatherings.

11. Raspberry Half & Half + Vodka

Here the trio of raspberry, lemonade and tea work together more harmoniously. The tea note is prominent, the raspberry gives a sweet complexity, and the three elements arrive in different measures with each sip. A little more fruit would make it even better, but it’s a balanced pour.

10. Blackberry Half & Half + Vodka

Blackberry gives this blend a more intriguing angle than the more common berry flavors. It reads like an herbal fruit tea cut with lemonade, and the result is unexpectedly quaffable. If you want something distinctive in a cooler full of cans, this one stands out.

9. Green Tea Lemonade + Vodka

Green tea lightens the usual lemon‑tea formula, producing a floral, slightly grassy profile that plays nicely with citrus. It hits both advertised notes clearly, making it one of the better half‑and‑half options in the lineup.

8. Strawberry Lemonade + Vodka

The strongest of the straight lemonade variants. Strawberry brings a summery sweetness that complements the lemon and masks some of the sweetener’s aftertaste. It’s seasonal and familiar — a safe, likable choice for warm‑weather sipping.

7. Iced Tea + Vodka

Simple and solid. The tea here is full‑bodied and slightly bitter, and it isn’t overpowered by added flavors or sweetness. It’s versatile — ready to drink as‑is, or to dress up with a lemon wheel or mint — and among the more authentic spiked‑tea profiles in the range.

6. Raspberry Tea + Vodka

A fruitier spin on the iced tea, with raspberry lending a juicy lift to the tannins. The drink remains tea‑forward, but the berry adds welcome depth; it’s a good pick if you prefer your ready‑to‑drink cocktails on the less sweet, more complex side.

5. Mango Half & Half + Vodka

Mango introduces a tropical warmth to the lemonade‑plus‑tea formula and is surprisingly versatile across seasons. The three elements — lemon, mango and tea — play off one another without clashing, producing a layered sip that’s refreshingly easy to drink.

4. Green Tea + Vodka

Minimalist and fragrant, this is the best of the plain tea options. The green tea’s grassy, floral character carries the can, and there’s little trace of alcohol on the palate. It feels deliberate rather than gimmicky — a clean, elegant canned cocktail.

3. Mango Green Tea + Vodka

Mango and green tea make a compelling pair: both have subtle floral notes that harmonize rather than compete. This can balances richness and lightness well, so you taste both ingredients without either being lost. It’s complex but easy to sip — a high‑quality crossover of fruit tea and cocktail.

2. Peach Tea + Vodka

Peach softens the tea’s bitterness and brings lively stone‑fruit character that lifts the whole drink. It’s sweeter and more forward than some of the green‑tea offerings, but still restrained enough that the artificial sweetener isn’t overwhelming. A near‑perfect summer can.

1. Peach Green Tea + Vodka

The clear winner. This pairing gives equal billing to peach and green tea: the peach is ripe and aromatic, the tea is a touch grassy and refreshing, and together they strike an airy, balanced profile. It’s complex without being heavy — the kind of can you’d happily open a second time.

Quick buying notes

If you prefer tea‑forward drinks, look for the Green Tea + Vodka or the peach/ mango tea variants.

If you want something summery and familiar, the Strawberry Lemonade is the most crowd‑pleasing lemonade option.

For something different and slightly herbal, try the Blackberry Half & Half.

Methodology

The tasting was carried out over several days to avoid palate fatigue and unnecessary waste; each flavor was sampled across multiple small pours to note how the taste evolves. Scoring emphasized clarity and balance — whether the named ingredients were perceptible and whether the overall blend felt harmonious.

Samples and promotional materials were provided by the brand for the evaluation, and opinions reflect direct, comparative tasting rather than lab analysis.