AUSTIN, Texas – Bars may be closed but that does not mean that Southern Californians can’t get premium ready-to-drink liquor this summer. Ranch Rider Spirits Co., the company that canned Austin’s favorite drink, Ranch Water – a cocktail comprised of tequila, sparkling water and lime – is bringing 1,700 cases of its highly sought-after cans to the Southland. All three flavors feature premium tequila or vodka, sparkling water and fresh-squeezed citrus, offering a refreshingly natural alternative to mass-produced, malt-liquor-based “seltzers”.
“We’re here to disrupt the ready-to-drink alcohol category with a product that is hand-crafted from legendary Mexican and American Southwestern recipes. We are the anti-seltzer,” said Co- Founder Brian Murphy. “When you crack open a can it tastes like you mixed premium tequila or vodka with fruits picked fresh from your backyard. The flavor explodes out of the can.”
Ranch Rider is ready-to-drink and comes in a variety of Southwest-inspired flavors including Ranch Water, Tequila Paloma and “The Chilton”, a recipe invented in West Texas that features vodka, sparkling water, lemon and sea salt. Southern Californians are likely unfamiliar with the flavors unless they have experienced the thriving Austin bar scene. The Insta-worthy cans also provide an unprecedented level of transparency by highlighting every ingredient and nutritional fact on each label. What consumers won’t find on the labels or in the cans are artificial sweeteners, coloring, preservatives or “natural flavors”, an ingredient not regulated by that FDA that often contains both artificial and synthetic chemicals.
The base alcohol in Ranch Rider cocktails is either reposado tequila from the agave fields of Jalisco, Mexico or premium six-times distilled vodka sourced from Texas. Each 12-ounce can is gluten-free and contains six percent alcohol by volume, fewer than 125 calories and two grams of sugar.
“We aren’t here to be a volume leader,” said Co-Founder Quentin Cantu. “We just want to blow people’s minds with what a ready-made spirit can taste like when you use real ingredients as opposed to something concocted in a lab.”
Scout Distribution, an independent craft wholesaler, that focuses on building brands and providing exceptional customer service, will sell Ranch Rider into local retailers in Orange and San Diego counties. Full retail locator at RanchRiderSpirits.com/find. The cocktails are sold in packs of four for $12.99-$14.99. Orange and San Diego counties were chosen for the first shipment because of their health-conscious consumer base who enjoys the outdoors, adventures and a good drink on the go. The next shipment won’t arrive until the Fall.
“The team at Ranch Rider Spirts have created something great. They have paired high quality, low sugar ready-made cocktails with a beautiful brand. There is no one doing what they are doing in the San Diego or Orange County markets, and we are excited to be bringing their cocktails to our retail partners,” said Anthony Levas President, Scout Distribution.
“Ranch Rider fits a hole in our portfolio that we have been very patient in filling. We believe that ready-to-drink cocktails are going to grow exponentially, and it was critical that we chose the right brand to partner with,” said Jeff Hansson, CEO Scout Distribution. “Their beverages are delicious, and the branding is phenomenal, I see a high ceiling for our compadres at Ranch Rider.”
About Ranch Rider Spirits Co.
Founded in 2019 and born during long shifts on a food truck, Ranch Rider Spirits Co., is an Austin-based canned cocktail company. Each can features premium spirits and better-for-you ingredients, free from added sweeteners, coloring, preservatives or “natural flavors”. Ranch Rider offers three Southwestern flavors. Visit www.ranchriderspirits.com or follow along on Instagram and Facebook at @ranchriderspirits. Full retail locator at RanchRiderSpirits.com/find.