Fun with BOB and Lani: New RI-based canned cocktails hit the market
Mike Reppucci, founder and president of Rhode Island’s much-awarded Sons of Liberty Spirits Co., has introduced two new ready-to-drink adult beverage brands: Bar on Board Cocktails (B.o.B), an 80’s retro-themed vodka cocktail line, and Lani Sangria, your own local, bottled cooler.
Bar on Board Cocktails (B.o.B), pronounced like the name Bob, are vodka-based cocktails crafted to be light, full-flavored versions of a Moscow Mule (Ginger BOB), a Cosmopolitan (Basic BOB), a vodka margarita (BOB A-Rita) and Sex on the Beach (BOB on the Beach).
The premise of the brand was to create something light and fun, something with some real personality. But there was a struggle to find a name that wasn't already trademarked. Out of jest, Reppucci suggested naming it something random, like using a person's name. Enter BOB, which turned out to be an acronym for one of the brand's primary benefits – Bar on Board. With these cans, you can take the bar with you wherever you go.
Reppucci also wanted to create something flavorful yet lighter.
“These are lower-alcohol versions of popular cocktails with a surprising amount of flavor,” Reppucci explained. All four flavors are canned at 4.5% alcohol by volume, which is on par with seltzers, but lower compared to over-the-bar cocktails.
“A Moscow Mule at a bar is going to be somewhere around 11% alcohol,” Reppucci explained. “These BOBs provide all the flavor of a great drink, with less alcohol and less calories. You get to enjoy a full-flavored cocktail but at the ABV of your standard seltzer.”
Pizza time: Want to try one of the best pizzerias in the world? Plan a trip to Wakefield
The entire Bar on Board cocktail line is vodka-based, gluten-free and made without artificial flavors. They cost $10-$12 for a four-pack.
Like the BOBs, the Lani Sangrias are vodka-based but with wine. The idea was to create a sangria with real fruit. They wanted to make one that wasn't too sweet.
The premise for the brand was thinking about an Italian family dinner outside in Tuscany with good food, good memories and good wine and sangria. Thinking about such a moment, with no stress and no worries, led them to Lani.
Lani Sangrias come in red and white and are made with premium vodka, wine and real fruit. They are canned at 9% alcohol by volume, gluten-free, and made with no artificial sweeteners. Sold in 4-packs, both the Red and White Sangrias incorporate a variety of fruit listed on the labels.
The Red Sangria leans heavily into the use of grapes and showcases a balance of wine tannins and fruit juiciness. The White Sangria is highlighted by lighter fruits such as peach and orange. The suggested retail price for the 4-pack is $12-$14.
You can use their handy online location map to find stores that stock the drinks and sangria. Find locations at drinkwithbob.com or drinklani.com.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Bar on Board, Lani Sangria canned cocktails from Sons of Liberty Spirits
