Central Coast-made wine and spirits made to take outdoors 

There's nothing like cracking open a drink while camping or at the beach, but it can be hard to find anything other than beers or seltzers in outdoor-friendly containers. However, a few companies are shifting gears to more eco-friendly packaging that's also conducive to bringing wine and spirits outdoors.

Rod and Hammer's canned whiskey cocktails

A part of SLO Brewing Company, Rod and Hammer's SLO Stills is a whiskey-focused distillery that has been around since 2019 and offers whiskey cocktails in a can.

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• PHOTO COURTESY OF ROD AND HAMMER’S

"They are carbonated so they are refreshing and ready to drink—served on ice or chilled out of a can," said Brian Kerr, SLO Brewing's marketing director.

Rod and Hammer's 22-proof beverages put a twist on popular cocktails including its Whiskey Paloma, Whiskey Mai Thai, Whiskey Margarita, and Whiskey Mule, Kerr said.

The distillery also offers ready-to-drink, 35-proof, bottled old fashioneds and Manhattans.

"People love this for camping. ... They are really good, you pour them over a rock and you're ready to go. They have whiskey, bitters, and cane sugar for the old fashioned, and the Manhattan has the vermouth," Kerr said.

Rod and Hammer's products are available at its tasting room, located at 855 Aerovista Place, San Luis Obispo, or at Albertsons, Vons, and Total Wine. The canned cocktails start at $18 for a four-pack. Call (844) 756-7845 or visit rodandhammer.com for more information.

Sipwell canned wines

To improve sustainability and reduce wine production's carbon footprint, Sipwell Wine Company—a female-owned and operated business—sells canned wines, said Hilary Cocalis, Sipwell's founder and chief go-getter. The wines are made and canned in Paso Robles and its grapes are sourced from the Central Coast.

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• PHOTO COURTESY OF SIPWELL WINE CO.

"Our wines are all made from organically farmed, certified sustainable grapes with zero sugars. The goal of what we are trying to do is put quality wine in a can," Cocalis said. "I feel like people hesitate buying cans because it could reduce the quality of wine once it's in a can, but we want to erase that stigma of canned wine being bad. We want to make sure people can have good wine, especially when they're outside."

Sipwell's five current releases are a sparkling white called Tiny Victories (albariño), a sparkling rosé called Rock Steady (a blend), a still rosé called Perfect Day (grenache), a pinot noir called High Point, and a sparkling red called Go-Getter (dolcetto grapes).

"If you are outside, you don't need a corkscrew, they're easy to pack in and pack out—which is great if you can't have glass at specific locations," Cocalis said.

Tiny Victories is Cocalis' go-to for something to sip on during the day or after a long day of hiking because it's bright and refreshing, she said. The pinot, she added, is very food friendly and pairs well with barbecue or campfire food.

Visit sipwell.co to order wines online—which run up from $42 and can be ordered in six-packs or 12-packs.

Timbre Winery's growlers

Arroyo Grande-based Timbre Winery takes a different approach with selling wine by offering reusable bottles that can be refilled at the winery, owner and winemaker Josh Klapper said.

"Long story short, we got the idea from my dad who took a trip to Italy and he was in a village somewhere having lunch at a local winery/restaurant and saw locals come in with gallon water bottles, old milk bottles, and leaving with wine," Klapper said.

Now, Timbre rotates three to six wines on tap every few months and people can purchase growlers from the winery and refill them for a discounted price.

"That's what brings in locals, they stop in, fill their growler. Our tasting room is on the way to Lopez Lake. We have a lot of customers who will come into the tasting room, fill up their growler, and hit the road," Klapper said. "We brought wine in growlers on my backpacking trip, and after that we used it to filter water into; it's something that can be used again and again."

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• PHOTO COURTESY OF TIMBRE WINERY

The growlers are double-walled—similar to Hydro Flasks or other insulated bottles—and specifically designed for wine. When the wine is poured into the growler and sealed, it will stay good for days.

"You can take your favorite bottle of wine, you could throw it off a cliff and it will survive." Klapper said. "These are super strong, and you can take them anywhere and they will hold temperatures."

Growlers cost about $30, and the first fill is free. Buy a growler at Timbre Winery's tasting room, located at 225 E. Branch St., Arroyo Grande. Call (805) 270-4308 or visit timbrewinery.com for more information.