Drink Mechanics canned cocktails, created by Connecticut bar and restaurant professionals Aaron Stepka and Taylor Gillaspie, are now in state distribution with Craft Beer Guild Distributing of Connecticut. The two partners, who between them have operated and opened multiple bars across the U.S., made use of their combined experience and the state’s 2020 law during the pandemic to allow cocktail delivery, which the duo says put them in a position to create, develop and launch a brand of canned craft cocktails. “Armed with a $20,000 loan and unfettered access to my parents’ pool house, we set to develop shelf-stable canned cocktails utilizing only real, natural ingredients and premium spirits. We wanted to offer the consumer a craft cocktail bar experience that they could enjoy responsibly at their convenience,” said Stepka. Using a custom converted ice cream truck, the two created their Drink Mechanics brand and partnered with Simsbury’s award-winning Millwright’s Restaurant and its liquor license to create and deliver the canned cocktails. As demand grew, they turned to distilling the brand working through Central CT Distillers in East Hartford. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved Drink Mechanics for wholesale distribution in May 2022, now two years since its debut locally. The shelf-stable canned line is available in four flavors, 10% ABV each, sold in four-packs, ready to be served over ice or from the can, made with real fruit and premium spirits, as well as naturally gluten-free. Two new flavors will be released in the fall through winter.