A popular Jersey Shore cocktail is getting a new life in a ready-to-drink can.
Spring Laker, a canned cocktail inspired by the iconic Shore drink of the same name, is now appearing on store shelves across Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Founder Bruce Kennedy says the goal was simple: capture the feeling of summer at the Jersey Shore and make it available year-round.
"Generally on the Jersey Shore, summer stops in September, but we wanted to be able to extend summer and be able to continue that theme out the entire year," Kennedy said.
The drink combines pineapple, vodka and botanicals designed to recreate the flavor profile of the traditional Spring Laker cocktail.
Vice President Nick Andlinger says the company worked to preserve the taste while creating a product that could be manufactured and sold on a larger scale.
"There are branded ingredients that are used in the traditional recipe, and we commercialized it in a scalable manufacturing way to replicate the taste profile of the classic Spring Laker cocktail, but in a shelf-stable can format," Andlinger said.
The company is only three years old but already produces between 5,000 and 10,000 cases annually.
Production takes place in Edison at MetaBrand, where the drinks are filled, sealed and shipped throughout the region.
Supporters say the beverage brings back memories of summers spent at the Shore.
"We take pride in the fact that the concept and the manufacturing is here in the state of New Jersey," Kennedy said.
For the team behind Spring Laker, the mission is simple: bring a taste of the Jersey Shore wherever customers happen to be.