What Makes a Cocktail ‘Craft’? The Brody’s Difference

Defining “Craft” in Cocktails

A craft cocktail isn’t just any mixed drink. It’s a beverage created with intention, using high-quality ingredients, balanced recipes, and a commitment to flavor. True craft cocktails are about:
  • Premium spirits: No shortcuts—only real, top-shelf alcohol.
  • Natural ingredients: Fresh juices, real botanicals, and no artificial flavors or colors.
  • Meticulous blending: Every recipe is tested and refined for perfect balance.

The Brody’s Approach

At Brody’s, “craft” is more than a buzzword—it’s our promise. Each of our cocktails is developed by expert mixologists and bottled at the ideal ABV (16%–25%) for a bar-quality experience at home or on the go.
  • Award-winning recipes: Every Brody’s cocktail has earned industry recognition for taste and quality.
  • All-natural everything: We never use artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. What you taste is real fruit, real botanicals, and premium spirits.
  • Small-batch production: Each batch is blended and bottled in Florida with strict attention to detail.

Why It Matters

Choosing a craft cocktail means you’re getting a drink that’s as close as possible to what you’d enjoy at your favorite bar. With Brody’s, you can trust that every bottle delivers bold, balanced flavor—no guesswork, no compromise.

The Brody’s Lineup

Explore our selection:
  • Black Orchid: Vodka, lemon, orange, black raspberry, violet (16% ABV)
  • Leading Role: Bourbon, lime, blood orange, black raspberry, bitters (21% ABV)
  • Peach Cosmo: Vodka, Georgia white peach, blood orange, cranberry (23% ABV)
  • Classic Mai Tai: Rum, lime, toasted almond orgeat, pineapple, mint (19% ABV)
  • ...and more, each crafted for a unique experience.

Experience the Difference

Ready to taste real craft? Brody’s Crafted Cocktails are designed for those who appreciate quality and convenience. Chill, pour, and enjoy—no mixology skills required.

Why Craft Matters More Than Ever

The premixed cocktail category is booming — but not all of it deserves the "craft" label. According to the Distilled Spirits Council's 2025 Annual Economic Briefing, spirits-based ready-to-drink cocktails grew 16.4% in 2025, while malt-based alternatives — the kind built on sugar and artificial flavoring rather than real spirits — lost 14 percentage points of market share since 2021. Consumers aren't just buying more cocktails. They're buying better ones.

This is exactly the shift Brody's was built for. When the market is crowded with products that mimic craft without delivering it, genuinely all-natural, spirits-forward cocktails stand out immediately — in the glass and on the label.

The craft checklist: what to look for

Not sure whether a bottled cocktail is truly craft? Here's what to look for:

  • Real spirits listed first: Vodka, bourbon, gin, or rum should appear before any other ingredient. If you see "malt base," "sugar base," or "wine base" — it's not a craft spirit cocktail.
  • No artificial flavors or colors: Craft means what it says. Real fruit, botanicals, and natural extracts only.
  • ABV that reflects real spirit content: Truly craft bottled cocktails sit between 15%–25% ABV. Anything under 10% is almost certainly malt or wine-based.
  • Transparent ingredient lists: A craft brand tells you exactly what's in the bottle. Brody's does — every flavor lists its exact ingredients, right down to the botanicals.

Craft at home vs. at the bar

One of the myths about premixed cocktails is that you're giving something up compared to a bartender-made drink. With Brody's, you're not. Our Leading Role Bourbon Cocktail — bourbon, lime, blood orange, black raspberry, and bitters at 21% ABV — is the same quality you'd expect from a craft cocktail bar, bottled so you can serve it at home without the effort or the markup.

The same goes for the French 75 Gin Cocktail — gin, lemon, cucumber, and star anise, award-winning and ready in seconds. Craft doesn't require a cocktail shaker. It requires the right ingredients and the right recipe. We've handled both.

Ready to taste what craft really means? Explore the full Brody's lineup and find your signature sip.

Looking for the best premixed cocktails that actually taste craft? Browse the Brody's lineup — eight spirit-based, all-natural cocktails built around the same philosophy. Or read our breakdown of the best RTD cocktails in 2026.