If you live in British Columbia and you have stood in front of a wall of cans wondering which ones are actually made with real spirits, you are not alone. The category of premium canned spirits BC shoppers can buy has grown fast, and the shelf does a poor job of explaining itself. Hard seltzers, malt-based coolers, ready-to-drink cocktails and vodka waters all sit in the same fridge, in the same 355mL format, at roughly the same price. Here is how to tell them apart, and how to find the good ones today.
Where to buy premium canned spirits BC: the two retail channels
BC runs a hybrid retail system, and knowing which door you walked through explains most of what is in the cooler.
BC Liquor Stores
BC Liquor Stores are the government-run chain supplied by the province's Liquor Distribution Branch. Listing decisions are centralized, so the assortment is fairly consistent store to store, but newer and smaller brands can take longer to appear. The practical advantage: the BC Liquor Stores website lets you search a product and see which locations show stock, which saves you a drive across town. Phone ahead anyway, because inventory counts often lag the shelf by a day.
Licensed private retailers
Private liquor stores are independently owned and licensed. They pick their own assortment and set their own shelf prices, which is why they are usually the first place new canned cocktails BC drinkers have heard about actually land, and why two stores ten minutes apart can stock completely different cans. If you want something specific, a private retailer is often the faster answer, and staff can frequently special-order it for you through their wholesaler.
Premium canned spirit or mass hard seltzer? Start with the base
The most useful distinction on the shelf is what the alcohol is actually made from. Many high-volume hard seltzers are built on a fermented sugar or malt base, which is cheap to produce and usually needs sweetener and strong flavouring to cover the finish. A premium canned spirit starts with an actual distilled spirit, then adds water and flavour. That is a real difference in cost, and it shows up in how clean the drink tastes.
What to read on the can before you buy
- The alcohol base. Look for "vodka" or another named spirit, not "sugar base" or "malt beverage." If the base is vague, it is usually not a spirit.
- Sweeteners. Check for added sugar and artificial sweeteners. Aura has neither, plus no preservatives, and is gluten-free.
- Still or sparkling. Most of the fridge is carbonated. Aura is not: it is a still vodka water made with premium vodka and alkaline water at pH 8.5+. No bubbles means no bloating, which is the whole point of the format.
- ABV and volume. Compare per 355mL can, not per case, so you are actually comparing like with like.
- Flavour source. Natural flavour beats a long list of numbers you cannot pronounce.
- Case maths. Cans are usually cheaper per serving by the case. Aura sells in cases of 24 in Cucumber Lime, Coconut Pineapple and Mango Peach.
Where to find Aura in British Columbia
Aura is available across British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. In BC, the route is retail: check BC Liquor Stores and licensed private retailers near you, and use where to buy to narrow it down before you head out. One thing worth knowing so you do not waste a click: Aura's own direct and wholesale ordering delivers to Ontario addresses only, so BC customers should shop the provincial channels above rather than waiting on a shipment.
If you want to buy vodka BC-side without the sugar, the sweeteners or the fizz, start with our vodka water cocktails and read why Aura to see how a still vodka water differs from the sparkling cans beside it. Then check the store locator, grab a case, and judge it yourself.
Please enjoy Aura responsibly. Must be of legal drinking age, which is 19 in British Columbia.