Surfside Half & Half Pack

Surfside's Half & Half pack is built around the brand's best-known idea: vodka-spiked iced tea blended with lemonade in a single can, roughly half tea and half lemonade. Which flavors come in the pack, and how many cans, isn't confirmed, so check the carton before planning around it. Cans in this style are usually low-proof compared with spirits, and the label lists the exact ABV. Expect a drink that sits between a Southern-style sweet tea and a lemonade stand. The tea gives it a dry, slightly tannic backbone, and the lemon adds citrus brightness and some tartness. In drinks like this the vodka stays in the background, so the main impression is a refreshing tea-and-citrus flavor rather than a spirit-forward one. The result is often compared to a canned Arnold Palmer, so flavored variations in a mixed pack will probably change the fruit note but keep that tea-and-lemon base. Serve these cold, straight from the fridge or an ice bath. Warmth flattens the tea character and exaggerates the sweetness, so keep the cans well chilled until they're opened. They need no mixing, but if you pour one over ice, use a tall highball or Collins glass filled with fresh ice, and add a lemon wheel or a sprig of mint for aroma. Drinking from the can is fine at a picnic, beach or pool, where glass is often banned. For a slightly more composed serve, pour over ice and top with a splash of soda water to loosen the sweetness. The best food matches are simple, salty and fried. Barbecue, grilled chicken, fish tacos, shrimp, hot dogs and burgers, and salty snacks like chips or pretzels all work, since the acidity and tea tannin cut through grease and smoke. Sharp cheeses and fruit-heavy salads are also good with the citrus. If you want to stretch a can into a mixed drink, add a measure of extra vodka or bourbon over ice for a stronger tea-and-lemon cocktail, though the drink is meant to be served as it comes.