Come reminisce with us on some old-school favourites that still hit the spot.
Guys, it’s starting to happen – 2010s nostalgia is kicking in. We’re now far enough away from that decade that the rose-tinted Snapchat filter has begun to colour our 2010s memories. If you haven’t noticed, the internet has been aflame with reminiscences of stomp-clap music (like Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeroes, sparking a hilarious worst song debate), how we used to write essays without ChatGPT, and the memory of watching movies on Blu-ray before streaming took over.
It’s got us doing some reflecting, too. Remember what the drinks were like back then? While the craft drinks movement was just gearing up, our Saturday night shopping list was all about classic premixes, old-school lagers and easy-going mixers. And sure, some of the drinks were around long before those formative 2010s, but that’s even more reason to revisit these yesteryear beauties. When it comes to drinks, we think it’s time for a retro revival.
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1. West Coast Cooler
The phrase ‘They just don’t make ’em like they used to’ must have been said with West Coast Coolers in mind because nothing has come close since these guys landed in the ’80s (and re-launched in the mid-2000s). West Coast Coolers are a white wine-based premix, loaded with tropical fruit flavours. It’s sort of like a little bottle of white sangria but, at 3.5% ABV and in a 250ml bottle, considerably lighter.
No doubt, we loved these for summer parties back in the day, but they also lend themselves to our more adventurous palates in 2025. Use West Coast Cooler as the base for a punch (topped with plenty of ice, fruit and maybe a liqueur or spirit of your choosing), a spritzer (that’s usually wine and soda) or as a blank canvas for any other flavour combos you’re into.
2. UDL
The drink we still affectionately call Oodles, UDLs have a special place in our drink memories – and it’s shared by pretty much every generation of Aussies stretching back to the 1960s. When UDL (which stands for United Distillers Limited) was young, the sparkling premixed range was headlined by curious flavours like brandy, lime and soda, but we can’t help but recall the palate-popping Mixed Cans 10 pack.
Made up of Passionfruit, Lemon, Lime and Soda, Raspberry, Orange and Pineapple, it’s the perfect party pack. It makes us feel like cueing up a playlist of those technicolor Lady Gaga and Katy Perry hits, quite frankly.
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3. Vodka Cruisers
Pick a random Friday night in the 2010s and zoom in. See that? Yep, it’s everyone enjoying a sweet, zesty Vodka Cruiser. Even the most ardent, rusted-on beer drinkers will have some deep, core memory of a Cruiser, such is the broad appeal of these vibrant, vodka-based mixers. The first thing that grabbed us back in the day were the colours – particularly in the rainbow spectrum of the Mixed 10 Pack, which dialled up the colour saturation on flavours like Wild Raspberry, Pure Pineapple, Lush Guava, Summer Peach and Zesty Lemon-Lime.
These days, we’re still chuffed when someone opens up the esky and pulls out a colourful Cruiser. Maybe raise one in memory of the sadly shuttered nightclubs we used to visit in the old days.
4. CC & Dry
Canadian Club got big during Prohibition back in the 1920s, which makes sense since it’s Canadian, and those guys were totally fine to keep the stills churning. For most of us, though, that’s all ancient history – we’re more likely to fondly recall Canadian Club in the 2010s.
The iconic premix takes Canadian Club, of course (which is a light, easy-drinking Canadian whisky) and dry ginger ale. It’s slightly sweet, a little spicy from the ginger and features a whisper of whisky. It is, as the ad campaign of the time suggested, a great alternative to beer; we certainly still reach for one when we’re not in the mood for an ale.
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5. Victoria Bitter
Victoria Bitter (or VB, to most of us) is one of those singular, iconic drinks that every generation remembers. From the unique bottle shape to its signature green branding and those ‘Hard-earned thirst’ ads that seem to return every few years, it’s been a proper Aussie legend since it was first brewed in 1854.
For those of us drinking it in more recent decades, the drink they called the Very Best has a place as both a staple of Australiana and an introduction to beer in general. The blend of pale malt and Pride of Ringwood hops is arguably the most ‘beery’ beer flavour to be found, and it’s one we’ll always hold dear, even as our palates grow and change.
6. Vodka tonic
Before the vodka, lime and soda took off, the vodka tonic was here for us. Dropping herbaceous gin in favour of a fairly neutral vodka means this is all about the tonic and garnish, though quality vodka is still vital (we’re going with 78 Degrees vodka and Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic, if you’re asking).
Whether we were drinking them at 2010s summer barbecues (didn’t the summer always seem warmer, back then?) or ordering them at our favourite bar, the vodka tonic has a place in our hearts. Just one thing – don’t be stingy with the lime, okay?
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