Our Pick: Pamos
Check price →Nowadays Alternatives (2026): Other THC Spirits & Sippers Worth Buying
Nowadays basically invented the THC-spirit-in-a-bottle — pour a shot, mix a drink, treat it like liquor. It's a genuinely great idea, but a $60–80 bottle isn't for everyone. So here's where to go next, mapped to exactly why you're switching: another mixable spirit, a cheaper per-serving sip, a grab-and-go can instead of a bottle, or a ban-proof swap.
By The Kind Buds Desk · ~7 min read · Updated 2026-06-13
Take the 20-second finderOur top picks
Quick answer up top: if you love the Nowadays idea — a non-alcoholic spirit you pour and mix like vodka — but the per-bottle price stings, the swap we'd reach for first is Pamos. It's the other THC spirit in a bottle, it mixes the same way, and at roughly $2.81 per 5mg pour it's the best value-per-serving in the whole format. That's our Pick. If you'd rather not pour at all, the honest move is a can: Señorita's grab-and-go THC margaritas, or Cann's gentle microdose tonic for a fraction of the upfront cost.
Here's the thing about the bottle format. Nowadays' flagship 5MG bottle is a 750ml, liquor-shaped spirit at $59.99 — about 16 shots at 5mg each, or roughly $3.60 a pour — and the 10MG bottle runs $79.99. The whole pitch is the ritual: you measure, you mix, you skip the hangover. For people who genuinely want to play bartender, it's terrific (see our full Nowadays review for why it earns the praise). But a lot of switchers hit one of four walls — the price per bottle, the work of mixing, the wish for cans they can toss in a cooler, or the November rules hanging over every hemp-THC product. This guide answers each one.
So we sorted five picks by switch reason: want the same mixable-spirit experience for less (Pamos), want a cheaper microdose sip (Cann), want grab-and-go cans instead of a bottle (Señorita), want something completely ban-proof (Leilo) — and the honest "stay" case if the bottle is still the right tool (Nowadays itself). Jump straight to your reason. We researched and bought our way through these and weren't paid a cent — the picks below include a direct competitor, which tells you how we work. 21+ only, and hemp legality varies by state. Let's find your next pour.
The short version
- Want the same mix-it-like-liquor spirit for less? Pamos is the other THC-spirit bottle — same pour-and-mix ritual, and at ~$2.81 per 5mg pour it's the best value per serving in the format. That's our Pick.
- Want a cheaper, lower-stakes sip? Cann Social Tonic is a 2mg THC + 4mg CBD can at ~$20 a pack — a third of a Nowadays bottle, with the can as the dose and zero mixing.
- Done with pouring? Señorita is a grab-and-go THC margarita in a can — the cocktail flavor Nowadays makes you build, already mixed, ready for the cooler.
- Want ban-proof? Leilo is ready-to-drink kava — not a cannabinoid — so the November 12, 2026 hemp rules don't touch it. That's the whole reason it's exposed and this isn't.
- Still want the bottle? Nowadays remains the best pick if the bartender ritual, precise per-shot dosing, and cocktail craft are the point — the per-pour value just isn't the lowest.
| Pick | Format vs. bottle | Dose | Price per serving | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pamos | Same — 750ml spirit bottle | 5mg per pour | ~$2.81 / 5mg pour | The same mixable spirit, cheaper |
| Cann Social Tonic | Can (no pouring) | 2mg THC + 4mg CBD | ~$20 / pack | A cheap, low-stakes microdose sip |
| Señorita Variety | Grab-and-go cans | Per-can THC margarita | Variety pack | Cans instead of a bottle |
| Leilo Kava Tonic | Ready-to-drink can | Not THC (kava) | ~$49.99 / pack | Ban-proof, no-THC ritual |
| Nowadays | The 750ml spirit bottle | 2 / 5 / 10mg per shot | ~$3.60 / 5mg pour | Loving the bottle, staying put |
Nowadays alternatives — at a glance
The 20-second finder
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Answer a few quick questions and we'll point you to the pick that fits — from this guide's lineup.
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Question 1 of 4
First things first — how do you want to feel?
01 · If You Want the Same Mixable Spirit for Less
Our Pick
Pamos Signature Spirit (5mg THC)
The other THC spirit in a bottle — same pour-and-mix ritual, best value per serving in the format.
Lab report: Lab-tested THC spirit with potency verified per serving — the trust check we run before taste.
This is the closest thing to a like-for-like Nowadays swap on the market. Pamos Signature Spirit is a non-alcoholic, THC-infused spirit in a bottle — the same category Nowadays helped define. You pour a measured serving, build it into a cocktail or sip it over ice, and the lift comes from hemp-derived THC instead of alcohol. If you already know how to make a Nowadays drink, you already know how to make a Pamos one; the ritual transfers completely.
The Signature Spirit is the 5mg tier — the social, sessionable middle of the lineup, the same sweet spot as Nowadays' flagship. Pamos also makes a 10mg Reserve Spirit if you want the stronger pour, mirroring the way Nowadays splits its bottles. The first-pour discipline is identical too: start with one measured serving, give it 15–30 minutes, then decide on round two. A bottle makes generous pours feel normal, and generous means real milligrams — measure the early ones with a jigger, same as you would with Nowadays.
- Format
- 750ml non-alcoholic THC-infused spirit (pour & mix)
- THC per serving
- 5mg per pour (Signature); 10mg (Reserve)
- Value per pour
- ~$2.81 per 5mg serving
- Contains
- No alcohol; hemp-derived THC
- Lab testing
- Third-party lab-tested for potency
What we like
- The most direct mixable-spirit alternative to Nowadays
- Best value per pour in the format (~$2.81 / 5mg vs ~$3.60)
- Same pour-measure-mix ritual; the skill transfers
- 5mg Signature plus a 10mg Reserve tier, like Nowadays' split
Worth noting
- Still a bottle — upfront cost and mixing work remain
- Smaller brand footprint than the can leaders
- Exposed to the Nov 12, 2026 per-container THC cap
Who should buy it: Buy Pamos if you genuinely like the bottle-and-cocktail ritual but couldn't make peace with paying premium per pour. It's for the switcher who wants everything Nowadays does — measured dosing, mixability, no hangover — at a better cost per serving, and for the home bartender who plans to actually mix drinks rather than crack a can. If the format itself is the appeal, this is the value version of it.
What we don't like: It's still a bottle, which means it shares the format's downsides: a bigger upfront swing than a six-pack, and the work of mixing if you'd rather not. Pamos is also a smaller, less ubiquitous brand than the can leaders, so it's more of a direct-order proposition than a grab-it-anywhere one. And like every hemp-THC product here, it's exposed to the November 12, 2026 federal container cap — a per-bottle THC load that the rule, as it stands now, wouldn't allow going forward.
Bottom line: If the only thing keeping you from the bottle format is the per-pour cost, this is the swap. Pamos is the most direct alternative to Nowadays there is: a non-alcoholic THC spirit in a bottle you treat exactly like liquor — pour a measured serving, shake a cocktail, skip the hangover. The difference is the math. At roughly $2.81 per 5mg pour, it undercuts Nowadays' ~$3.60 while delivering the same bartender experience. Same idea, lower cost per drink.
02 · If You Want a Cheaper, Lower-Stakes Sip
Cann Social Tonic
The microdose can that costs a third of a bottle — 2mg THC + 4mg CBD, no mixing, the can is the dose.
Lab report: Lab-tested; Cann is one of the category's most established brands with published testing.
Not everyone who balks at a bottle wants a stronger one — some just want a cheaper, simpler one. Cann Social Tonic is the original mainstream THC drink: a slim, lightly fizzy can carrying 2mg of THC and 4mg of CBD, made to be opened like a beer rather than poured like a spirit. Where Nowadays asks you to measure, mix, and respect a 750ml bottle, Cann asks you to open a can. Drinkers describe the experience as the lightest touch in the category — a gentle, conversational lift roughly in light-beer territory.
Honest about the ceiling: at 2mg per can, anyone with real THC tolerance will go through several to find their level, which erodes the price advantage fast — Cann is the gateway, not the destination, for heavier sessions. And as a hemp-lane canned product it lives under the same shifting state rules and the same looming November 2026 federal cap as Nowadays. For keeping the social ritual cheap and simple, though, it's the easiest yes in the category.
- Dose per can
- 2mg THC + 4mg CBD
- Format
- Canned social tonic (drink as-is, no mixing)
- Pack price
- ~$20 / pack
- Contains
- No alcohol; hemp-derived THC in the DTC version
- Lab testing
- Lab-tested; established category-leading brand
What we like
- About a third the upfront cost of a Nowadays bottle
- The can is the dose — built-in portion control, zero mixing
- Gentlest mainstream entry point at 2mg THC + 4mg CBD
- Category pioneer with a long public track record
Worth noting
- 2mg per can is too light for experienced THC drinkers
- Per-milligram cost beats nobody once you're drinking multiples
- Same Nov 12, 2026 hemp exposure as the rest of the lane
Who should buy it: Buy Cann if the Nowadays bottle felt like too much money or too much fuss, if you want grab-a-can simplicity, or if 2mg sounds like exactly enough lift. It's the lowest-stakes, lowest-cost way to keep a no-hangover social drink in the fridge — the can-shaped counterpart to everything the bottle does, minus the commitment.
What we don't like: The dose ceiling is the whole critique: at 2mg per can, anyone past the beginner stage is drinking three to match one 5mg Nowadays pour, and the per-milligram math gets unflattering quickly. The CBD-forward blend also makes the effect deliberately mellow — great for newcomers, underwhelming for seasoned drinkers. And it carries the same November 2026 exposure as the rest of the hemp lane.
Bottom line: If the real barrier is the $60–80 bottle commitment, the cheapest off-ramp is a can. Cann Social Tonic is the gentlest mainstream THC drink there is — 2mg THC plus 4mg CBD per slim can — and a pack runs about a third of a Nowadays bottle. There's no pouring, no math, no jigger: the can is the dose. It's the low-stakes way to keep the no-hangover social ritual without the upfront swing.
03 · If You Want Grab-and-Go Cans, Not a Bottle
Señorita THC Margarita Variety Pack
The THC margarita Nowadays makes you build — already mixed, in a can, ready for the cooler.
Lab report: Lab-tested THC beverage with potency stated per can — the verification we run before taste.
Nowadays' whole appeal is making cocktails — but making cocktails is also work. Señorita closes that gap: it's a ready-to-drink THC margarita in a can, the exact citrus-and-agave cocktail vibe you'd build with a Nowadays pour, mixed for you and sealed. No jigger, no shaker, no cleanup. You crack it cold and you're holding a margarita. For the party host who loved the idea of cocktails at a hangout but not the prospect of being stuck behind the bar all night, that's the entire pitch.
The trade-offs are the usual can-versus-bottle ones. You give up the dial-it-in dosing of a measured pour — a can is whatever the can is — and per-milligram you'll often pay a little more for the convenience. The flavor also leans sweet and margarita-forward by design, which is a feature if that's the cocktail you wanted and a miss if you were hoping to mix something dry. And, like every THC drink here, it sits under the November 2026 hemp rules. But as the no-bartending version of the Nowadays cocktail, it's the cleanest grab-and-go swap.
- Format
- Ready-to-drink THC margarita cans (variety pack)
- Dose
- Per-can THC margarita (no pouring)
- Profile
- Citrus, agave, margarita-forward
- Contains
- No alcohol; hemp-derived THC
- Lab testing
- Lab-tested for potency per can
What we like
- The Nowadays cocktail vibe with zero mixing — already made
- Cans travel anywhere; a bottle and a shaker don't
- Variety pack lets you taste the range before committing
- No jigger, no cleanup, no being stuck behind the bar
Worth noting
- No dial-it-in dosing — the can is a fixed serving
- Margarita-sweet by design, less flexible than a neutral spirit
- Same Nov 12, 2026 hemp-THC exposure as the category
Who should buy it: Buy the Señorita variety pack if you wanted the Nowadays cocktail experience without the mixing — the host who wants margaritas at a party without playing bartender, the traveler who needs something that fits in a cooler, or the flavor-curious drinker who'd rather sample a range than commit to one bottle. It's the can-shaped version of the fruity cocktail Nowadays makes you build.
What we don't like: You trade away the bottle's precise, dial-it-in dosing — a can is a fixed serving, take it or leave it — and convenience usually costs a bit more per milligram than pouring your own. The margarita-sweet profile is intentional but narrow: great if that's the drink you wanted, less flexible than a neutral spirit you can mix any direction. And it carries the same November 12, 2026 federal exposure as the rest of the hemp-THC field.
Bottom line: If the part of Nowadays you wanted was the cocktail and the part you didn't was the mixing, this is the answer. Señorita is a grab-and-go THC margarita in a can — the fruity, citrusy cocktail flavor Nowadays asks you to build yourself, already done. The variety pack lets you sample the range without committing to one bottle, and it goes straight in a cooler. Same cocktail occasion, none of the bartending.
04 · If You Want Something Ban-Proof
Leilo Kava Tonic
Ready-to-drink kava, not a cannabinoid — so the November hemp rules simply don't apply.
Lab report: Kava (a traditional botanical), not hemp-THC — outside the cannabinoid lab regime entirely.
Every other pick here shares one vulnerability: they're hemp-THC products, and the rules are changing. Leilo is the swap that sidesteps that entirely. It's a ready-to-drink kava tonic — kava being the South Pacific root used socially for generations — and because it isn't a cannabinoid at all, the November 12, 2026 federal hemp provision simply doesn't apply to it. No THC, no per-container cap, no countdown. That's the whole reason a Nowadays bottle is exposed and this can isn't.
Set expectations honestly: this is not THC and won't feel like it, so if the cannabinoid effect was the point, Leilo isn't a substitute — it's a different kind of evening. Kava has its own taste that takes some people a sip or two to settle into, and it's a ready-to-drink can rather than a mixable spirit, so you lose the bartender ritual. But as the one pick on this list with no November asterisk, it's the answer to a question none of the THC options can answer.
- Format
- Ready-to-drink kava tonic (can)
- Active
- Kava (botanical) — not a cannabinoid, no THC
- Pack price
- ~$49.99 / pack
- Ban exposure
- None — outside the hemp-THC rules entirely
- Contains
- No alcohol, no THC
What we like
- Ban-proof — not a cannabinoid, so the Nov 2026 rule doesn't apply
- Same no-alcohol, no-hangover social-drink occasion
- Ready-to-drink — open and go
- A genuinely different ritual for the nights that want one
Worth noting
- Not THC — won't replace the cannabinoid effect
- Kava's earthy taste is an acquired one
- A fixed-serving can, not a mixable spirit
Who should buy it: Buy Leilo if the thing souring you on Nowadays is the legal countdown, not the price or the format — if you want a no-alcohol, no-hangover social drink that the November hemp rules can't reach. It's also the move for anyone curious about kava as its own ritual, or who wants a THC-free option in rotation for the nights that call for it.
What we don't like: It's not THC and doesn't pretend to be, so if the cannabinoid lift was what you came for, this won't replace it — it's a different experience, full stop. Kava's earthy taste is an acquired one for some drinkers, and as a ready-to-drink can it gives up the mixable-spirit ritual that made Nowadays fun in the first place. Worth its own homework before you stock up.
Bottom line: If what's actually nagging you is the November 12, 2026 hemp rule hanging over every THC drink, the only real fix is to leave the category. Leilo is ready-to-drink kava — a traditional botanical, not a cannabinoid — so the hemp-THC container cap doesn't touch it. It scratches the same no-alcohol, social-ritual itch, just from a completely different plant with no legal countdown attached.
05 · If the Bottle Is Still the Right Tool
Nowadays Low Dose 5MG THC Spirit (750ml)
The original THC spirit in a bottle — if the bartender ritual is the point, you may not need an alternative.
Lab report: Batch COAs posted publicly on the brand's certificates-of-analysis page — it passes our #1 trust check.
Before you switch, make sure you actually have a reason to. The Nowadays Low Dose 5MG bottle is the product that defined this whole category: a 750ml, liquor-shaped, alcohol-free spirit where every 1.5oz shot delivers a measured 5mg of hemp-derived THC — about 83mg per bottle, roughly 16 pours. You treat it like the bottle it resembles: shoot it, sip it over rocks, or mix it into a cocktail. If the bartender ritual and precise per-shot dosing are the things you love, none of the alternatives above improve on them — they trade them away.
So here's the honest decision tree. Want the same spirit for less? Pamos. Want cans instead of a bottle? Señorita or Cann. Worried about the November rules above all? Leilo. But if you want measured pours, real mixing, posted lab work, and the bar-cart ritual — and ~$3.60 a serving sits fine with you — the original is still the answer, and our full Nowadays review walks through all three bottle tiers.
- THC per pour
- 5mg per 1.5oz shot (~83mg per 750ml bottle, ~16 servings)
- Format
- 750ml non-alcoholic THC-infused spirit
- Value per pour
- ~$3.60 per 5mg serving
- Contains
- No alcohol; hemp-derived THC under 0.3% Δ9 (2018 Farm Bill)
- Lab testing
- Batch COAs posted publicly on the brand's site
What we like
- The original THC spirit — defined the pour-and-mix format
- Measured 5mg per pour — precise dosing alcohol can't offer
- Batch COAs posted publicly — passes the #1 hemp trust check
- Three bottle tiers (2 / 5 / 10mg) for different drinkers
Worth noting
- $59.99–$79.99 upfront is a bigger swing than a six-pack
- Per pour (~$3.60) is fair but not the cheapest — Pamos undercuts it
- Most exposed pick to the Nov 12, 2026 per-container THC cap
Who should buy it: Stay with Nowadays if the bottle format is the feature, not the bug: you want to measure precise pours, mix actual cocktails, and keep a spirit on the bar cart that happens to be THC instead of alcohol. It's the pick for the home bartender who values dosing precision and posted lab reports over the absolute lowest cost per serving — the people the format was built for in the first place.
What we don't like: The honest gripes that send people to this guide are fair: $59.99 (or $79.99 for the 10MG) is a real upfront swing, mixing is work if you'd rather just open a can, and the sweet, berry-candy profile isn't a dry-spirit experience. Per pour it's fair but not the cheapest — Pamos undercuts it. And like the whole category, it's squarely exposed to the November 12, 2026 federal container cap.
Bottom line: An honest alternatives guide has to make the case for staying, too. If you read this far and realized the bottle ritual is exactly what you want — measured per-shot dosing, real cocktail craft, the bar-cart presence — then Nowadays is still the pick. It pioneered the format, it posts its lab reports, and at ~$3.60 per 5mg pour it's fair, if not the absolute cheapest. The reasons to switch are real; so are the reasons to stay.
How we chose
Not paid, just switchers ourselves. Nobody on this list sponsored this guide or saw it before publication. We bought and researched these drinks, read each brand's own catalog and lab pages, and weighed them against independent coverage and the consensus of longtime drinkers — then sorted them by the actual reason a Nowadays fan goes looking for something else. The list includes Nowadays' direct competitors, which is the point.
Lab report first. Our hard line on any THC drink is current, third-party lab testing for potency and a contaminant panel, with the dose stated per serving. We check that before we judge taste, value, or feel — a great-tasting pour with no lab paper is still a no. Nowadays itself passes this (it posts batch COAs), and so do the THC picks here. New to this? Our guide on how to read a hemp COA covers what those numbers should say.
Plain, lawful language. We describe these the way real drinkers do — lighter, stronger, sweeter, more cocktail-like — and make no health or medical claims. Hemp legality varies by state and is changing fast (see the November note below); nothing here is medical or legal advice, and you must be 21+.
Key terms
- THC spirit (the bottle format)
- A non-alcoholic, THC-infused liquid sold in a liquor-style bottle and meant to be poured and mixed like a spirit. Nowadays popularized it; Pamos is the other main one. The appeal is precise per-pour dosing and cocktail craft; the trade-off is upfront cost and the work of mixing.
- Cost per pour / per serving
- The only fair way to compare a bottle to a can, because a bottle's dose lives in the pour. A 5mg Nowadays serving is ~$3.60; the same Pamos pour is ~$2.81. Read it the way you'd read price-per-ounce at the store — the sticker price hides it.
- Grab-and-go (the can format)
- Ready-to-drink THC beverages where the can is the serving — no pouring, no measuring, fully portable. Señorita (a pre-made margarita) and Cann (a gentle microdose tonic) are the can answers to the bottle's bartending. You give up dose flexibility for zero effort.
- Ban-proof
- Shorthand on this site for a drink that isn't a hemp-THC product and therefore isn't affected by the November 12, 2026 federal cap of 0.4mg total THC per container. Kava (like Leilo) qualifies because it's a botanical, not a cannabinoid — no THC, no countdown.
Questions, answered
What's the best Nowadays alternative?
It depends on why you're switching, but our overall pick is Pamos. It's the most direct alternative — another THC spirit in a bottle you pour and mix exactly like Nowadays — and at roughly $2.81 per 5mg pour it's the best value per serving in the format, undercutting Nowadays' ~$3.60. If you'd rather not deal with a bottle at all, the best can answers are Señorita (a pre-made margarita) for a cocktail vibe and Cann (2mg THC + 4mg CBD) for a cheap, gentle sip.
Is there a cheaper THC spirit than Nowadays?
Yes — Pamos is the cheaper mixable-spirit pick. Both are non-alcoholic THC spirits in bottles you treat like liquor, but a 5mg Pamos pour works out to about $2.81 versus roughly $3.60 for the equivalent Nowadays pour. You get the same pour-measure-mix ritual at a lower cost per serving. If you want to go cheaper still and don't mind giving up the bottle format, a can like Cann runs about $20 a pack, though its 2mg dose is much lighter.
Can I get a can instead of a Nowadays bottle?
Absolutely — that's a common switch reason. Señorita is a grab-and-go THC margarita in a can: the citrus-cocktail flavor Nowadays makes you build yourself, already mixed and ready for a cooler. Cann Social Tonic is the other can option — a gentler 2mg THC + 4mg CBD sip at about $20 a pack. With cans you trade the bottle's precise per-pour dosing for zero effort and total portability; the can is the dose.
Which alternative is the strongest?
Among these picks, the spirits give you the most control over strength because you pour your own serving. Nowadays itself sells a 10mg-per-shot High Dose bottle, and Pamos makes a 10mg Reserve Spirit — both let you build a stronger drink than a fixed 2mg can like Cann. As always, start with one measured serving, wait 15–30 minutes, and build from there; a bottle makes generous pours feel normal, and generous means real milligrams. 21+ only.
Is Nowadays worth it, or should I switch?
Nowadays is genuinely worth it if the bottle ritual is the point — measured per-shot dosing, real cocktail mixing, posted batch COAs, and bar-cart presence. The reasons people switch are equally real: a $60–80 bottle is a big upfront swing, mixing is work, and per pour (~$3.60) it's fair but not the cheapest. If you love the format but not the bill, Pamos closes the price gap; if you'd rather just open a can, Señorita or Cann is the move. Our full Nowadays review covers all three bottle tiers.
What's the ban-proof pick?
Leilo. Every THC drink in this guide — Nowadays, Pamos, Señorita, Cann — is a hemp-THC product exposed to the federal rule taking effect November 12, 2026, which caps legal hemp products at 0.4mg of total THC per container. Leilo is ready-to-drink kava, a traditional botanical and not a cannabinoid, so that rule simply doesn't apply to it. It keeps the no-alcohol, no-hangover social-drink occasion with no THC and no legal countdown — see our best kava drinks guide for more.
Keep reading
Nowadays THC Drink Review (2026)
The honest, independent look at the 750ml THC spirit — doses, taste, dose-per-pour math, and the November date that matters.
Best THC Drinks
The full field — seltzers, tonics, and pours — ranked the Kind Buds way.
Pamos THC Drink Review
A closer look at our top Nowadays alternative — the value play in the THC-spirit bottle format.