Cocktails
Cocktail trends are in a perpetual state of evolution, with mixologists and bartenders pushing the boundaries of creativity and taste. From molecular mixology to classic cocktail revivals, these trends reflect the ever-changing landscape of drinks offering exciting and dynamic drinking experiences.
Here are some of the big trends to watch out for in 2024
Mixers Matter
October ‘23
In 2024, an olive in a martini or an orange in a Blue Moon isn't going to cut it anymore. Customers are craving mix-ins, enhancements, and fermented mixers in their drinks.
A recent Bacardi Global survey ranked flavoured bitters, coconut water, coffee and fermented mixers as the most popular ingredients which are grabbing the interest of both bartenders and customers alike.
This trend also extends to garnishes. The classic bloody mary will always be a big hit with its edible garnishes but sometimes garnishes can easily become a bit over the top. These days, people want cocktails and mocktails to taste amazing but also be visually stunning ready for that all important Insta shot.
Coffee everywhere!
November ‘23
In 2022 you couldn't go anywhere without seeing the Espresso Martini. To the point where it dethroned the Manhattan as Americas top selling cocktail. To try and recreate this success bartenders and cocktail specialists alike have been playing with the coffee + liquor combination to create new interesting, and delicious drinks that we think will be a hit in the new year.
Coffee as an ingredient appears in some way in at least 46 cocktails at 26 of North America's top 50 bars of 2023, with only 12 of those drinks being an Espresso Martini. Not to mention, only three of those 12 Espresso Martinis are the "standard" shaken recipe of vodka, coffee liqueur, and espresso.
Heres a break down of some delicious coffee cocktails that would be easy additions to any drink menu in 2024.
White Russian: Similar to a Black Russian, equal parts vodka and coffee liqueur, a White Russian simply adds cream to the mix for a decadent and dreamy mouth feel. Turn it into a White Mexican by using horchata instead of cream or a White Cuban by subbing the vodka for rum.
Irish Coffee: Arguably the iconic "original" coffee cocktail, Irish Coffee is simply made by combining Irish whiskey, typically hot coffee, and sugar. It's quick and easy to make and a hit in colder weather.
Carajillo: This classic Spanish cocktail features espresso and Licor 43. You can make this cocktail "puesto," with the coffee layered neatly on top of the alcohol, or "shakeado," where the ingredients are shaken together into a delicious, homogenous froth.
Cold Brew Negroni: The negroni has taken off across the globe. The standard cocktail combines gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari for an aperitif drink. Adding cold brew to the mix might sound strange, but trust me, its delicious.
Revolver: The Revolver takes its base from the iconic Manhattan. The original recipe uses Bulleit bourbon as its base and it replaces sweet vermouth with coffee liqueur and is finished with a dash of orange bitters.
Everyones looking East
November ‘23
2024 drinks trends will see products and flavours from the Far East take centre stage. This is going to be a big year for Asian flavours in both new product releases and cocktails. It makes sense really, Western palates are more than partial to Asian flavours such as ginger, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what’s on offer flavour-wise from the Far East.
That coupled with the emergence of eastern spirits such as Baiju, Sake and Mekhong as well as relatively unknown but highly versatile fruits such as Yuzu, it’s only a matter of time before Asian flavours start trending big time across cocktails and drinks in general.
In the case of Yuzu, searches are up 209% over the last 5 years in the USA. An RTD brand Sake Sling tick all the boxes of this projected trend as well as having won the World’s Best RTD award this year.
Tea time!
November ‘23
Tea, particularly flavoured tea, is a cocktail-making gold mine waiting to happen. With the proliferation of some exceptional and incredibly diverse flavoured teas on the shelves, it’s only a matter of time before these infusions make their way onto cocktail menus.
Flavoured tea packs a big flavour without the sugar spike and given the demise of hard seltzers we think flavoured tea cocktails can fill a gap for low-calorie cocktails with a big flavour.
The humble tea bag is super versatile too from a flavour perspective offering a wide range of flavour opportunities including smoky, fruity, spicy and herbaceous flavours. You heard it here first.
Veganuary all year!
November ‘23
In 2024, the trajectory of drink trends may align further with the rise of plant-based food and beverages. While veganism is not a novel concept, surprisingly few establishments prioritize vegan considerations in their drink programs. Typically, drinks menus prominently feature animal products, ranging from milks and creams to various brands incorporating animal-derived ingredients. Anticipated is a noteworthy increase in mainstream venues offering dedicated vegan drinks menus.
This shift entails the development of menus that prominently feature vegan brands and emphasize plant-based alternatives for milks and creams. Crucially, these menus will explicitly communicate the vegan dietary stance of cocktails and beverages, with bartenders becoming more knowledgeable and attuned to these considerations.
Spiked slushies
November ‘23
French syrup producer Monin has named slushies, Tequila and Mexican-inspired drinks as its top on-trade trends for 2024. They found that "a Frozen Cosmo Slushy suggested as a possibility for dominating the vodka-based version of the cocktail, a Frozen Piña Colada fronting the rum-based category, and a Frozen Strawberry Margarita presented as a trend for the Tequila-based slushy serve.
Latin American Libations
November ‘23
Spirits, liqueurs and cocktails from Central America, South America and the Caribbean are gaining traction with consumers
From smoky mezcal to sweet, complex falernum (a Caribbean syrup of lime and spice, either alcoholic or not), Latin American cocktail trends are ones to watch. The margarita is already America’s #1 most-loved cocktail, and there are plenty of other options emerging in the U.S.