A panel of the world’s leading flavour experts, hosted by Diageo Global Cocktailian, Lauren Mote, included bartending legend Jeffrey Morgenthaler, king of the Instagrammable cocktail Elliott Clark (a.k.a. Apartment Bartender), Claire Smith Warner, Head of New Brands at Seedlip (the world’s first non-alcoholic distilled spirit) and World Class Bartender of the Year 2012, Tim Phillips-Johansson, discussed what the future of drinks will look like in 2019.
Here are three trends to watch:
- Low and No-ABV Cocktails. Non-alcoholic spirit Seedlip has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2016, with variants now gracing the tables of more than 100 Michelin-starred restaurants and many of the world’s best bars. No-alcohol options are particularly popular among younger consumers, with 46% of people under the age of 35 likely to order a mocktail, versus just 16% of over-35s.
Claire Smith Warner added: “There’s a growing consumer awareness of cocktails as experiences that are as intricate and thoughtfully-produced as restaurant dishes, and more people – non-drinkers included – want to take part. Socialising should be about inclusivity, not segregation, and focus on flavour and produce. It’s not about replacing alcoholic cocktails altogether; it’s about bartenders experimenting and adding more low and no-ABV options to their repertoire.”
- #MyCocktail. How does a mixologist make his drinks stand out? One such drinks influencer, Elliott Clark (@apartment_bartender), said: “Social media is democratising mixology, making it accessible to everyone. For people like me who’ve never stepped behind a bar, it opens up this incredible industry and provides a creative outlet to engage and interact with the wider drinks community. But more than that, it challenges seasoned bartenders to think outside the box and push themselves creatively.”
- Sustaining the Momentum. Last year, sustainability was all about ditching the plastic straws and cutting back on napkins; this year, we’re going to see bartenders take this trend to a whole new level. The industry is in the grips of an anti-waste movement – and they’re not alone. Consumers are also increasingly concerned with social responsibility, and in a poll, 73% of millennials expressed a willingness to spend more on a product if it comes from a sustainable brand.
Companies like Diageo have committed to 100% of plastic being widely recyclable by 2025, with many of their brands, like Ketel One, leading the charge in inspiring bartenders to create more sustainable cocktails.
In 2019 top bars and businesses will go above and beyond in the name of reducing waste, favoring local suppliers, scrapping the perishables and turning ingredients destined for the bin into innovative eco-friendly cocktails.