Beverage programs often center on classics, like beer, red wines, and an array of spirits because people like them, are familiar with them, and know what to expect when they order an iconic cocktail like an old-fashioned or rum and Coke.
While these drinks belong on your bar menu, rounding out your offerings with cocktail trends gives your patrons the opportunity to try something new, experiment with unexpected pairings, and find a new favorite that becomes their go-to order.
1. Savory Cocktails
Cocktails have a well-earned reputation for being sweet — sometimes, too sweet! Consider shaking up your beverage program with savory cocktails. These drinks incorporate umami flavors like miso, seaweed, mushrooms, or anchovy to add richness and depth. You can also mix it up by adding salt, spices, herbs, or even Worcestershire sauce.
While a dirty martini is a great example of a savory drink, try adding pickle juice to a bloody Mary or combining beef broth with vodka.
2. Spicy Cocktails
Spicy cocktails are the best of both worlds: hot and sweet. They often incorporate Tajin in the drink or on the glass rim, but some spicy cocktails add wasabi or homemade chili syrup.
For a spicy twist, add some chipotle flavor to a watermelon margarita, create a spicy lime syrup, or mix up a strawberry margarita with jalapeno.
3. Espresso Martinis
While espresso martinis aren’t new, this drink trend offers a modern twist on a classic and popular favorite with locally made cold brew or vanilla and skipping the vodka in favor of scotch for a deep, smoky flavor.
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4. Apple Martinis
This iconic drink is back, but this time, it’s more sophisticated than its neon green predecessor. Use pressed apple juice and a tart apple liqueur for a more refined flavor.
5. Less Is More
Some cocktail recipes call for many ingredients, which can lead to inconsistent quality, not to mention, you may not always have all the ingredients on hand. Thankfully, three-ingredient recipes emphasize using fewer ingredients. These minimalist cocktails allow you to use high-quality, sustainable ingredients to create a drink patrons will savor.
Classics like Manhattans, Rob Roys, and Sidecars are three-ingredient cocktails, as are the popular Negroni and Aperol spritz.
6. Mocktails
Mocktails have a place in your beverage service for reasons other than Dry January. Drinks made with low-alcohol or non-alcoholic spirits taste just as good as their alcoholic counterparts and let nondrinkers enjoy everything your bar offers instead of being limited to water or fountain drinks.
7. House-Made Ingredients
Rising costs and supply chain issues mean mixologists are thinking creatively. One way to ensure they have what they need is by hand-crafting the ingredients. House-made syrups, infused mixers, and shrubs (a combination of vinegar, fruit, aromatics, and sugar) top the list.
8. Fat-Washed Cocktails
Fat-washing takes time and patience, but it’s well worth the wait. Alcohol is mixed into fat (like butter, coconut oil, or sesame oil) and frozen. As the fat hardens, it separates from the alcohol, infusing it with the fat’s flavor. Fat-washed alcohol mixes well with the flavor profiles of savory cocktails and is an excellent way to eliminate waste by using leftover fats in the infusion process.
Try fat-washing bourbon to make a bacon-infused old-fashioned or infusing rum and butter for a unique twist on buttered rum.
9. Fruit Over Sugar
While premade mixers and fruit juices are convenient, they don’t offer the same complexity, freshness, or nutrition as fresh juice. Clarified grapefruit juice, orange juice, or lime juice can give classic cocktails a refreshing twist.
10. Garnishes Galore
Presentation is everything, especially if you encourage patrons to snap and share photos on their social media. Try adding new and unique garnishes to help your drinks stand out. Edible flowers, smoke-infused fruit, or even flames are sure to grab attention.
11. Seasonality
Engineering your menu to work with the season helps keep costs down and ensures ingredients are fresher. The same is true for your bar menus. Crafting a beverage program that’s in sync with the seasons keeps costs down and helps bartenders experiment and find new, signature drinks.
12. Tequila
One quick way to shake up your beverage menu is to swap out vodka, gin, and rum for tequila, changing the flavor and expanding your menu for adventurous customers.
For example, you can create a martini that swaps classic gin for tequila and dry vermouth or use it instead of vodka in a cosmopolitan.
Bottoms Up
A successful beverage program can boost your restaurant’s bottom line and create loyal, repeat customers. And while you shouldn’t jump on every trend, infusing some of these ideas into your bar menu gives your bartenders new and nearly endless possibilities.
If you’re looking to enliven your beverage program, revamp your food menu, or are looking for process improvements, we can help. Kezner Consulting is your trusted, collaborative partner in the restaurant and beverage world. Contact us today to learn more about our offerings.
