SHAKING UP DRINK FLAVORS

By Rick Zambrano

Boozy drink choices

+ summer

With cold weather lingering in the Northeast, it’s good to be reminded that spring is just around the corner. Restaurant operators are envisioning outside patios and open-air bars full of patrons, indulging in both seasonal and tried-and-true cocktails. And the curb appeal of streeteries in the cities that allow them is about to take a climb. Not to mention that many to-go cocktails will continue to be enjoyed post-pandemic on home patios and decks.

According to data from Technomic, global fruits on adult drink menus are trending. For example, mentions of yuzu and guava are up 63.2% and 31% respectively. Technomic Ignite menu data (Q4 2021-Q4 2022) also shows global flavors, like green tea and ancho, up 31.2% and 17.9%, respectively, notes Katie Belflower, editor at Technomic.

The Japanese Yuzu served at STK in Las Vegas combines this citrus fruit highlycultivated in Japan and South Korea with Suntori Toki Whisky. For the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, Embassy Suites Hotel by Hilton Washington DC Convention Center launched weekly whisky sampling nights. One of the drinks being spotlighted is the Tokyo Night cocktail, prepared with Shinju Whisky, Grand Marnier and yuzu juice.

Moreover, Belflower said, “Herbal flavors are also showing growth within adult beverages, with flavors such as rosemary (+54.5%) and basil (+16.4%) increasing on menus.” This additional trend is likely to pay dividends for restaurant and bar operators and should factor into ongoing drink menu innovation.

In DC’s Foggy Bottom district, where George Washington University resides, Circa aptly menus the Foggy Bottom cocktail, made with Absolut Citron vodka, lemon, rosemary, and cucumber. In the city’s Union Market food hall, Buffalo & Bergen pays homage to the character of Bodhi from the movie “Point Break”: the Adios Amigo mixes El Silencio, Jameson Orange, grapefruit, rosemary, and lime juice.

Espresso cocktails, trending for a couple of years now, still appear to have momentum. Espresso is one of the fastest-growing flavors paired with adult drinks, according to Belflower. She posits that it makes a lot of sense given that espresso martini mentions on menus, in general, are up over 161% the past year.

At Olive & Ivy, part of FRC Concepts, The Infamous Espressotini cocktail combines espresso infused vodka, cold brew, madagascar vanilla, and giddy-up dust. “Given this, it’s likely we will continue to see espresso martinis trending on menus in 2023. Another trend that could be carried over into this year is peanut butter flavors in adult beverages. Adult beverages with peanut butter grew 27.8% in the last year, most often in the form of peanut butter whiskey.

It’s interesting to note that while Latin-inspired flavors like Horchata and Dulce de Leche are not growing on adult beverage menus, mezcal and tequila as flavors are. Tequila straight is up 69.6% in the past year, and mezcal straight is up 19.6%, demonstrating their potential. The Southside Mule at dLeña, part of the Richard Sandoval empire of eateries, is a potpourri of smoky, herbal and tropical flavors: espadin mezcal, blanco tequila, pineapple-rosemary shrub, ginger beer, and lime.