Cocktails of the hour

Cocktails are the ultimate summer drink and now that hospitality is springing back to life, here are the latest trends you need to be embracing

Let’s be honest, it’s cocktail season all year round, but nothing quite beats sipping on a cocktail while sitting in the sun.

Here’s our round-up of the latest trends so you can be sure you’re meeting customer demands.

SHAKE THOSE COCONUTS

With dreams of sunnier shores and holidays abroad, drinks with a tropical twist are trending right now. Rum is, arguably, the mostsummery drink and can be used in so many ways to create delicious drinks. It’s the ideal base mixed with fresh juices, such as pineapple, and fruit for an exotic taste. Any of the 12 variants from Dead Man’s Fingers provide the perfect flavour – try its Banana Rum in a banana daiquiri or simply added to lemonade or mango juice with ice and a slice of pineapple.

Top tip

ADD BENEFICIAL INGREDIENTS SUCH AS GINGER, HONEY AND LEMON

SIMPLICITY

Customers will be looking for simplicity but with flavours that pack a punch. Reflect this with flavourfocused classics and updated twists, using flavoured and premium gins and rums, such as bestseller Gordon’s Pink Gin, Whitley Neill gin, Dead Man’s Fingers rum and Kopparberg Cherry Spiced Rum, unusual mixers and tinctures, and minimalist garnishes. Consider drinks that comfort, cool and burn for a sensory experience – add chilli, bitters, lemon juice, syrups, fresh herbs and spices.

IT MAKES US HAPPY

Tequila can be seen as a cheap route to intoxication, but encourage your customers to rethink their view with tequila and mezcal-based drinks. Both have grown in popularity over the past few years and that’s set to continue, so look for the latest releases and use them as a base for a margarita or negroni twist (above), or serve simply with tonic for a refreshing drink.

SHERRY PLEASE

Often thought of as a nan’s drink, sherry deserves to shine. Add to cocktails (above) to raise the flavour and serve simply with a mixer for a low-ABV sippable drink. A dash is all that’s needed, so it’s great for your bottom line too.

MINDFUL DRINKING

Lifestyles have changed and there’s a heavier focus on healthy living, so be prepared with a selection of alcohol-free cocktails. With more and more brands launching 0% versions of popular spirits, such as Gordon’s Alcohol Free 0.0%, it makes it even easier to create no-alcohol versions of popular drinks. Remember not to shortchange those ordering mocktails to include the same theatre, glassware and garnishes.

Top tip

WHAT YOU SERVE YOUR DRINKS IN IS IMPORTANT TOO – COCKTAILS ARE ALL ABOUT THE FLAIR AND PRESENTATION. THINK JARS, RUSTIC TUMBLERS AND WINE GLASSES FOR G&TS

COCKTAILS TO GO ARE HERE TO STAY!

Mix them up and bottle them yourself – cash in on the latest rising trend for jarred cocktails – or stock up on ready-to-drink cans, which is big business. Bacardi, Smirnoff and Gordon’s are just three of the leading spirits brands that now offer premixed canned variants.

HARD SELTZERS

Hard seltzers are also here to stay – IWSR predicts they’re likely to have the highest growth rate within the UK’s ready-to-drink category. Fruity and different, they’ll make your outlet stand out.