A little more mellow. A little less sweet.
A little less complicated. A little more fun.
We feel like cocktail trendsetters are taking a deep breath in 2017. While artfully made craft cocktails continue to be in demand, bartenders just aren’t trying as hard to impress us — and that’s a good thing. We’ve noticed six new cocktail trends that are getting the year off to a refreshing start.
1. Simpler cocktails will continue their comeback.
Have you ever heard of the Rum Martinez? The name sounds deceptively simple, but it’s one of the most complex cocktails ever invented. The process involves setting wood chips alight, infusing a glass decanter with smoke and swirling the cocktail within — all at the bar, a la minute. Watch the alchemy in this video. As beautiful as the process is, such elaborate rituals may be waning in popularity. For 2017, cocktail trend-watchers are seeing a renewed interest in classic, simple drinks, like highballs and sours.
2. Low-octane cocktails will take a starring role.
Last year saw the rise of aperitif cocktails — refreshing, low-ABV drinks intended to be enjoyed before a meal. Look for this trend to continue in 2017 and expand to include cocktails based on spirits like vermouth, sherry, port and even sake. Here’s a list of delectable aperitifs from Imbibe magazine. Sure-fire additions to any cocktail program include:
- The Americano: Campari, vermouth and club soda over ice, garnished with an orange slice
- The Reverse Manhattan: Two parts sweet vermouth, one part bourbon, two dashes of bitters and a twist of lemon or orange
- Aperol Spritz: Aperol, sparkling wine and a splash of soda water, garnished with an orange slice
3. In 2017, cocktails will green up.
Produce-driven drinks aren’t a new idea. Back in 2015, we interviewed bartender Matthew Biancaniello about how to launch a cocktail program based around fresh vegetables and fruits. But this trend is growing roots in the health-conscious bar crowd. Bartenders are building drinks around cold-pressed juices, fruit- and vegetable shrubs, and coconut. Kimpton Hotels, in its 2017 cocktail trend report, says bartenders are “adding a culinary twist to classic cocktails with unique ingredients like roasted grapes, salt-roasted plantains, smoked tomato water, puréed red pepper, snap peas, corn, or even pickling brine to create either sweet or savory culinary cocktails.” Not all in the same glass, we hope.
4. Bartenders will reach for amaro, brandy, vermouth and madeira.
Every year, bartenders anoint a new darling, and amaro may be it in 2017. The Italian digestif is traditionally made, Food & Wine explains, “by infusing grape brandy with a (usually secret) mix of herbs, flowers, aromatic bark, citrus peel and spices — a blend that can include anything from cardamom to elderberry flowers.” Fernet Branca has been the go-to brand for a while, but now, mixologists are seeking out lesser known varieties like Cynar, made with artichokes, and Varnelli Amaro Sibilla, flavored with wild honey. High-quality brandy, vermouth and madeira are also experiencing a revival as part of the low-ABV cocktail trend.
5. Upscale frozen drinks will be hot in 2017.
2016 saw the resounding popularity of “frosé,” a frozen blend of rosé, vermouth, and strawberries that was invented by Bar Primi in New York. Now, bartenders are using their creative powers to invent new upscale frozen drinks. In Atlanta, for instance, frosé has inspired “a few other frozen concoctions, like the Frogroni (frozen Negroni), Cuban-inspired frozen daiquiris and Champagne slushies.” Of course, chic blended cocktails require fresh, all-natural ingredients; no sickly-sweet mixes.
6. In 2017, we’ll all take craft cocktails for granted.
Every trend — in cocktails or otherwise — ends in one of two ways. It fades into oblivion, or it becomes an enduring part of our culture. The craft cocktail movement, which had its origins in the late 1990s and went mainstream in the twenty-teens, is the latter, argues Brian Warrener, a professor in the School of Hospitality at Johnson & Wales University.
No longer a trend, craft cocktail culture is, he writes, “instead a ‘way of behaving’ that is common, is woven into the fabric of the food and beverage industry, has already become a cornerstone category of products offered in at least some form or another by most operators, and is expected, to some degree, by most consumers (just like better coffee or cable television or phones without cords).” In other words, customers will no longer settle for low-quality mixers and unimaginative drinks. They’ll continue to expect more from their cocktails in 2017.
Want to share your hot new drink for 2017? Tell us about it here. The best recipes will be published on our blog and distributed to the international community of Hamilton Beach Commercial clients.
