13 minute read
Cocktails to impress
Elevated experiences
InspIratIon for bars lookIng to bolster theIr cocktaIl offerIng post covId-19
Lockdown saw many people recreating some of their favourite cocktails at home. Howbeit, nothing truly hits the spot like a professionally mixed tipple. Now venues are back open, consumers will be enthusiastic to indulge in bar-quality serves, crafted with luxury ingredients and executed with skill, technique and dazzling aesthetic.
Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to be a quick recovery for the cocktail category, which is in for a tough time as we emerge from lockdown. However, there’s room for optimism for operators who are willing and able to flex. For some, it may be lucrative to continue cocktail delivery services, which boomed during the shutdown period, while for others, it will mean studying the drinking trends that emerged in the off-trade, and adapting menus and serve formats to ensure a safe, efficient and enjoyable invenue experience for guests.
According to CGA’s Covid recovery study, 80% of consumers want just as much value for money as they did pre-lockdown. Within that, “good quality” and “worth the cost” were called out amongst the top five factors. This creates the opportunity to position cocktails as a strong value option, delivering high-quality serves that are worth the spend. Light, long, refreshing options are traditionally popular at this time of “Cocktails will never go out of fashion. It is the year, and Campari expects the Aperol Spritz to be a firm favourite. “With social just the flavours and recipes that change with the distancing measures encouraging more frequent use of outdoor spaces, these times, and although we will never really know drinks are a natural fit, well-suited to being enjoyed al fresco and creating a ‘taste how long the on-trade will take to pick up post of summer’,” explains Nick Williamson, marketing director at Campari UK. “Outside lockdown, we still predict the cocktail category to of Spritz-style serves, we have also seen a trend towards bitter cocktails. The be a huge hit. Negroni has been the ‘drink of lockdown’. Awareness of the serve is rising, with many consumers creating their own versions at 2020, centred on health and sustainability. that have been around for many years,” home. A simple combination of Campari, Consumers are choosing to drink less, says Marcus Black, co-founder of Spirit of gin and red vermouth, the Negroni allows opting for lower-ABV alternatives, and Harrogate. “Interesting flavours have been bartenders to tap into the growing bars are backing the zero-waste ethos. on the up throughout 2019 and are showing popularity of vermouth as a cocktail Alongside this, they pinpoint a growing no sign of slowing down through 2020. component, and add flair to a classic serve interest in savoury and vegetable We’re seeing beetroot, radish, samphire, with creative twists.” ingredients. “Everyone is on the lookout mushrooms, chorizo, yuzu and oysters on
The team behind Slingsby Gin, a Spirit of for new and exciting flavour pairings, cocktail menus all around the country – and Harrogate brand, have identified several creating complex cocktails which move that’s just to name a few. These ingredients key trends across the cocktail market for away from the sweet, tropical concoctions allow bartenders to add an extra layer of
complexity to classic cocktails. For example, we’ve tried and tested a French Martini, called Earth of the Tropics, which uses beetroot powder for colour and fl avour, and it was delicious.”
Lockdown has encouraged many bartenders to work on mastering key skills and classic drinks in order to connect with consumers online. James Bowker, House of Suntory brand ambassador, considers that, as we return to the on-trade, this knowledge will allow bartenders to develop new and exciting off erings that provide a great experience combined with ease of service, whilst using up existing stocks of traditional ingredients. “As we begin to return to normal, bartenders should continue to take the time to refi ne and experiment with their techniques – creativity and innovation will raise all our spirits and morale. We must also innovate in terms of how we provide exceptional hospitality and experiences in the “new normal”, both in-venue and out.”
House of Suntory recently evolved its Toki Highball, swapping the traditional soda water for ginger ale. “Inspired by the unique seasoning concepts of Japanese chefs, the bright, warming ginger complements the delicate whisky, off ering a richer alternative to Japan’s most popular drink,” says James. “Similarly, we’ve been exploring the concept of craftsmanship – Kogei – in Japan, and the incredible parallels of Kogei in rice spirits and coff ee. Try an Espresso Martini with Haku and a bar spoon of Jasmine syrup or liqueur, for example!”
With restrictions in place, visits to the on-trade will invariably need to be preplanned to avoid missing out on access
Campari Negroni
and seating. For the consumer to go to the eff ort, they’re going to want the experience to be worth it and they’re going to want to feel relaxed and safe. “Bar staff will be under pressure to provide speedy service with minimal hygiene risk, suggesting that scratch cocktails may not be a viable option for many venues,” says Cheryl Gordon, business unit director for Quintessential Brands UK’s on-trade division.” With this in mind, Cheryl believes that RTDs will be in great demand, as well as sharing cocktails. “Both off er safe, convenient serving solutions that are high-quality, but also meet the demands of the consumer and retailer within a safe and socially distanced environment. We’ve been talking to many of our customers and there’s a lot of interest in our gin brand pitchers and other serving solutions, so we’ll be working
MuZaI craft cocktaIl MIXers enter the Market UK start-up Muzai, a new craft cocktail mixer range created using organic, mindful ingredients, has made its debut.
Muzai’s Yuzu & Thyme, Hibiscus and Lemongrass & Ginger variants are made from an all-natural blend of premium organic tea, kombucha, organic agave and botanicals.
The versatile ‘Mindful Cocktail formulas’ are naturally light in sugar, with the use of agave. The kombucha contains organic acids that promote gut health and can help detoxify the liver, while the premium organic teas provide antioxidants.
By simply shaking with a spirit or stirring with soda water or tonic, Muzai can be used to create alcoholic, low-ABV and no-ABV serves, from the Does Me Good Daiquiri (pictured), a blend of Muzai Lemongrass & Ginger, rum and mint, to the Hibiscus Margarita, combining Muzai Hibiscus, tequila and lime.
Founder Tom Shellard discovered the concept of Muzai when living in Tokyo. Each Friday, his Japanese friends spent the night socialising over green tea cocktails. It was then when Tom realised that a great cocktail doesn’t end with the taste buds; how you feel during and after is of equal importance.
Tom explains: “When drinking these cocktails, I felt more present when socialising and clear-headed the next day. The l-theanine and light caff eine from the green tea were imparting a calm and focused eff ect, and the low sugar levels prevented rushing highs and exhausting lows.”
Earth of the Tropics
closely with these venues to see how their guests respond.”
Cheryl notes that, during lockdown, gin and flavoured gin continued to be incredibly popular, with many consumers looking to replicate the on-trade occasion at home. “As people return to bars, operators need to ensure they’re catering for this demand and ensuring they have the right formats to make the most of gin’s enduring popularity,” she proposes. “We launched a new Bloom Gin collection, the Fruit & Floral Fusion range, in the off-trade with a Raspberry & Rose variant and a Pornstar Martini-inspired flavour, Bloom Passionfruit & Vanilla Blossom Gin. The response from conscIous cocktaIls Mangrove UK is seeing a concerted trend towards lower-ABV drinks, which have significantly fewer calories and less sugar. “Aluna Coconut Rum, for example, has a sugar content 30% less than its competitors,” explains managing director Nick Gillet. “It’s pushing easy-to-make serves like the Aluna Colada, made with 50ml Aluna Coconut, 150ml pineapple juice, 50ml coconut water and a lime garnish.”
Nick adds that, in the category of calvados, premium entrants such as Avallen have promoted themselves as a mixable spirit with simple serves like the Avallen and Tonic. “However, the brand also celebrates its own unique cocktail creations – for example, the green, fresh and conscious Printemps (recipe below).
The PrinTemPs 45ml Avallen Calvados 20ml Dry white wine 1 dash Saline solution 30ml Sorrel juice 30ml Apple juice 2.5 Cover crop syrup (clover, rye, shoots) 2 dashes Cover crop tincture Shake and strain, serve in a highball glass and garnish with a clover flower.
shoppers has been phenomenal, which is promising for when we launch these liquids in the on-trade later this year.”
Continental Wine & Food (CWF), supplier of Italian gin brand Perfetto, is confident that the cocktail category will bounce back. “Cocktails will never go out of fashion,” says marketing executive Jessica Smith. “It is just the flavours and recipes that change with the times, and although we will never really know how long the on-trade will take to pick up post lockdown, we still predict the cocktail category to be a huge hit.”
Jessica is confident that customers will still be looking for ‘picture perfect’ moments, meaning glassware and garnish should be top priorities. “Depending on the style of drink and the environment inside the bar, a garnish can really elevate a cocktail and raise the perceived value of the serve. What’s more, when it comes to glassware, certain vessels not only look great, they have the power to enhance the flavour of the drink. For example, the long narrow shape of a Mojito glass is all about temperature control and preservation of the fizz.” For the full experience, Jessica and the team suggest serving the Perfetto Camprino. To create the drink, add ice to a short rocks glass and stir in equal parts Perfetto Blood Orange gin, Campari and peach liqueur. The garnish of a fresh orange slice completes the serve and adds an extra zesty aroma.
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The coronavirus pandemic has seen an acceleration of trends in the cocktail category – particularly regarding the no and low alcohol movement. “Consumers understand that Covid-19 isn’t going away anytime soon and are thinking of their health more than ever,” points out Oliver Morris, head of mixology at Cotswolds Distillery. “As bars open, offering both cocktails with or without alcohol will be advantageous.” Oliver predicts that lowABV serves with bold flavours, created
Enhancing cocktails with absinthE
George Rowley, founder and brand owner of La Fée Absinthe, recognises that people don’t just look for a drink, but a social experience, craft and entertainment. “Cocktails have this in abundance,” he says. “In terms of trends, my prediction, naturally, is that there will be more cocktails enhanced by absinthe. It’s just crucial that people expand their knowledge.”
This August, La Fée is rolling out a new 20cl La Fee Parisienne, integrated with a 12-page cocktail booklet and auto pourer, available to the UK via Cellar Trends. The bottle comes with a QR code link to Difford’s Guide, which houses plenty of cocktail recipes featuring La Fée Absinthe, including the Parisienne Kiss, a re-modelled G&T-style serve, and the French Mojito, which replaces rum with absinthe (recipe below).
French Mojito 50ml La Fée Parisienne Absinthe Supérieure 3 Lime wedges (squeezed) Top with lemonade 3-4 Mint leaves Add La Fée Parisienne Absinthe Supérieure, the freshly squeezed lime and mint leaves to a Collins glass stacked with ice, top with lemonade, stir and dress with a sprig of mint.
using teas and botanical infusions, will be popular, alongside long, Spritz-style options and batched cocktails. He suggests using the new Cotswolds No 1 Wildflower Gin, which presents a blend of cornflowers, lavender and orange layered over the distillery’s classic London Dry gin, to create the No 1 Wildflower Gin Spritz. “For a long, refreshing drink, simply add ice to a Copa glass and pour 50ml Cotswolds No 1 Wildflower Gin, add premium tonic water and garnish with a slice of orange.”
Clearly, in 2020, consumers are favouring simple, refreshing, low-ABV serves, but with a lot of flavour. The team at Select believe that this is where Select’s Original Venetian Spritz really thrives. Global brand ambassador Rudi Carraro explains: “It is very simple, very elegant. It has a beautiful colour and complex, persistent flavours.” For Rudi, cocktails need to offer the whole experience, and a key aspect of this comes from the glassware and garnish. “Just as chefs search for the perfect mise-en-place for their dish before it leaves the kitchen, it’s the same with cocktails. Different cocktails need different glasses and different garnishes to make sure the drink is the best it can be – everything is about the full experience. A Spritz, for example, is best served in a wine glass because the long stem allows customers to avoid touching the part of the
Select’s Original Venetian Spritz
glass with the liquid, keeping the ice from melting and diluting the drink too quickly. In our Original Venetian Spritz, we use an olive garnish, which not only adds the savoury flavour of the olive and brine, bringing an umami note to the recipe, but it also recalls the Venetian tradition of ciccetti – small dishes and snacks served with a drink.”
It will take time for the on-trade cocktail category to heal, but that’s not to say it won’t be valued. Cocktails are drinks of celebration and indulgence – everyone needs to treat themselves to one every so often. As we lap up the last bit of summer and move into the autumn months, there are lots of different things for operators to capitalise on. With bright, refreshing, low-alcohol serves, tempting bitter treats, prebatched options and savvy sharing formats, bars have the means and opportunity to really elevate post-Covid drinking occasions.
It’s the season of the Paloma, says two Keys Consumers are increasingly looking to experiment with drinks, exploring beyond common flavour combinations such as the Gin & Tonic. This is something that Two Keys is capitalising on, offering a range of premium sparkling mixers to pair with different spirits, which can be produced at high speed and in high-volume scenarios.
The four-strong collection, available in 200ml recycled glass bottles, consists of Green Tea, Black Tea, Pink Grapefruit and Lemon variants, all less than 40 calories per serve and created using natural ingredients.
Two Keys co-founder James Simpson believes that, with the consistent rise in popularity of tequila and the growing trend in consumers drinking mezcal, this summer is set to be the season of the Paloma cocktail.
“Our Pink Grapefruit variant pairs perfectly with both tequila and mezcal to create the ultimate Paloma,” says James. “Two Keys is set to revolutionise the way bars and restaurants serve this popular cocktail, allowing them to create something delicious and simple extremely quickly using just two ingredients. The serve can be enhanced with the addition of either a grapefruit wedge or a squeeze of lime and salt to the rim of the glass to garnish, allowing outlets to upsell for a premium price.”
