SUMMER DRINKS
In true summer spirit Jade Evans reports on which drinks will be a hit this summer, along with exactly how consumers can safely enjoy a mouthful of something delicious as hospitality venues are back in action post-closure.
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s we witness a huge rise in daytime drinking, spirits are lifting along with the temperature. We are keen to share tips with our readers on how to safely cope with the influx of consumers, why introducing cocktails to your repertoire this summer could see a spike in custom, as well as which flavours will be tickling tastebuds over the next few months. For us, when we think of a summer-suited beverage, ‘refreshing’ automatically springs to mind. If it’s not zesty and full of life, we don’t want it. We’re sure your customers will be very much on the same page as they long for a glass of something delicious to quench their thirst after what can only be described as a treacherous 12 months. A glass of something cold is the perfect accompaniment for a day out in the summer. Whether that be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, a bar or restaurant is usually factored in as a pit stop to a planned outing. Over the summer season, Matt AshtonMelia, sales director at Langley’s Gin, is expecting gin to play a key role in gatherings, get-togethers and reunions within bars and pubs up and down the country as lockdown restrictions gradually ease and socialising becomes a key part of life again. “Gin is the perfect addition to cocktails, spritzes, summer punches and for the all-important classic gin and tonic.” Added Matt. Matt notices that gin remains an incredible driver of profit across the sector, providing more value than any other spirit this last year. Although there have been repeated predictions that the ‘gin craze’ will slow, we’re still waiting for that to take effect. It’s true that gin drinkers have enjoyed experimenting with an array of brands, flavours and expressions for years, but we’re reaching a stage where consumers are overwhelmed with the choice on offer, and they’re looking to get under the skin of what they’re drinking and revert to the classic styles they know and love. “We’re seeing something of a ‘flavour fatigue’ too, with consumers opting for
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Barrio Bars
El Bandarra
Lost Society
SUMMER DRINKS
brands that offer high-quality, classic gin styles, rather than trendy flavours, syrupy sweet liqueurs, and gimmicky botanical blends.” Matt explained. So as ‘flavour fatigue’ creeps in, something which is only growing in popularity are bottomless brunches. Obviously, brunches have been around for quite some time but following the pandemic, we’ve seen a huge demand over the last six months for set time slots and unlimited alcohol at an array of gorgeous venues across the country. This came after the Prime Minister announced the 10pm curfew last year, leaving consumers with limited time to drink, so they began trying to fit in as many drinks as possible before home time… And rightly so! Lost Society in Battersea offer an urban drinking and dining experience including a fantastic bottomless brunch service which has been up and running since the venue re-opened back in September. The brunch is available on Friday afternoons from 12pm until 5pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11am until 5pm which includes a 2-hour flow of Prosecco or Mimosa and a delicious brunch dish from the menu. As the demand for bottomless brunch grows it comes as no surprise that as one table leaves, another one arrives. But how exactly can you manage time slots without coming across as a pushy venue owner, leaving customers to feel like they’re being hurried out the door? Jasmina Juvonen, Events and Marketing Manager at Lost Society, explained that organisation is key
Langley’s Gin to dealing with brunch bookings: “We always book our tables for two hours and give extra 15 minutes as we want our guests to arrive relaxed and finish their brunch in peace without feeling rushed in our venue. If anything, we will always try and look whether we can move our guests to any of our extra tables for drinks and nibbles afterwards.” When it comes to reeling in custom for bottomless brunch tables, marketing is the key to success and Jasmina explained that it is important to know what you’re looking for. “We have a photographer to take mouthwatering food photos and drink photos
to shoot our guests in action enjoying themselves. We’ve also taken on board Instagram Reels which has been a success showing our venue with bottomless brunches and we did a giveaway for one of our tables and the views just went through the roof.” Jasmina commented. Drinks for the season includes spritzes, mules, punches and pitchers; according to Becky Davies, head of commercial at Ten Locks. Summer calls for refreshing, light, chilled drinks, so Becky advises offering familiar and popular serves that require minimal preparation time from bartenders, and that can be ordered either in jugs for tables to
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SUMMER DRINKS
Barrio Bars
The new variation will capitalise on the increasing popularity of elderflower. share, or as large servings to keep customers on premise for the duration. Spirits are a key component of simpler serves like these, so opting for high quality, more unusual expressions from meaningful brands can enhance the selling experience for bartenders: “The result will be more reason to return as consumers appreciate an experience they can’t get at home.” Becky added. Skilled bartenders and mixologists have really come into their own now pubs and bars have reopened. They’ve been under pressure to perform away from the backbar and are more knowledgeable as a result. Customers will recognise the value they bring. Becky sees that this time between now and the real summer rush should be used to re-train bar staff and immerse them on new products, serves, and the story behind the bottle, particularly for spirits that have an interesting back story, heritage or an eye on the environment in their production: “This will pay dividends as we’ll have a more discerning consumer on our hands and a big opportunity to sell upwards.” With premium spirits offering a significant trade up opportunity and a boost to profits at time when every sale counts, Becky advises stocking brands that bring consumers up the price ladder, with stories that enable bartenders to share why they command a higher price point. There’s an opportunity for lesser-known brands to step in here; offering something out of the ordinary will nurture those seeking more special experiences and establish outlets as a destination. This summer you need to ensure you’re consciously making an occasion of the customer experience; consider tailoring your offering for different parts of the day to cover the full drinks journey
Summer serve gin and tonic • Fill a glass with ice • Pour over 50ml of Langley’s London Dry • Top up with 150ml of quality Indian tonic water • Garnish with a juicy wheel of grapefruit and finish with a sprig of basil
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SUMMER DRINKS
customers will be thirsty for: “Set an aperitivo menu with a drink and sharing board, offer light lunches and a cocktail, and good value drinks and meal pairings, in addition to heavier weight cocktail menus.” Added Becky. Pubs and bars will have a huge job over summer to create safe, yet engaging experiences with the aim of keeping customers entertained, whether in the venue itself or in the home. We still don’t know what bar culture will look like over summer, but Becky suspects some real camaraderie and the coming together of industries that have also suffered, such as the arts, which would be an incredible way of creating more immersive, engaging and profitable experiences. Pub-goers will be looking for escapism so drinks, food and events that transport them to another destination, or recreate a special occasion, are certain to be a hit. We’re already seeing some venues offer a blended entertainment experience – removing silos; for example at Freight Island in Manchester consumers can book tables, with entertainment options, pop up experiences and access to other venues all within the parameters of the venue. The overall result is that the consumer doesn’t need to move to enjoy a fulfilling and Covid-safe experience, enabling venues to keep consumers in the same space, engage them fully in food and drink menus and, critically, have the tools to increase spend per head. The team at Barrio Bars were working hard all of lockdown to cope with the expected demand and to ensure they were ready to offer a Covid-safe experience. They’ve started using flow hospitality training to ensure all staff are as qualified and prepared as they can be to deliver the best service. Alongside this, the team also created a new cocktail menu and invested heavily in training ensure speed of service and an all-killer menu. “We’ve maximised our table plans and invested heavily in our outside areas. In Shoreditch in particular, we have doubled the capacity and added cover and heaters which has proven very
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SUMMER DRINKS Barrio Bars popular. We operate with two-hour turnaround times on each table as well to allow as many guests as possible to experience Barrio.” Added Jim Robertson, at Barrio Bars. With demand so high since the reopening of the hospitality sector, the chain of Barrio Bars has limited their happy hour offers to less than pre-covid levels. The company have drink offers running earlier in the day to welcome a lunch time trade which they have not done before. By opening during lunch, Barrio are open to a wider crowd and people who wouldn’t normally come to the Barrio venues: “As well as our new
Summer calls for refreshing, light, chilled drinks. summer focused cocktail menu, we have also put together a new sun chasers menu and sharers menu to enjoy and tripled our brunch availability across the entire weekend.” Explained Jim. Cocktails are often a popular drink of choice but even more so as the
As specialist importers, El Vermut has championed the vermouth category from day one. The drink is excitingly versatile, both in terms of flavour profiles and the perfect serve. Vermouth aged in oak - such as FotLi and Olave Rojo Tradicional - offer the perfect herbal tones to shine through in a Negroni. More delicate choices, such as El Vermú Blanco - by bodegas Valdovinos - is perfect topped with soda. For a traditional serve, Montseta Rojo will transport you to a Spanish terrace in seconds. Balanced and bitter-sweet, with notes of orange peel and cinnamon, this works perfectly poured over ice with a slice of fresh orange. For a fresher, lower ABV option, Montseta Blanco is the one. Pour over ice, top with tonic and garnish with a twist of lemon. For something a little different, try Montseta Rosado. Macerated with picota cherries for a fruity bitterness, this makes the perfect Americano. Equal parts of vermouth and Campari, topped with soda. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit. Vermut Montseta is produced in Valls, according to biodynamic principles, and imported to the UK exclusively by El Vermut. View our full range online at www.elvermutshop.co.uk. Email sales@elvermutlondon. com for a trade catalogue.
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temperature gets warmer, so we were keen to find out what the Managing Director of Barrio Bars’ go-to summer cocktail recipe would be and why. He revealed: “Our personal choice would be a Paloma. A long, cold, refreshing drink of our favourite Tequila with Two Keys pink grapefruit mixer. A guaranteed summer go-to.” Jim also explained how upon the launch of their new menu, they have seen a huge increase in people buying drinks that not only taste great that are also #IGworthy, with their biggest selling cocktail being a Raspberry Beret – a bright pink, sugar rimmed, candy floss topped extravaganza.
SUMMER DRINKS El Bandarra Alongside that, Jim finds that Aperol Spritzers are always a growing summer favourite: “This summer Barrio Bars have partnered with El Bandarra, the famous Barcelona based aperitif, to offer something slightly different. We expect these to fly out.” At 14.5% ABV, El Bandarra Al Fresco, when mixed with tonic, offers a lighter, lower alcohol Aperitivo that is refreshing, vibrant and exciting. Crafted in Barcelona with quality local Garnacha wine and natural Mediterranean botanicals, Al Fresco is perfect for a relaxing afternoon of drinking with friends in the sun. We’re sure most consumers would have been gasping for one drink in particular as they eagerly waited for bars to re-open in lockdown, so we asked Jonathan Owen at El Bandarra which beverages he thinks will be a hit this summer and why. “As an optimist, the weather will be good, so long, cold and refreshing. Fizz/ Spritz/Tonic serves will be in demand as we all return to a prominent al fresco focus! Citrus and botanical taste exploration continues but ‘bitter/sweet’ tastes are exploding, if you haven’t tried it yet, you will have soon. With people poised to ditch the sofa and spend more time than ever in their favourite bars, longevity will also play a key part, longer days = lighter drinks. “Our events and activations will also focus on people connecting and having a
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Operators now have to deliver on the ‘experience factor’ good time, it’s what El Bandarra is all about and something I think everyone deserves.” Jonathan commented. With a huge emphasis this summer on consumers having a good time and bouncing back to ‘normal’ life as restrictions lift, Suzanne Palm, Director of Food and Beverage at Leonardo Royal St Pauls & Sabine, explained of her delight surrounding the level of interest they have seen since announcing the opening: “We have designed our booking system to make sure that as many people as possible can experience Sabine and the amazing St Pauls views. Our tables are sold in two-hour slots to facilitate this.” The menu at Sabine offers lots of seasonal, lighter options such as the Summertime Spritz and an extensive wine and Champagne list, which is well suited to daytime drinking when customers often prefer a lighter, more refreshing alternative. If the sun continues to shine (fingers crossed), Suzanne predicts the increase in daytime drinking to continue with Brits seeking to make the most of the warm weather and the easing of lockdown. “As a rooftop bar, we are perfectly suited
to this and in addition to making sure our cocktail menu is designed for both daytime and evening drinking, we also offer a food menu that encourages grazing with small plates and sharing platters.” With Sabine’s popular beverage ‘The Sabine Garden’ naturally embodying summer, customers have one sip and instantly feel as though they are transported to the garden terrace, this is the drink which Suzanne expects to be a hit in the coming months. It combines The Botanist sage infused gin, shaken with rose liquor, pressed cucumber juice, elderflower cordial lime juice and soda – the ideal drink to get consumers ready for summer. Sam Rhodes, Marketing Director at Asahi UK Ltd, notices that the summer ahead with the prospect of continued relaxation of restrictions is promising to finally allow operators to put their best foot forward and operate under viable conditions for the first time in over a year. To prepare for the influx of customers, capitalise on summer trading and maximise revenues, he sees that operators need to ensure their summer drinks range caters to a variety of consumers.
SUMMER DRINKS
“Following a prolonged period of closure, there will be a strong appetite from many consumers to revisit venues and to socialise with family and friends in a hospitality environment. With this in mind, and in order to cater to a wide variety of consumer tastes, stocking a varied drinks range that include high-quality low and no alternatives will be crucial.” Sam revealed how 2020 saw low and no continue its ascension in the alcohol category and hit mainstream status, with 88% of consumers now aware of the segment . “Moreover, balance and moderation are becoming increasingly prevalent amongst younger demographics, with 1/3 of Gen Z tee-total , further enhancing its position. However, whilst this increase in awareness provides operators with a great opportunity to turn an order of tap water into a low and no alcohol alternative, this all comes with rising expectations amongst the consumer.” Added Sam. With this being said, it becomes apparent that operators now have to deliver on the ‘experience factor’, and that means having an offer of premium and high quality low and no alcohol alternatives. The number one barrier to guests choosing a low and no alcohol alternative are negative perceptions around taste , so stocking a premium alternative from brands that consumers know and trust such as Peroni Libera is vital to capitalise on the low and no opportunity. Peroni Libera 0.0% is triple hopped and made with Nostrano dell’Isola Maize to produce its distinctive rich fruity aroma, with a crisp refreshing finish providing consumers with freedom of choice when choosing a beer and a choice that doesn’t compromise on quality.
Barrio Bars
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Barrio Bars On the topic of quality, a summer favourite to many is Diageo’s iconic British brand PIMM’S (25% ABV). The brand is welcoming in the summer with a refreshed design for PIMM’S No.1 bottle, a brand-new marketing campaign ‘WE WILL SUMMER’ as well as introducing a delicious new raspberry and redcurrant aperitif which is perfectly crafted for those early evening catch ups, PIMM’S Sundowner (18% ABV). Currently worth £21m in the off-trade , the PIMM’S brand started in the 1840s and has become synonymous with summer and the events which punctuate the British calendar, including Wimbledon – which it has been served at since 1971. Unchanged for over 30 years, the PIMM’S No.1 design refresh gives the bottle a modern new look and feel whilst paying homage to the original iconic look. Capitalising on the growing popularity for early evening ‘Aperitivo’ moments,
currently growing at 46% , PIMM’S Sundowner has been blended with raspberry and redcurrant flavours to create a distinctly fruity aperitif that balances the bitter redcurrant notes in a vibrant raspberry colour. Best enjoyed as a PIMM’S Sundowner Spritz, simply fill a wine glass with ice and combine 50ml each of PIMM’S Sundowner and prosecco, top up with soda, then garnish with fresh raspberries to serve. As we continue to get fruity, just in time for what’s set to be a sensational summer, Britvic, the third-largest mixer brand in the UK , has introduced its first-ever flavoured tonic with an Elderflower addition to its range. Now available, the new variation will capitalise on the increasing popularity of elderflower, particularly as gin and flavoured tonic is the number one spirit and mixer combination for consumers . As bars and restaurants get back into the swing of things post-lockdown, the introduction of an elderflower option from Britvic will help operators upsell to customers during various drinking occasions. While gin and flavoured tonic is the number one combination , the latest addition can also be paired with other spirits, or enjoyed on its own. Adam Russell, director of foodservice and licensed at Britvic, commented: “Premium mixer options currently dominate, but this launch will allow operators to unlock flavour occasions within mainstream tonics and in turn will support the increase of sales and footfall by helping operators appeal to a broader audience.” So, are you ready for a long, hot summer? We certainly need it! As you prepare to make up for lost time over the coming months, take on the advice of our industry experts and be sure to tickle tastebuds.