Cocktail Trends for 2020

Cocktail Trends for 2020

Cocktails are no less worthy to be given their due as trendsetters. So let’s dive in. What do the stars foresee being in vogue in 2020 for cocktails?

Let’s Start at Zero

Zero is a hero with the rising trend of zero proof cocktails (or mocktails). You can expect to come across even more alcohol free concoctions throughout 2020 with the addition of new brands that offer non-alcoholic whiskeys, non-alcoholic gins, and sparkling beverages that imitate champagnes. With all the flavor and body, but none of the alcohol, they’re not only a part in many new creations, but an increasing piece of existing classics, like our amazing Grapefruit Margarita Mocktail.


A Healthy Pour 


With a rise in mocktails and alcohol alternatives, there are already great flavors for those who want to have healthier options to enjoy with friends at happy hour or on weekends out. In addition to those non-alcoholic options, you’re going to be increasingly able to taste drink options that are healthier and combine unique, interesting flavors. 


One of the big trends in this space will be “minimalist cocktails,” meaning there won’t be a long, complicated index list of ingredients. Some bartenders are crafting menus that take customers back to the days of the classic cocktails with originals like margaritas and Manhattans, but with more simplicity and innovation. You’ll likely notice many more drinks will feature three or four primary ingredients, or even a simple, great pairing of spirits and food like bourbon and pear, or cucumber and tequila so that the flavors can stand out more. 


With these more straightforward recipes often comes a repurposing of ingredients that give your cocktail not only a healthy, but a less wasteful and more sustainable image as even the peels from citrus fruits can be used to infuse liquor after the fruit is used for garnishing, and coffee grinds that may have been tossed get a second use to infuse coffee flavored liqueurs.  

International Influence on Craft Cocktails

Flavors from across the ocean are giving cocktails some international flair in 2020. Coupled with the health and wellness trend, you’ll have the opportunity to get a taste of some of West Africa’s superfoods such as turmeric and ginger. They’ll be giving certain cocktails a bit of a healthy kick, in addition to a twist on traditional flavors. 

Carbonation Nation

The sales of prosecco and sparkling wine have increased substantially, and along with that, carbonated concoctions that include flavored tonic waters and ginger beer created in-house. And the Aperol Spritz isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, either!

Batched Cocktails Done Right

Taking the beer keg concept in a new direction, cocktails in kegs have been around for years, but it’s been a slow idea to catch on due to varying degrees of quality. But with bartenders, the idea of dispensing cocktails quickly is an increasingly strong draw. So look for the idea to surge in the year ahead at outdoor festivals, major events, and even catching at craft cocktail bars.

Experimental Universe

There’s a lot more going on with cocktails than you’d ever think, and some of the innovations to keep an eye on involve cocktails made with homemade ingredients, new infusable ingredients, and fermented ingredients such as tepache, a fermented beverage from Mexico made from the peel and rind of pineapples that’s sweetened, seasoned, and served cold. That’s all without even mentioning the rise in cocktails we’ve seen that incorporate the more popular kombucha, a fermented and slightly alcoholic, lightly effervescent, sweetened black or green tea drink made from the Manchrian mushroom that’s typically consumed for possible health benefits. 


In addition to all of those amazing new flavors, the expanding knowledge of the health benefits of certain compounds within cannabis as well as increasing legality, cannabidiol (CBD) and other hemp-infused products are being transferred into some healthfull cocktails.


A Fresh Twist

In addition to all of those other twists on cocktails, you’ll also start seeing more tea-infused spirits and syrups featuring new flavors that are shaking up the tea world. For example, in London, at the Lyaness venue, Lyaness Tea-mooth is an alcoholic ‘vermouth’ made entirely from a bespoke tea blend.


So no matter what your taste in cocktails is, you can be sure that 2020 is going to be a truly “spirited” year!


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Cocktails are no less worthy to be given their d
Cocktails are no less worthy to be given their due as trendsetters. So let’s dive in. What do the stars foresee being in vogue in 2020 for cocktails?
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