Summer is upon us, which means bars and restaurants are being packed with patrons looking for a cold cocktail to cool them down. Shaken or stirred, frozen or on the rocks, simple or complex, there’s a plethora of options when it comes to craft cocktails. But what are bartenders serving the most this summer?
Let’s explore some of the hottest drink trends driving craft spirits sales in 2023. We’ll dive into health trends, love for the classics and what’s convenient and easy for the pool or beach. Being in the business we’re in, the Crafted ERP team gets to try a wide variety of cocktail creations. So as we explore some of the hottest trends in the craft spirits industry, our team is also sharing our favorite drinks sampling our own Crafted bev-alc customers!
Drink Your Vegetables
From juice cleanses to post-workout smoothies to wellness shots, the juice bar has been a staple among the health-obsessed for more than a decade. It’s an easy way to get a daily serving of fruits and vegetables, and there are endless options and combinations to meet even the pickiest of taste buds. But vegetables in a cocktail? Other than a bloody mary, when did this become a thing?
Cold-pressed juice cocktails started showing up in the market around five years ago, but were limited to specialty cocktail bars that included one or maybe two options on the menu. While fruit, ginger, cucumber and tomato juices have been bar staples for a while, other vegetables started taking the cocktail world by storm over the last year. Now you see bartenders experimenting with beetroot, carrots, celery, aloe and kale, among other healthy alternatives.
Vegetables are being used in different ways to add more flavor complexity and texture to drinks. A sweet potato simple syrup can offer a savory take on a whiskey sour. Kale, apple, cucumbers and celery serve as a healthier alternative to traditional store-bought tomato juice for a green bloody mary. Basically, if you can turn it into a liquid, you can use it in a cocktail.
Bartenders recommend that when it comes to using cold-pressed juice or other vegetable-based liquids in a cocktail, the fresher the better. Fresh juices may last 2-4 days in the refrigerator, but begin to lose their flavors and nutrients fairly quickly. If you batch make juice for cocktails, it’s recommended to use within 24 hours to maintain peak freshness.
As one of the hottest trends in craft spirits in 2023, will you try a cold-pressed vegetable cocktail this summer? Let’s see what Crafted thinks.
“Last summer on vacation, I noticed a beet juice cocktail on the menu. It intrigued me. I love beet juice, and I love gin cocktails. So why not? It was DELICIOUS!!! Now, I normally take my beet juice sans alcohol, but there are occasions where I like a little something special. And when I don’t feel like juicing it myself (because cleaning a juicer is pretty time consuming), I just pop over to the cold-pressed bar down the street and grab the beet-apple-lemon-orange juice. Then, just pour it in a shaker with some gin, and you have a fast, easy and delicious cocktail! And if you’re feelin a little sassy, muddle rosemary or mint (or both) in the shaker before you pour in the ingredients, or just garnish with a fresh sprig.”
~ Sheri Pape-Blythe, Senior Marketing Manager
Sheri’s Gin Recommendations:
Classics with a twist
Do you have an old standby drink that you know no matter where you go, you’re going to like it? Timeless cocktails like an old fashioned, margarita, gin martini and Moscow mule can be found on pretty much every bar menu around the world. And if it’s not on the menu, the bartender likely knows how to make it. There’s a reason these drinks are so readily available: people love the classics.
But what if you tried a slight tweak to a tried-and-true recipe?
One of the hottest trends we’re seeing in the world of craft cocktails is the reimagination of classic drink recipes. Think a mezcal martini or a rum-based old fashioned. In the generation of TikTok and Instagram, bartenders are making a name for themselves by creating new versions of classic cocktails and posting videos and recipes of their concoctions. A unique take on an old recipe not only introduces viewers to new flavors and combinations, but it also teaches the art of making a cocktail. Some of these riffs on the classics are showing up as seasonal menu items, while others are becoming bar and restaurant staples. What is old is made new again with a creative twist!
Our own team is mixing up their versions of some classics at home.
“My family is known as “the blueberry people” for the copious amounts of blueberries that my mom grows in western Massachusetts, so literally all summer we put blueberries in anything that will take it – including our drinks. One of my favorites is a blueberry Moscow mule with homemade blueberry syrup, lime juice, ginger beer and vodka.”
~ Bree Neely, Vice President, Marketing
Bree’s Vodka Recommendation:
“Who doesn’t love a classic old fashioned? It’s my go-to drink of choice when at a cocktail bar or restaurant. I’ve had different takes like a smoky version and maple syrup, but just recently tried making it with apple brandy per a coworker’s recommendation. Definitely something I would go back to again!”
~ Ryan Glover, Global Senior Account Manager
Ryan’s Apple Brandy Recommendations:
New The [Continued] Rise of Ready-to-Drink
One of hottest trends in craft spirits continues to be the RTD, or ready-to-drink cocktail. These premixed, bar-quality drinks make up one of the fastest growing product lines in craft spirits. In fact, RTDs are the fourth largest category of spirits, falling just behind whiskey, vodka and tequila.
RTDs, which can be spirits, malt or wine based, are expected to
grow by 24% over the next five years. Spirit-based drinks make the
most popular choice in the RTD market, with vodka cocktails representing the highest volume and value share. With rising popularity, more and more options are arriving on shelves. In the U.S. alone, there were fewer than 1,000 RTD products available in 2020. Now the segment has grown to more than 1,600 flavors and options on sale.
Many new RTDs come out of a brewery or distillery looking to diversify their product line. For craft spirits producers wanting to expand, it’s important to consider things like recipes and alternative ingredients that aren’t typically used for making base spirits. Packaging will likely be a different process too, requiring new equipment if you’re used to bottling instead of canning. Making sure you have the right beverage manufacturing software will be key to your success, and even better if you have distillery software that can manage both distilling and RTD production simultaneously.
The spirit-based RTD craze arose out of a desire for a bar-like experience at home during the pandemic. Consumers wanted a really good cocktail, but often didn’t know how or didn’t have the right ingredients to make their desired drink. Now anyone can have their favorite vodka spritz or bourbon and soda at home without the hassle or fuss!
Summer tends to drive higher volume RTD sales because they are easily portable and servable. It’s the perfect drink to throw in a cooler and head to the lake, pool or beach. With a variety of fruit flavors and liquor bases available, there’s something for everyone.
At Crafted, RTDs play a special role in welcoming new team members.
“We love BuzzBallz. As a company, they are a great partner and friend to us. And it’s a fun, easy drink to keep around. When new employees start at Doozy, one of our rites of passage is to pick their favorite BuzzBallz flavor. We keep them stocked in the office fridge, and make sure everyone gets their first “Buzz.” It’s a fun tradition that we’ve started over the last couple of years.”
~ Jeremy King, Co-founder and CEO
Jeremy’s RTD Recommendations:
Stay on Trend
Want to stay ahead of the latest trends in craft spirits production? Crafted ERP’s team is made up of former head distillers, brewmasters and winemakers with decades of bev-alc industry experience. Our job is to forecast what’s ahead in the industry and design a product that gives you a competitive edge. Crafted ERP Distillery Software is the only true end-to-end business solution created distinctly for distilleries. Curious about Crafted? Email our team to learn more.
