I will be the first to admit, It can be very difficult staying on the pulse of the various cocktail trends and the new mixtures that are becoming popular overnight. It would make sense that you may want to try new cocktails now we are into post-lockdown relative normality, but like many others simply don’t know where to start. The cocktail sector is an evolving industry with the revolving door of trends changing frequently. Due to the pandemic, many restaurants and bars were closed meaning that one of the most popular trends we saw was the rise of cocktails-to-go. This was due to a rise take-aways and delivery cocktails. Changing the landscape when it comes to accessibility, now someone can order a drink and it can be delivered efficiently marking a potential future in the industry. It has become commonplace now in the world of cocktails for bars to provide a delivery service for their signature cocktail. For the reader’s sake (and mine), I have provided a detailed look into what the future of tipple will look like in 2022.
The rise of the Mocktail
The rise of the mocktail coincides with many people and bars across Ireland looking for healthier options when drinking. As well-being has become a staple at the forefront of consumer’s minds, it is no surprise that bars have embraced this lifestyle choice and looks to carry on through 2022. An example of this would be Lyre, the non-alcoholic drinks brand has recently been valued at £270 million which is an increase of £170 million from the previous year1. It can be surmised that this surge in demand has been brought on by the consumer’s post-Lockdown focus on improving their health. The mocktail surge also coincides with the drop in alcohol consumption making it clear that 2022 is the year of the mocktail.
Summer of the Seltzers
It was the summer of 2021 when the boom of hard seltzers happened in the US, the rise to prominence was unexpected to say the least with little preparation being made to deal with this newfound popularity. Luckily enough though this prevalence is expected to continue in 2022. A standout tipple like no other in the US over a year period between June 2020 and June 2021 the hard seltzer industry accounted for $2.7 billion. You are probably wondering what does the surge in America have to do with UK and Ireland? Well, there has been growth in the sector in the UK with a forecast of 90% annual growth2 for a further 4 years. Perfectly demonstrating the potential the hard seltzer market has in the UK and Ireland and the growth it will continue to undergo in the future. Kevin Farrell2 of the Molson Coors Beverage Company stated “While it’s still early days in Europe, we’re expecting the hard seltzer category to follow a similar pattern to the U.S.” In 2022, Ireland will experience a push for hard seltzers with businesses from the US looking to expand their reach globally.
The Rosé Renaissance
A staple of parties and fine-dining events for decades now, rosé is one of the most popular and successful cocktails across the world. However, despite disappearing into the unknown the classic formula has made a return to the dining halls and parties across Ireland. Is it really as simple as the drink is pink? This is clearly an over-simplification of why rosé has risen back to the top, but the general concept is the same with more people looking to spend their days in the summer with a vibrant option that matches the mood. Now we are in 2022, it is time for parties as we emerge from the isolation of lockdown. People are more willing to spend their hard-earned money on extravagances such as rosé. Here at Alliance3 we appreciate that finding the perfect accompaniment for a cocktail drink is another challenge entirely, from our wide range of cocktail glasses you are guaranteed to find one that matches your preferences from quality brands Utopia, Artis and Chef & Sommelier and more. It wouldn’t be a push to say that the resurgence of rosé will carry on through to the end of 2022 with more parties and festivities taking place throughout the year.
Rum Revolution
Rum has been on the rise for the last couple of years and has been used in bars and restaurants across the UK and Ireland with a lot more frequency. Possessing versatility in usage, rum can and has been applied in many of Ireland’s favourited cocktails. The main reason as to why there has been a boom in the rum sector is due to their being a rise in the number of rum producers across the world. Another reason for the growth is the newfound exposure rum has got to a younger demographic that are now experimenting with the drink. The forecasted 9% of growth in the UK can be placed down to the celebratory mood the public are in during the summer and post-lockdown. Due to the number of rum brands exponentially growing (50 in 2009 – over 200 in 2021) it’s obvious that this area isn’t halting anytime soon.
The Cocktail ‘Kiosk’
As the world slowly but surely gets back to normality many bar and restaurant owners believe that the average cocktail drinker will expand their horizons when trying new mixtures. It has led to mixologists having to be more creative and experimental than before as COVID has made consumer’s more adventurous than before. The kiosk system is something that has been widely popularised by Subway, this is a profitable idea that was created to keep up with the rise in exotic cocktails. The idea for this is to allow consumers to create their own cocktail from a wide variety of ingredients. The cocktail industry is set to have a manic year in 2022 with their not being a set trend that can be expected (but we can say that the points mentioned will be major factors for the year) Although there is one certainty, Ireland will be seeing substantial growth5 and development in the cocktail sector.
Drinking responsibly must be at the principal of our attention particularly in these troubling times. Here at Alliance, we note that a restaurant or bar should take into account the points mentioned and look to implement them for the summer period. For more information, please refer to our Alliance Online website where you will be able to find the products and similar styles discussed.
References
- https://www.forbes.com/
- https://www.modernretail.co/
- https://www.allianceonline.co.uk/tableware/crockery
- https://bbbdrinks.com/
- https://www.statista.com/outlook/cmo/alcoholic-drinks/united-kingdom
