Just like every industry, the beverage industry sees different beverage trends over time. Whether IPAs become more popular than lagers, or every classic beverage recipe is “with a twist,” trends surge and flux with time.
Here are some of this year’s predictions on trends to look out for in 2022:
- More N/A or Low Alcohol choices. Whether you’re trying to cut back or are making a lifestyle change, festive drinks shouldn’t be exclusive to alcohol alone. Mixing up a ‘mocktail’ can be just as tasty and will certainly lead to fewer hangovers. We’re likely to see more options that are exciting, and not just flavored seltzer water. You can still feel fancy having a drink with friends, or with dinner, and have a clearer head to boot. With a more thoughtful approach to ABV, there’s an encouragement of more thoughtful consumption.
- Simplicity is key. Cocktails this year might tend more towards the simple side. Cocktails with fewer ingredients and fewer steps are much more likely to entice people to imbibe, versus overly complicated assembly, and ingredients you may only use once and then put away in a cupboard or on a shelf where it gathers dust. Just because the recipe is simple, that doesn’t mean the flavors aren’t complex.
- Hey, Tequila. Continuing the upward trend from 2021, tequila continues to see a rise into 2022. From Añejo to Reposado tequila, people are starting to gain a new appreciation for a spirit that takes a longer time to produce. And perhaps with this, a deeper understanding of the traditional culture surrounding tequila production and an environmental interest will cause consumers to be more thoughtful about the world.
- Bone Dry. With more people cutting back on sugar, dry drinks are the word. With a move away from the sweeter taste of cocktails, herbal choices with a more bitter flavor index are becoming more popular. Tastes seem to be shifting to interesting and complex vegetal flavors, and away from fruity and saccharine tastes.
- Upgrades to old faves. Most people have heard of a gin and tonic, or a whiskey old-fashioned, and during 2020 and 2021 more people had time to do their own experimenting with these classic cocktails. Using classic cocktails, but giving the ingredients a quality or style upgrade is one way to change up a go-to drink. Whether it’s a spirit that is rare, hard to find, or a label with a story, this is likely what consumers will crave during 2022.
- Bubbles, and more bubbles. Bubbly isn’t just for late night toasts anymore. Sparkling wine varieties pair well with other spirits, and make for an interesting and complex cocktail mix. Adding bubbly as a cocktail ingredient keeps it tasting fresh and can be consumed at any point of the day, not just as a dessert or with dinner. Bring on the bubbles!
This is in no way a comprehensive list or prediction, but we’re definitely seeing an exciting change to the drink industry throughout 2022. Start your pickup order today, and start your year out with some new flavors and old friends.
https://www.foodandwine.com/drinks/biggest-drink-trends-2022
