What’s your favourite summer drink? There are certain libations that seem perfectly suited to warm weather – from a crisp G&T to exotic tropical cocktails. But while you may have a go-to summer tipple, it’s always fun to try something new…
This summer there’s more choice than ever, with plenty of new launches and seasonal editions that are tapping into current drinks trends.
Tequila takeover
According to the Summer Trends Drinks Report 2024 from Tesco, sales of tequila have increased by 28% in the last year. That means more of us than ever are now mixing up tequila cocktails at home.
The salt-rimmed Margarita is a classic choice, but Palomas have become increasingly popular – perhaps because they’re so easy to make. Just add tequila, grapefruit soda and lime juice to an ice-filled glass and stir; no shaking required! For more tequila cocktail inspiration, check out Clinton Cawood’s suggestions in Beyond the Margarita.
Refreshing spritzes
Meanwhile spritzes continue to be a popular, lower alcohol choice. Many bars now offer a dedicated spritz menu in summer. But it’s fun to play around with ingredients to create your own refreshing serve at home.
If you fancy a change from an Aperol Spritz or Campari Spritz, try pairing a vermouth such as Barcelona’s El Bandarra Al Fresco (see below) with tonic instead. There are plenty of ready-to-drink spritzes too – the Black Lines Hugo Spritz and These Days Sundown Spritz (see below) are two of my favourite recent launches.
Flavours to savour
Drinks giant Diageo released its Flavour Forecast 2024 in June, identifying five trends that are dominating our summer sipping this year. They include savoury drinks, fuelled by increased internet searches and online content for ingredients such as turmeric (up 79%), tahini (+45% ) and seaweed (+55%) according to the AI Palette x Diageo (two-year CAGR increase in conversations, from May 2022 to April 2023 versus May 2023 to April 2024).
Savoury botanicals such as seaweed, rock samphire and sea purslane are being put to good use in new-wave coastal gins, an increasingly popular style. Look out for bottles such as Bullards Coastal Gin and Isle of Bute Small Batch Oyster Gin from the UK, and Australian Papa Salt, a recent launch by actress Margot Robbie and friends.
Spicy and tropical
Next up from Diageo’s Flavour Forecast 2024 are tropical and spicy flavours. Spiced rums from the Caribbean are a great way to tap into this trend – and there are plenty of brands to choose from with rum sales on the rise in the UK. Data from CGA by Nielsen IQ showed that rum sales in the UK surpassed the £1bn mark for the first time in 2022. While 9m bottles of rum were sold in Tesco alone in 2023. Try using spiced rum instead of your regular rum in one of our easy-to-make rum cocktails.
Ingredients such as mango, guava, coconut, pineapple and passion fruit add a tropical twist to your drinks. Make a thirst-quenching Highball by pairing delicious Desi Daru Alphonso Mango Vodka or Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind Vodka (launched earlier this year) with tonic or soda over ice in a tall glass.
No- and low-alcohol
What about if you’re taking a break from alcohol or don’t drink alcohol at all? In 2024 there are 2.6m fewer UK adults drinking weekly compared with 2021, so it’s not surprisng that the range of interesting NoLo drinks continues to grow at a rapid pace. Two of my star picks, which I regularly drink at home, are Bax Botanics (see below) and Botivo.
The LOW & NO 2024: Drinking Differently report by KAM revealed that 25% of UK adults now practice ‘zebra striping’ when they’re out in pubs and bars. This refers to alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. That figure rises to 78% of 18- to 24-year-olds. The good news is it’s easy to do this at home without compromising on taste.
Options include convincing gin alternatives such as Pentire Adrift and Sea Arch Coastal Juniper. Meanwhile ISH Mexican Agave Spirit makes a…
Source : https://www.decanter.com.master.public.keystone-prod-eks-euw1.futureplc.engineering/spirits/great-summer-drink-ideas-464080/
