Each year offers us something new and quite different to try in the drinks world. Sometimes the new flavours and concoctions work, and sometimes they disappear without a trace. We’ve already had the gin boom, but what drinks trends can we look forward to in 2017? Big brands want to experiment and be bolder this year, and that’s not just with their drink offerings, but their packaging and marketing too.
Here are just some of the drinks expected to take off this year.
Orange Wine
While orange wine will never escape the niche tag, it’s predicted to surge in popularity this year. Orange wines, or skin contact wines, are white wines made like red wines. And as more skin contact wines enter the market, an increasing number of restaurants and bars look set to add them to their drinks menus. Orange wine has already had a boost when The Ritz added five orange wines to the restaurant’s wine list last year. Orange wines are expected to be imported from all over the world, but with some English producers jumping on board also and experimenting with skin contact wines.
English Sparkling Wine Is the New Champagne
Sparkling wines are expected to have a bit of a revival this year and could even outsell Champagne as people want to drink more locally produced wine. But not only that, blind tastings have persuaded even the most experienced wine critic that English sparkling wines can rival Champagne when it comes to taste too.
Coffee Cocktails
Coffee and alcohol have always seemed like natural partners, so perhaps it’s not a surprise that the combination of the two is expected to be popular this year. But put away any thoughts that coffee cocktails are simply throwing alcohol into a cup of coffee. As coffee brewing has now become more of an art, it’s probably a natural transition that this now that moved into artisanal cocktails. If you want to give it a try then Beccacino is a great cocktail to begin with, combining brandy, Benedictine, amaretto, Irish Mist whiskyliqueur and cold-brewed coffee.
Tonic finds some new partners
While gin has held the limelight for a number of years, it’s now the time for tonic to stand out on its own. Well, not quite alone, but with some new partners. Tonic is now teaming up with everything from sherry, whisky, madeira, rum, white port and even tequila, to make a simple but delicious long drink with few ingredients.
Fake it with a Mocktail
We love cocktails, but it’smocktails that will take centre stage this year. While anything other than alcohol in a cocktail was once scoffed at,mocktails offer an alcohol-free alternative that’s full offlavour and a lot of fun, but with no hangover the next day.