The Top Drinks Trends for 2015

Here at Lockhart Catering, we’ve done the research (hiccup!) to reveal which drinks will be sticking and twisting in 2015, so get your glasses at the ready…

Coffee

Our favourite caffeinated beverage has been on the up for some time and things aren’t about to slow in the caffeine-fuelled fast lane for 2015. Starbucks is rumoured to be experimenting with carbonated coffee, which we think could only get better if someone was to add, say, amaretto?

Bars can tap into the trend by offering espresso martinis that are a cut above, experimenting with different beans and brews alongside brilliant spirits. Tea is also on the agenda for 2015 with thirst-quenching cold teas and cocktails also gaining in popularity. Think Asian-inspired teas and tea cocktails complete with carefully selected spices.

Craft and Local

The craft beer revolution is here to stay, which means plenty more IPAs appearing in your local and restaurants, along with bitters and increasing numbers of ciders too.

Many consumers want to support local brewers and to know where their drinks have come from, so if you don’t already have some local talent on your menu you may want to investigate ways you can welcome them in, whether on a permanent or featured basis.

Cocktails

Beers, wines and ciders are also making their way into cocktails along with a little spicing and some bubbles too. Jamie Oliver appeared on Jonathan Ross back in December 2012 hailing the return of carbonated drinks (and the Soda Stream) and it appears the trend has started fizzing and trickling down to the high street with bars offering up far more appetizing alternatives to alcopops.

Driven by the trend for upmarket food halls and street food events, high quality batch or ‘made to go’ cocktails are also becoming popular as mobile bars try to provide the best queue-free experiences for crowds.

Microdistillery

For many, 2014 was the year of gin as we all revelled in the wonderful simplicity of the humble G&T.  Alongside gin festivals, clubs and gin advent calendars sprang up dozens of micro-distilleries as enthusiastic amateurs gave botanicals a bash.

This year, we’re expecting more of the same with the best of the new boutique brands coming to the fore along with some special whiskeys, spiced rums and flavoured tequilas taking the floor.

Simply Sour

Picklebacks (bourbon followed by brine) were named as one of the big beverage trends of 2013/14, but for many they remained only part of the blogosphere or on the menus of bars in "that London”. However the sour sentiment is here to stay; if picklebacks haven’t made it to a bar near you yet, there’s a chance they still might.

According to Baum+Whiteman, you may also encounter Micheladas – a beer-based drink flavoured with meaty broth, spices and hot sauce, which will hopefully go some way to quenching our growing obsession with sriracha and it’s saucy siblings.

Wines

An assessment of which wines will dominate in 2015 is a topic deserving its very own post, but we are willing to predict that lighter, fruitier and less calorific wines will be in demand to plug the hole left by some high-calorie alcopops.

And, in the aftermath of the recent report detailing the lack of awareness among the UK drinking public about calories in alcohol, bars and restaurants would do well to signpost lower calorie drink options generally.

Drinking and Young People

We’ve been hearing that young people are drinking less and Millennials are certainly a harder crowd to pull in than their parents before them. While everyone in the industry should be doing their utmost to promote responsible drinking it will certainly be interesting to see what, if anything, will lure those in their late teens and twenties out into bars and other establishments to drink and be merry.

Capitalising on café culture, offering customisation of drinks and going the extra mile to offer an ‘experience’ rather than a place to drink are just some of the ways businesses targeting this market can try and catch their attention.

Of course, with the 2015 drinks trends comes the need to rethink glassware provision. If you think your current collection is falling short or needs a little tweaking, checkout our guide on Choosing the Right Glassware to bring you back on track.

Are there any new beverage trends you’ve already started to notice emerging for next year? Do you think there’s anything else we should be watching out for or glassware we should be stocking to accommodate the trends? We’re always listening to ensure we keep on top of the trends and the products you need, so share your ideas below!