Cocktails & Mocktails Get Creatively Exotic– Part 1

Two different food business industry sources have predicted an international trend in beverages, with restaurants and bars serving drinks inspired by tropical climes. It may serve to help people escape, at least for a little while, the drear of the economy and winter and drink to happier times to come. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to seem to be following this trend--if our survey of websites with new cocktail recipes is any indication.

Mintel, a leading market research company, forecasted a rise in classic, creative and even alcohol-free cocktails for 2008, and believed that 2009 would feature an explosion of new cocktails with interesting ingredients. Ginger, cucumber, chili pepper and even beer were mentioned as possible ways to add flavor and texture to cocktails when paired with gin, tequila, pisco or framboise.

Flavor & the Menu similarly predicted a Latin trend in both cocktails and mocktails, and we’ve found evidence of all of this in several websites and publications.

We found a recipe for a Pisco Sour that mixed this tequila-flavored brandy (popular in Chile and Peru) with egg white to give the tangy drink a smooth, full body and aromatic bitters to round off the lemon juice and sugar.

Bringing yet another tropical cocktail-ish trend is found in “Cheladas”--originally from Mexico, Cheladas mixed beer with lime or Tabasco, but now have branched out to include mango juice or margarita mix.

Creative bartenders have discovered that tequila, rum or vodka can be added to cheladas, and beer can be added to certain cocktails, building on the chelada’s popularity. One Chelada inspired drink recipe made good on the prediction above, using cucumber, sake, and lime juice combined with draft beer to create a new Asian twist on a Mexican drink.

As a food business consultancy, we follow up on predicted trends to see help you plan and strategize for the benefit of your business.