Looking at the future through a soft-focus lens

And when I choose a wine to drink I am interested in where it comes from, the grape variety and the ageing process to help me imagine the taste. This is also the case with a number of beers these days, be it east coast USA or west coast UK, triple hops or zesty notes.

All of this makes the drink feel special and crafted, especially when the drink is served in the glass that best suits it — a flute for Prosecco, highball for a G&T or a snifter for a strong ale.

So why should choosing a soft drink be more binary — still or carbonated, diet or added sugar, pint or a half?

Over the past few years we have all become more demanding when it comes to spending our hard-earned cash and, when this spend is eating or drinking out, I certainly want the memory to be about the moment of a great experience I had and not the “didn’t quite hit the mark” food or drink that I had.

There really is no reason why soft drinks cannot also be a quality experience and an active choice and certainly more than just an opt out of alcohol. Whether this is through a dispense solution or a packaged product, a soft drink can make life’s everyday moments more enjoyable. A quality drink, served in the right way, means it does not detract from the experience, but enhances it.

This could be a drink for the kids in a bottle that doesn’t break or spill to a lightly sparking juice drink served at the correct temperature to avoid needing ice, which will reduce the carbonation. I have become a fan of frozen grapes to replace the ice, a tip picked up from a mixologist rather than my own experimentation.

Makers of soft drinks need to continually develop the combinations of ingredients and their provenance, along with the quality of serving suggestions, by taking a leaf out of the beer companies’ investment book when it comes to glassware development.

While I believe this is the positive future for soft drinks, I can’t have a conversation about the subject without being asked how a company like Britvic feels about a potential tax on sugar and I believe the expected answer is one of fear and rejection. In fact, while I believe that a range of drinks to choose from is the best approach, this subject has led to a development in different sweetener systems and with it ever more interesting drinks.

This can only be a good thing and, therefore, more interesting drinks with fewer calories can be expected, regardless of any future legislation.

I for one have become as demanding for quality whether it is a glass of wine, a real ale or a moment-enhancing soft drink… and the good news is that, more often than not, I am not disappointed.