Drinkers seeking ‘purist’ cocktails
Simon Weston from Pontoon, which makes ready-to-serve frozen cocktail mixes, said drinkers are already on the hunt for drinks with fewer ingredients.
He said this has come hand-in-hand with drinkers seeking ‘Instagrammable’ serves, and the theatrics and aesthetics of drinks will continue to play a big role in pubgoers’ choices.
He told The Morning Advertiser: “Things being very visual is definitely something that you are seeing across the whole of the on-trade, whether that is a bar like the Arteisan (which has three branches in central London), with its extraordinary, carefully choreographed serves or a high street operator. People are looking for something exciting and engaging.
“What's the expression? You taste first with the eyes. So people want something that’s visually very appealing now whether that’s a titanic flight of watermelon perched of your glass or sparklers or whatever else people are putting into it, people are looking for that sense of fun.”
Counter movement
However, a counter-trend has emerged with people seeking two ingredient drinks that are “more wholesome and earnest” as opposed to complex cocktails.
Weston continued: “There is also a purist movement, which is sort of a counter movement, where people are stripping ingredients out of drinks and making them two ingredients serves, very simple glassware, very simple garnish. With every trend there is a counter trend.
“The wonderful thing about it is there’s something for everyone. The wonderful thing about cocktails is that you can hang a story around them, there’s always a back story, a tale, something people can engage with.
“You don't necessarily get that with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or a pint, whereas if you order a cocktail by name, a Pornstar Martini or an Elderflower Collins, there’s a huge amount of history.
“There's a huge storyline around a Mojito, for example, it's a real global titan of a cocktail, and people associate it with places and memories. It transports you.”
