Cheers to 2022

As we bid farewell to 2021 (good riddance!) and raise a glass to welcome in the New Year, what cocktail and drinks trends can we expect to see in 2022?

Award-winning mixologist and Dilmah ambassador Alberto Pizarro shares his predictions . . .

As you were

I don’t think there are going to be any new drinks trends coming onto the scene because they generally originate in bars – and bars have been closed for most of this year. Instead, cocktails and drinks that were trending this year will become even bigger.

Sustainability

The issue of sustainability is evolving into the drinks sector and consumers are thinking a lot more about brands and the ethics of big companies. They want to know how those brands are supporting local communities. It’s not just about trees and animals, but people too.

Storytelling

Consumers want to learn something about the drinks they are choosing so that they can pass this knowledge on to their friends. They want to know the big story behind the brand or the history of the cocktail you are making so it’s important, as a mixologist, to be armed with that information and be willing to share it.

Nostalgia

The 80s and 90s remind people of better times when they were younger and we’ll be seeing old fashioned cocktails such as Pina Colada and Sex on the Beach, making a comeback – but with a twist.

Healthy drinks

People are looking at the ingredients in drinks to see how they can help them. It’s about drinking with purpose and clean ingredients are coming to the fore. As a result, we’re seeing more vegetables, such as cucumber, carrot, bell peppers, pumpkin and spinach, in cocktails.

No alcohol & low alcohol

Mixologists are using a variety of ingredients that are bringing complexity to non-alcoholic drinks. Commercial mixers are making way for homemade sodas, seltzers and kombuchas.

Extreme flavours

Smoked, bitter and chilli are on trend flavours and they’re all coming from fresh ingredients, such as bitter herbs, ginger and fresh chilli. Spicy and tasty is exciting – people want to feel they are alive! We used to classify drinks as bitter, sour or sweet, but now we’re adding salty and vinegar to open up many more flavours.

Glassware & garnishes

No one is going to share your cocktail on Instagram if it doesn’t look amazing so it’s important to choose beautiful and interesting glassware and garnishes. I know of bars which serve cocktails in animal-shaped glasses. Mushroom glasses are really popular too.

Tea-time

Tea is an amazing ingredient that we’ll be seeing a lot more in cocktails and mocktails. It allows you to travel to Sri Lanka, China, Japan without moving from your bar stool. It also ticks the boxes for storytelling and healthy properties.

Theatre

More drinks will be finished at the table, bringing a sense of theatre to the experience, for example, serving from a teapot at the table with dry ice smoking.

Negro Jade