Cheers! Take a sip of these 5 cocktail trends in 2018
Hooray, a fresh new year. All of our cocktail mistakes from 2017 have been erased. That awful Salted Caramel Martini you ordered back in August? It's long forgotten, and thankfully the salted caramel trend seems to be over.
Pumpkin Spice season is also over, and hopefully will never be heard from again. Pickle Juice cocktails never really caught on. Using activated charcoal in cocktails will also never catch on, even though the drinks look awesome on Instagram.
What does 2018 have in store for the cocktail world? After a couple sips of rum, I took out my cocktail crystal ball and here are the Top 5 trends I see gaining popularity.
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1. Champagne. I predict champagne cocktails will make a splash in 2018. Light, not too sweet and easy to make, they are perfect for entertaining at home. Champagne cocktails are usually only three or four ingredients and relatively inexpensive, depending on your champagne choice. I like to pair a very dry champagne with a flavorful spirit like rum then temper it with a sweeter syrup and a small piece of fresh fruit for garnish.
But don’t just limit yourself to champagne. Branch out and try using Prosecco, Rosé or even a sparkling Burgundy wine. Your choices are only limited by what you can find on the shelf.
2. Chartreuse. Local cocktail connoisseur, Jim Masterson, believes Chartreuse cocktails will be on trend for the coming year. Chartreuse is a popular herbal liqueur made by monks in France who use a 400-year-old secret recipe. It’s sometimes called "bartender’s ketchup." This is because it is such a versatile ingredient, it basically marries well with every other type of spirit.
There are two varieties, Green Chartreuse and Yellow Chartreuse. The green has a higher proof. Both are made from a blend of more than a hundred different herbs, spices and flowers. Yellow is a lower proof and has a sweeter flavor, toward a honey taste.
You can find both types of Chartreuse at larger liquor stores in Brevard County. Sip either version straight with a bit of ice or add it to a glass of your favorite bourbon. You will be hooked.
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3. Unusual gins. The third trend that I see gaining popularity is gin coming from unusual places. While England has been popular for making gin, the spirit is produced all over the world. Here in Florida, we already have several distilleries making great gins.
St. Augustine Distillery is producing a citrus-forward New World Gin that works fantastic in a Florida-style gin and tonic. There is a barrel finished gin distilled in Pennsylvania, Bluecoat Gin, that brings delicious notes of caramel and vanilla along with the traditional juniper botanicals typically found in gin.
Even Japan is home to several outstanding gins. Nikka Coffey Gin uses Asian botanicals like yuzu, pepper and kabosu, a citrus-like lemon fruit used in many Japanese dishes in place of vinegar. Another Japanese gin, The Roku has a nutty flavor paired with cherry leaves.
These new and unusual botanicals being used in gin will totally change the flavors of even your most basic cocktail recipes.
4. Savory sippers. This leads us to the fourth trend we will see during 2018, savory cocktails. We’ve long had the Bloody Mary as our go to savory sipper. You can find more unusual choices like a Bacon Infused Old Fashioned or indulge in an Extra Dirty Martini using gin, vermouth, olive brine and Gruyere stuffed olives.
Try experimenting with other savory cocktail flavors by preparing a pepper simple syrup or jalapeño margarita. Use savory herbs and spices such as rosemary and cumin in your cocktails. Dial back the amount of sugar and amp up the savory flavors.
Q&A: Straw Hat Barmen invite you to sip rum and craft cocktails at Melbourne tasting event
5. Drinking better. The last cocktail trend for 2018 is one that I support whole heartedly. Don’t drink more, drink better. When ordering a cocktail don’t waste your time with a huge sugary, bright red mess of a drink or a boring vodka and soda. Be adventurous, tickle your taste buds with great spirits and fresh ingredients. Life is too short to drink bad cocktails.
Yellow Chartreuse Daiquiri
1 ounce Rhum Agricole
1 ounce Yellow Chartreuse
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, then add ice. Shake well and strain into a coupe or small glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Florida Style Gin & Tonic
2 ounces St. Augustine New World Gin
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Orange Blossom Water
3 ounce tonic water
Add ice to a rocks glass. Add gin, lime juice and Orange Blossom Water to the glass and stir well. Top with tonic water and garnish with a Florida orange slice.
Bell Pepper Smash
2 ounces tequila
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce light agave syrup
6-8 small strips of red bell pepper (approx. 1/4-inch-by-2-inch)
5-6 fresh basil leaves
Add agave, bell pepper strips and basil leaves into a cocktail shaker and muddle well. Add lime juice, tequila and ice to the shaker. Shake well and pour unstrained into a rocks glass. Garnish with a basil leaf and pepper stick.
Raspberry Delight
1 ounce bourbon
1/2 ounce Chambord Liqueur
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
2-3 ounce chilled champagne
In a champagne flute, add bourbon, Chambord and lemon juice. Stir with a bar spoon and top with champagne. Garnish with three frozen raspberries.
Christina Jordan is a member of the Straw Hat Barmen and an advocate for quality cocktails. For more information, visit strawhatbarmen.com. Her recently published book, Everyday Exotic Cocktails, Florida Edition, features 50 recipes for fresh, easy-to-make, exotic cocktails with a Florida twist. It is available through Amazon and Etsy.