Cocktail and Liquor Trends for 2006

[KOK]

here in pittsburgh, the appletini is still considered new and chic.  and the chocolatini, too.  oh, and the peartini... 

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But yinz got one of Lucky Strike bowling places before D.C. did so Picksburg isn't too un-hip .

Last year I had a rye on ice at The Winchester Room. I'd think the old time (or just plain old) restaurants would have rye and bitters more readily than some Shadyside bistro.

Thanks,

Kevin

[M.X.Hassett]

Food and Wine's cover is "the year of the cocktail" and imho this thread blows them out of the water. I am reminded of the "Where's the beef?" commercial. A few recipes some great (Silver Lining: Joseph Schwartz; Little Branch NYC, Dont Give Up the Ship: Ben Dougherty; Zig Zag Seattle.) others not. A page of stemware and a sentence on Audrey and Pegu. The majority of the issue is for "Bar Snacks for Food Snobs" feh.

Edit: Link to the "Don't Give Up the Ship" recipe http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...dpost&p=1080640

Edited December 15, 2005 by M.X.Hassett (log)

[Laurie Woolever]

What about cocktails that use vinegar instead of or in addition to fruit juices or other mixers? I have no sense if this will be 'big in 06', but I have stumbled across a few cocktail recipes that use vinegar from a few bartenders in las vegas, and a few weeks ago I used sherry vinegar and a hit of honey in place of lemon juice and sugar in a whiskey sour -- quite tasty.

[lostmyshape]

here in pittsburgh, the appletini is still considered new and chic.  and the chocolatini, too.  oh, and the peartini... 

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Last year I had a rye on ice at The Winchester Room. I'd think the old time (or just plain old) restaurants would have rye and bitters more readily than some Shadyside bistro.

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my point exactly! i don't see the oldest restaurants and bars in the city leading the charge for the lastest trends in cocktails. the only reason these places know how to make drinks with rye is the bartenders remember where they put that bottle that was delivered the day they started working in 1958.

due to the hipness of egullet, i'm drinking rye like it's going out of style... wait, i mean coming back in style. but unless some of you guys (and girls) are in pittsburgh, i'm drinking alone. or maybe my kitchen is the trendiest bar in town.

i know... i know... you people are trying to have a civilized discussion about what trends might see their way from cocktail havens into bars across america and i keep ranting about how sorry the state of the cocktail is in 90% of this country.

i'm just jealous (and that's the truth)!

i guess i'll just have to lead the charge here... start demanding rye and bitters! and in the meantime, if any of yinz are in da 'burgh and want a sazerac or aviation or Audrey's little italy, my kitchen door is open.

[mrbigjas]

due to the hipness of egullet, i'm drinking rye like it's going out of style... wait, i mean coming back in style.  but unless some of you guys (and girls) are in pittsburgh, i'm drinking alone.  or maybe my kitchen is the trendiest bar in town.

i'm right across the state from ya doin' the same thang... cheers.

[Alchemist]

A trend I would like to see happen is bartenders in good resturants, start creating cocktails that are paired to the food. How cool would it be to have a different (small obvously) cocktail to go with each course of a SEVEN COURSE TASTING MENU?

I like this idea because it would be the challange of balancing, and complementing the food, which would mean you might be able to go a little further with strong flavors. You could go sweeter if you knew the food was spicy. You would have to plan for your cocktail to be enjoyed in the same moment as their food. Like the chemistry that happens with a Porterhouse and a big red wine.

And another challange is creating non-alcoholic cocktails. Why should mothers to be have to drink soda splash of cran. for nine whole months? It doesn't take that much to make a virgin (no pun in tended) mint rickey. Or muddle a few strawberrys. Then to create a non alcholic tasting menu for a seven course tasting menu, now that's a challange.

[M.X.Hassett]

A trend I would like to see happen is bartenders in good resturants, start creating cocktails that are paired to the food.  How cool would it be to have a different (small obvously) cocktail to go with each course of a SEVEN COURSE TASTING MENU? 

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Dale says....

[M.X.Hassett]

If you have acces to the DrinkBoy Forums check out the "Tasting menu Pierre Gagnaire, 02 October 2005, for BOLS Molecular Mixology Group" under the documents section although I have a feeling you may have already heard about it.

Edited December 21, 2005 by M.X.Hassett (log)

[GordonCooks]

It's all about the Pisco, baby

[phaelon56]

And another challange is creating non-alcoholic cocktails.  Why should mothers to be have to drink soda splash of cran. for nine whole months?  It doesn't take that much to make a virgin (no pun in tended) mint rickey.  Or muddle a few strawberrys.  Then to create a non alcholic tasting menu for a seven course tasting menu, now that's a challange.

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Not just mothers... how about the millions of us who never drink alcohol and struggle to find appropriate beverage pairings for food? I'd love to see someone tackle this. On occasion I'll enjoy a non-alcoholic frozen drink or a Virgin Mary but finding non-alcoholic pairings for food is a much greater challenge.

I drink Ame at home and in restaurants do enjoy a mineral water with a splash of bitters but I'd love to have more variety.

[CtznCane]

On occasion I will have a gin gimlet and my companions will remember them from the dim past.  I wonder if they will return?  It's really a nice alternative to my usual dry gin martini.

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My goodness, I haven't thought about having a gimlet in ages, but I use to enjoy vodka gimlets, now I'm going to have to go have one soon.

I think all these different flavored drinks are going to peak out (can't be too soon in my estimation) and I do think there has been a trend of heading back to the more traditional cocktails. Martini's it seems have certainly been gaining back their stature as the most classic of cocktail's. Hopefully more and more they'll have the original orange bitters in them as well (which I prefer, having been introduced to those by WinseSonoma.) Just as many car makers have successfully brought back more old school styling I think this same type of trend, towards good things from the past is happening with cocktails and liquor as well.

I definitely think Rye is an underated drink and may well take the biggest boost due both to being good and inexpensive. Bourbon seems to be steadily growing in its appeal. I know when I was a teen (late 60's) and young adult that scotch was sort of the 'in' drink. I'm curious but it seems that scoth's rise started probably in the late 50's, about the same time as the hit Kingston Trio song 'Scoth & soda", but I could be wrong.

It seems to me that for a long time, perhaps the late 70's through mid -late 90's, that first America's growing wine culture cut into the 'cocktail' set. First wine hit the front and then beers, especially with the micro-breweries starting to pop up, from the early to mid-eighties and onward. I too was caught up in this time drinking more wine and beer. While I still love wine though my tastes have turned, now basically to Bourbon, Rye, & Irish whiskey as well. I do hope the trend towards the old continues, though I'm not opposed to something new if it is good and not gimicky.

[Bill Miller]

A trend I would like to see happen is bartenders in good resturants, start creating cocktails that are paired to the food.  How cool would it be to have a different (small obvously) cocktail to go with each course of a SEVEN COURSE TASTING MENU? 

I like this idea because it would be the challange of balancing, and complementing the food, which would mean you might be able to go a little further with strong flavors.  You could go sweeter if you knew the food was spicy.  You would have to plan for your cocktail to be enjoyed in the same moment as their food.  Like the chemistry that happens with a Porterhouse and a big red wine.

And another challange is creating non-alcoholic cocktails.  Why should mothers to be have to drink soda splash of cran. for nine whole months?  It doesn't take that much to make a virgin (no pun in tended) mint rickey.  Or muddle a few strawberrys.  Then to create a non alcholic tasting menu for a seven course tasting menu, now that's a challange.

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For a long time I've had dry martinis with my French onion soup. Try it--really good.

[Rob Simmon]

If you have acces to the DrinkBoy Forums check out the "Tasting menu Pierre Gagnaire, 02 October 2005, for BOLS Molecular Mixology Group" under the documents section although I have a feeling you may have already heard about it.

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I had not seen this, thanks!

[M.X.Hassett]

Here is a great thread over there on Moleculer Mixology

[eje]

Speaking of Molecular Mixology, its theory and practise, issue #5.1 of diffordsguide to Cocktails (A-C) has an interesting feature on Tony Conigliaro, a barkeep who has worked with Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck.

There are some recipes with the article, though many include unexplained or exotic components.

[AzianBrewer]

Please...whatever it is. Don't let it be sakitini or "infused sake".

[freshherbs]

azian, why the aversion to sake cocktails?

or, what is your feeling about sake becoming mainstream?

or, what does the potential for sake look like in the US?

[AzianBrewer]

1-why the aversion to sake cocktails?

Sake cocktails are lame because sake is brewed like beer and drink like wine. How about stirring your pale ale or pilsner with a dash of vermouth or olive juice. There is a difference between a $7 bottle Ozeki sake and $20 domestic/imported junmai

2-what is your feeling about sake becoming mainstream?

I have nothing against sake becoming mainstream but don't drink it because it is fashionable and hip. Drink it because you like the taste.

3-what does the potential for sake look like in the US?

Majority of people here in the States think that Sake is a Japanese vodka and it taste like burner fuel. Sake has tremendous potential here in the States and gradually moving to the South and Texas. Unfortunately, sake doesn't have a great shelf life and because of that a lot of wine stores refused to carry it.

[M.X.Hassett]

  Unfortunately, sake doesn't have a great shelf life and because of that a lot of wine stores refused to carry it.

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Or the ones that do ignore the fact and sake novices end up being turned off to the exellent beverage.

[Bill Poster]

In England we have had several saki/vodka/sochu fusions. Its all marketing b*****ks, and they are always given a daft name too.

As a result, i am now confused with what shochu actually is.

[eje]

In England we have had several saki/vodka/sochu fusions. Its all marketing b*****ks, and they are always given a daft name too.

As a result, i am now confused with what shochu actually is.

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Aren't we all.

Shochu is the english translation of the japanese name for a class of distilled spirits.

Soju is the english translation of the korean name for a class of distilled spirits.

Awamori is the english translation of the Okinawan name a class of distilled spirits.

The thing they all have in common is they are usually bottled at around 25% alcohol, instead of the 40% which is common for European spirits.

Off the top of my head Shochu can be made from rice, barley, buckwheat, or sweet potatoes.

I think Shochus are usually not aged, the differentiation comes from the degree of distillation. The more highly prized ones are distilled less and therefore have more of the character of their base.

Sojus are a Korean distilled spirit. I know the least about these. From what I've read, many of the more common ones are pretty much just rice vodka distilled at high proof and diluted to 25% alcohol. Hopefully others can add more information.

Awamori is the Okinawan distilled spirit. I will note that distillation was not invented in Japan, and Okinawa was the first Japanese prefecture to begin distilling their rice beverages. Awamori is made from rice and is considered best when aged for extended periods in clay pots.

More information

edited for usage.

Edited January 24, 2006 by eje (log)

[AzianBrewer]

In England we have had several saki/vodka/sochu fusions. Its all marketing b*****ks, and they are always given a daft name too.

As a result, i am now confused with what shochu actually is.

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Aren't we all.

Shochu is the english translation of the japanese name for a class of distilled spirits.

Soju is the english translation of the korean name for a class of distilled spirits.

Awamori is the english translation of the Okinawan name a class of distilled spirits.

The thing they all have in common is they are usually bottled at around 25% alcohol, instead of the 40% which is common for European spirits.

Off the top of my head Shochu can be made from rice, barley, buckwheat, or sweet potatoes.

I think Shochus are usually not aged, the differentiation comes from the degree of distillation. The more highly prized ones are distilled less and therefore have more of the character of their base.

Sojus are a Korean distilled spirit. I know the least about these. From what I've read, many of the more common ones are pretty much just rice vodka distilled at high proof and diluted to 25% alcohol. Hopefully others can add more information.

Awamori is the Okinawan distilled spirit. I will note that distillation was not invented in Japan, and Okinawa was the first Japanese prefecture to begin distilling their rice beverages. Awamori is made from rice and is considered best when aged for extended periods in clay pots.

More information

edited for usage.

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Awamori is distilled from the Thai long grain rice whereas shochu are from short grains. The only soju that I recommend is the one from the Andong region. All the rest taste very much ethanol.

[lindaterry]

I'm feeling TEQUILA coming on strong. Many Mexican restaurant owners have their own make now, plus Mexicans have begun assimilating in huge numbers!

Spain has been hot for awhile and I'm waiting for Spanish cocktail trends. Sangria will be stronger I think. Like the Latin surge, it took the music first before the cuisines crossed over. I remember trying to find Latin ingredients at the Fancy Food shows for years!

Beer sales have gone down over the last couple of years, due to wine and spirits, so maybe we'll see more drinks made with beer. Of course that's if AB and Miller atrat marketing this.

Vodka vodka vodka. Gin keeps trying but vodka will remain it. All those years ago, when the marketing campaign of Absolut kicked it off! wow. Plus, there aren't many regulations on what constitutes vodka. Anyone can make it, from anything. If I were Smirnoff or Stoli I would be lobbying on this issue!

At least vodka is better than the continued trend of the 'malt beverage' sweet drinks that the gatorade and coca cola palates go right to when drinking begins: Smirnoff Ice, Mike's Hard Lemonade, Bacardi whatever... This will be a hard battle, especially as more and more distilleries get bought up by major conglomerates who merely use the brand names as a marketing ploy. For those who are unaware, there is no Smirnoff or Bacradi in these beverages. EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN!

Marketing is pretty much the denominating factor, TV especially. What I've been most appreciative of as of late is the PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) trend. This trend began in Portland Oregon with bike messengers, and then made it's way through the underground, to Pabst's astonishment! The fact that consumers can create a market is really good news, in all areas of our American life! So, I think if all eGullet members start drinking rye (as mentioned in a lot of previous discussions), it may go to the front of the class! (one seat behind vodka) More than a decade ago Esquire mentioned rye as a spirit that was making a comeback. Some bars had the one old bottle of Old Overholt and I started drinking perfect rye manhattans!

[eje]

According to this article in Sunderland Today, "BRITAIN is experiencing the biggest cocktail boom for more than 20 years, according to new reports.

Sales of the more exotic brands of gin used in the classic Martini, Singapore Slings and Long Island Iced Tea have grown by about 75 per cent over the past year."

Sales of "Alcopops" are down and "Cocktails are becoming big sellers and the top seller is the Woo Woo, a mix of vodka, Archers schnapps and cranberry juice."

Woo!

If it's news in Sunderland...

[LycheeLover]

Lychee flavored cocktails. Hope fully made with Lichido Liqueur.