The drink trends of 2024 to look forward to

10 exciting drink trends you will be seeing in 2024

Last year, I published a post on the trends predicted to define and maybe change drinking habits in 2023. Given the huge popularity of said post, I decided to do the same this year again.

I have looked into the predictions made by beverage industry experts for you, and I have added some of my own thoughts to the mix to assemble a list of the most popular drink trends in 2024 and those that are starting to look a bit last year.

What will be the most popular drink trends of 2024?

If you want to stay ahead of the curve and make sure you are one of the first to pour the most popular drinks of 2024 the next time you throw a dinner party, check out my list below summarizing the drink trends that will reign supreme in 2024.

Coffee cocktails

If drinks experts are correct, the epic comeback of the Espresso Martini in 2021 and its continued popularity since, could be the beginning of a much broader trend. In fact, the likes of Expresso Old Fashioned, Coffee Negroni, and Caramel Macchiato Martini are already on the up.

The classic Carajillo from Mexico (made with espresso and Liqueur 43) is currently traded as the main contender for the most popular coffee cocktail in 2024.

Supporting the coffee cocktail trend is a recent craft coffee movement with artisanal and small-batch production that offer flavourful and unique blends. Currently taking coffee enthusiasts by storm, the broader range of flavour is playing into the cards of cocktail lovers keen to experiment with broader flavour profiles on the classics.

Finally, coffee cocktails are perfect to sip year-round as you can make them either cold or hot.

I don’t know about you, but I am sold.

Retro cocktails

This is not simply about rediscovering the classics. This year it looks like it’s all about those cocktails that once had their big moment but after a while had gone out of style.

As tastes change, and customers in search for unique textures and flavours, many of the once popular cocktails will come back – with a twist. Today’s versions will be reimagined in a leaner style with fresher ingredients and use more refined spirits and mixers.

Among the retro cocktails that are likely to make a strong comeback in 2024 is the Apple Martini but also expect to see the likes of the Aviation Cocktail, Air Mail, the Sidecar, the Golden Dream and many more to feature on bar menus again. 

What’s more, with retro cocktails your own imagination is the limit. Add your personal twist to these nostalgic cocktails, using your own favourite spirit or innovative ingredients.

Ready-to-drink cocktails

Ready-to-drink cocktails will remain one of the strongest growing categories this year. They saw a significant boast during the pandemic as lockdowns did not allow us to go out for a drink. While many turned into avid and enthusiastic mixologists during this time, having an already pre-mixed ready-to-drink solution to hand turned out to be a welcome and convenient solution at times.

With a growing range of pre-mixed, ready-to-drink cocktails released into the market by both well-known brands and small-batch artisanal producers, 2024 could be the year when pre-mixed, pre-packaged cocktails are elevated to the next level.

Look out for new flavour combinations and new styles of old classics to appear on a shelve near you shortly.

Spritz cocktails

Still one of the most searched for cocktails on the web, the Aperol Spritz is set to remain among the most popular (summer) cocktails this year.

Low in alcohol, food-friendly and easy to prepare, its popularity is indeed more than understandable. That’s why in 2024 we should see a broader range of spritz cocktails stepping out of the shadow of the Aperol.

Expect such names like Bicicletta (bicycle), Americano, St. Germain, and everything ending a spritz to pop up on bar menus.

Agave spirits: Tequila and Mezcal will continue to gain in popularity

Agave spirits were among the strongest growing spirits in the world in recent years and if predictions are correct, their popularity is still on the up.

As the range of small-batch artisanal tequila and mezcal continues to grow, they will start to replace the traditionally used spirits in many classic cocktails (hello Mezcal Negroni).

Finally, the classic Margarita cocktail which now exists in nearly unlimited variations using both tequila and mezcal is nowhere near to diminish in popularity. To the contrary, a broadening flavour profile of agave spirits will add another layer of excitement. Plus, both tequila and mezcal are now used for a much larger range of cocktails.

Agave based spirits cocktails such as the Tequila Highball, the Paloma, the Lone Ranger (agave spirit, lemon juice, simple syrup and sparkling rosé – I am sold), or the Mezcal Mule among others should feature much more prominently on bar menus this year.

We are far from done with gin

The gin boom rages for over a decade and there are those (few) that do not tire to call it over.

What is true, gin and with it the gin tonic, is no longer a new trend and as such it’s no longer on top of the ‘latest top trends’ lists.

But if you look around, the popularity of gin does not show any signs of diminishing. Gin, gin tonic and gin cocktails continue to be among the most prominent drinks at bar menus. But there is a notable shift in the gin world too. Like in wine, terroir is starting to become a thing. This is reflected in unique locally sourced botanicals and gins made with a particular dominating flavour profile like vanilla, citrus, red berries, and other more unusual botanicals.

In addition, over recent years there has been an explosion of new exciting tonic brands being launched. Gone are the days where you could choose between a Fever Tree, Schweppes, and perhaps Thomas Henry. Today, the range of artisanal, high-quality tonic water seems to be almost unlimited. Adding another mixing potential to your gin tonic.

The wine world is getting broader, both geographically and with new and rediscovered grapes varieties

With rosé wines now an established year-round pleasure, orange wine more broadly understood, and wine lovers slowly coming to crisp with natural wines, what is the new frontier in wine?

According to the pros, all of the above still have a lot of potential developing further. In addition, expect wines from lesser-known wine regions, lesser-known grape varieties (including historic autochthone grapes and a new segment of climate-change resistant varieties), no-alcohol wines and wine cocktails among the major wine topics of 2024.

If you are keen to learn more about the latest wine trends, check out my post on the Wine Trends of 2024 explained.

Non-alcoholic drinks

Another trend we can expect to accelerate further this year are non-alcoholic drinks. Indeed, mindful, moderate, and health-conscious drinking is more than just a trend. It’s a new lifestyle taking the beverage industry by storm.

Growing demand for no-alcohol sipping along with more and more innovative drinks serving this demand is a win-win situation. No-alcohol wines and spirits along with cocktails (aka mocktails or virgin cocktails) are now found on every serious bar menu.

This year, expect the choice of no-alcohol beverages, from wine to spirits and ready-mixed cocktail (mocktail) offerings to become broader than ever.

Digestifs

Finishing dinner with a final drink is certainly not a new trend. This could be as simple as a coffee. It could also be a glass of whisky, brandy or similar.

That said, 2024 could see a type of after-dinner drinks taking off that are particularly made to be enjoyed after your meal – different to the above, which are perfectly fine as aperitive or mixed into a cocktail as well.

Instead, there is a type of digestive that is made to be enjoyed predominantly after your meal that is about to take off on a broader scale this year.

Think the likes of grappa from Italy, or the many variations of fruit brandy popular particularly in Germany and Austria, or Ouzo from Greece. These classic digestifs are not new but their popularity is still largely limited to their place of origin. If predictions are correct, 2024 could be the year this will change with demand for digestifs growing on a global scale.

In addition, these traditional digestives are typically sipped neat. Given the growing popularity of classic digestifs, however, expect bartenders to get more creative and start mixing them into innovative cocktails.

Wine tourism is extending into the world of spirits

Exploring wine regions and tasting wines where they are made is still big and further growing with new and exciting wine tasting venues opening in wine regions (and beyond) across the world.

Recently, the primary motivations behind wine tourism, mainly to know more about the winemaking process, explore the distinct areas where the wines are made, tasting and interacting with winemakers on-site, have extended into the world of spirits too.

After all, if you love whisky why not go distillery hopping to explore how master distillers create their classic drams and taste them during a tour of the facilities. Likewise, there are many gin distillers happy to receive visitors and offer tours and tastings.

Much like in the world of wine, dedicated routes leading you through the regions where your favourite spirits are made are now also starting to pop up. Some examples? The Western Cape Brandy Route in South Africa, the Normandy Cider Route, or the Sherry and Wine Route in Jerez are among those already established. With the popularity of spirits tourism clearly on the up, expect more to follow.

What are the drink trends you are most excited to explore in 2024? Let me know in the comments.