Bartenders are using this trick to save cash on cocktail-making

According to Master of Malt, one mixology trend will become increasingly prevalent in 2024 as bars and restaurants struggle with rising inflation and other costs.

Master of  Malt’s annual trend predictions have become a litmus test for what’s hot in the drinks industry. Last year, the spirits expert forecast that flavoured whiskies and Jaffa Cake Negronis would start to pop up across the globe, with rum predicted to become “the spirit of the year”, having seen a 150% leap in sales of flavoured and spiced rum from April 2021 to April 2022.

This year’s round-up of drinks trends includes one that speaks to the on-trade in particular having to tighten its purse strings.

According to Master of Malt, consumers will start to see more “split-base” cocktails on bar menus, which refers to two different drinks from the same family of spirits being used in one cocktail.

“Price point is something that continues to come up, and for that reason we think the on-trade will begin to embrace split-base cocktails, using multiple spirits either from the same or different spirit categories in single serves,” predicts Master of Malt.

“Not only does this add diversity to a menu, but it can also keep costs down by using a smaller proportion of more expensive liquid bulked out by a more affordable one – without compromising on flavour.”

This cost-effective idea will task mixologists with discovering which agave spirits, whiskies or gins, for instance, will blend well with others that are higher/lower in the price scale, and should save venues a significant sum on stock.

The trend may also inspire consumers to expand their cocktail-making repertoire at home without making too much of a dent in favourite bottles.

A further trend predicted by Master of Malt is that cash-strapped spirits fans will begin to explore Armagnac, which can be cheaper than whisky.

According to the report: “With 25-year-old Armagnacs up to 90% cheaper (or even more) than their single malt Scotch equivalents, it’s easy to see why people may opt to discover this relatively unknown spirit.”

In August, the drinks business shared the top three drinks trends for Christmas 2023. Tequila Old Fashioned anyone..?

Master of Malt has also teamed up with Sainsbury’s to launch a range of craft gins in the supermarket’s stores.