Southern Glazer's unveils top U.S. drink trends of 2024

Building on the 2022 Liquid Insights Tour, this year’s research spanned 45 diverse casual, polished-casual, fine dining, and cocktail bars across six markets:

• Tampa, Fla.

• Los Angeles

• Austin, Texas

• Portland, Ore.

• Denver

• New York

The 2024 tour digs deeper into the insights identified in 2022, as well as revealing new and emerging trends, offering fresh perspectives from more than 300 beverages sampled in both newer concepts and select iconic venues. The findings provide industry partners with exclusive data on emerging consumer preferences and innovation areas poised to differentiate brands in a highly competitive marketplace. 

During the tour, Brian Masilionis, Senior Director of National Accounts, Channel Development at Southern Glazer’s, led a team of the company’s industry-leading beverage experts to sample drinks, evaluate menus, and connect first-hand with on-premise restaurant and bar operators. The team included:

• Debbi Peek, Director of Mixology, Commercial Development

• Allen Katz, Director of Mixology & Spirits Education, New York

• Mishka Bier, Director of Mixology, Southern California 

• Florian Minier, Brand Development Manager, Austin

Keep reading for the top 10 wine and cocktail trends in the U.S. in 2024, as identified by our highly certified team.

Botanical spirits are making a strong impact, with vegetal ingredients adding bright, herbal accents to cocktails without overwhelming their overall flavor. These ingredients offer bartenders the opportunity to introduce complex, slightly bitter flavors, giving guests a refreshing, layered experience. 

In Austin, an iconic cocktail bar served a drink called “Jingu Bang” which mixes tequila with aquavit (a neutral spirit with flavors of caraway and a touch of dill). 

In Portland, at an award-winning Haitian restaurant, a cocktail called “BEL PLAJ” featured Clairin, a Haitian rum made from the fermented juice of wild sugarcane with a notable grassy flavor, mixed with coconut liqueur, strawberry, and rhubarb for a tropical, herbal twist. 

A polished-casual New York hot spot’s drink “Always Greener” paired gin, Suze, and sorrel (an herbaceous plant) for a bright botanical kick. 

Clarified cocktails and carbonated beverages offer guests a cleaner, smoother drinking experience. These techniques allow lighter flavors to shine, providing a refreshing and refined sip that encourages guests to keep coming back for more. 

In Austin, a cocktail called “Silver Meadows” features clarified lime and foie gras-washed elderflower liqueur, delivering a smooth and layered flavor. 

In a polished Tampa restaurant, they offered a complex, deconstructed Aviation cocktail that is then clarified and topped with “air” micro foam. The characteristic purple hue of the cocktail was only slightly visible through light refracting through the drink. 

A Denver oyster and cocktail bar has a drink called “For Those of You Who Wanna Take Off,” which is a clarified milk punch with Grenadian rum, lemongrass, and fennel seed for herbal accents. 

The martini is seeing a resurgence, with bartenders experimenting by infusing traditional spirits with unique ingredients such as olive oil or savory flavors. This reinvention adds exciting, unexpected twists to the classic cocktail, offering guests a fresh take on an old favorite. 

A polished Los Angeles Italian restaurant features the cocktail called “Pasta Water Martini,” with gin infused with olive oil and a touch of salted pasta water for a unique twist on the classic. 

One of Denver’s James Beard Award-winning chef’s locations had its namesake martini using Finnish gin and dry Sherry, accented by preserved lemon and tarragon. 

A Tampa venue featured its rotating “Golden Ticket Martini” that elevated the experience with caviar-infused vodka and crème fraîche fat wash with side accoutrements of caviar and house-made cucumber “pearls” in small waffle cones on a silver platter for a maximalist impact.

Umami flavors — the fifth basic taste — are expanding the cocktail repertoire, adding savory depth to drinks through ingredients like mushrooms, onions, fish, meat, and aged cheeses. These flavors linger on the palate, creating a mouthwatering experience that elevates cocktails into something truly memorable. 

In a casual Los Angeles neighborhood hangout, a cocktail called “Bon ‘Chovy Dirty Martini” uses Italian fish sauce and an anchovy-olive garnish to deliver an umami-packed gin martini, also with a touch of Sherry for some nutty notes. 

In Denver, a drink named the “Golden Pig” combines pork belly fat-washed bourbon with salted honey and black walnut stirred with gold shimmer dust, while Portland has a drink called “My Man Dan” with foie gras-washed whiskey with cherry and bitters. 

A New York cocktail bar demonstrated their creativity by using umami to craft drinks named after savory foods like red eye gravy and cold pizza, with ingredients such as wild mushroom, microwaved coppa, and Parmigiano Reggiano mixed with clarified tomato juice.

Lychee is gaining popularity across markets, bringing a soft, subtle sweetness and floral aroma to cocktails that complement the renewed martini craze. This fruit, along with other Asian ingredients, adds an exotic touch to drinks, creating balanced flavor profiles that appeal to a wide range of palates. 

In Los Angeles, a sushi restaurant had a delicious “Raichi Daiquiri” balancing lychee with lime and chocolate bitters with a rich sake and shochu combination for a fresh and exotic sip. 

Tampa is home to a drink aptly called the “Lychee Martini” that combines vodka, lychee liqueur, lemon, and lychee puree for a subtly sweet yet sophisticated drink, while a casual restaurant and cocktail bar in Austin had their lychee martini on draft with infused vodka, lychee, and blanc vermouth. 

A New York fried chicken and Champagne spot served a minimalist take on lychee by using a lychee-shaped ice cube in a vodka martini served in a rocks glass, adding flavor as it melted.

Venues are adopting a dual approach to crafting elegant, simply garnished cocktails, while also incorporating at least one maximalist option that adds an element of theater. This approach allows bartenders to showcase both understated elegance and indulgent presentation, enhancing the overall guest experience. 

Great examples were from a fine dining spot in Austin and its “Magic Mushroom” cocktail served in a mini forest setting accompanied by a hibiscus fog under a cloche with herbs, vegetables, and mushrooms for dramatic effect. 

At a casual Chinese spot in Denver, a cocktail named “Little Tiger Drink” combines tequila, five-spice, and Sichuan peppercorns with a flaming lime wheel sprinkled with cinnamon to create a flaming presentation in a ceramic tiger cup, creating a bold yet fun experience. 

The contrasting minimalist approach was often seen with a cocktail served over a clear cube and either a simple herb or dehydrated lime wheel. One of the simplest yet most creative presentations was at a Los Angeles cocktail bar with a clarified piña colada  served on a clear cube with the side of the glass dusted with strawberry daiquiri powder as a creative riff on a Miami Vice.

Low-alcohol by volume (ABV) and non-alcoholic cocktails are more sophisticated than ever, with prices often climbing to be comparable to full-proof drinks and bartenders crafting beverages that offer depth and texture with less or no alcohol. These drinks are perfect for guests who want a crafted experience without much or any alcohol without compromising flavor. 

In Austin, a neighborhood farm-to-table restaurant had a drink that simply blends amari with tonic and citrus for a refreshing low-ABV option. A similar approach was used at a Portland wine bar that has a “Low Proof/High Pleasure” highball section on their menu with delicious options of vermouth mixed with club soda and simple fruit twists. 

Los Angeles is home to a zero-proof spritz with non-alcoholic aperitivo and sparkling water, while Portland has a drink called “Approved by Chef” that delivers a simple yet flavorful combination of cucumber-yuzu shrub and ginger-lime soda.

While Sauvignon Blanc continues to remain very popular, there’s a rising interest in introducing guests to a wider variety of aromatic white wines from around the world. Some of the standout examples we saw across markets were Grüner Veltliner, dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc, Vinho Verde, and Falanghina. 

Compared to the past, these wines are now appearing on menus in both casual and polished-casual restaurants almost as frequently as in the fine dining establishments we visited, indicating that these styles have gained wider popularity. 

To cater to America’s preference for the dry Champagne style while offering more affordable options, operators frequently turned to Cava as it provided a comparable flavor profile at a lower price.

There’s a growing trend toward offering chilled red wines and natural wines by the glass, often but not always from the Old World. These light, crisp wines provide a refreshing alternative to heavier selections, and their natural production processes resonate with guests seeking more sustainable choices and flavors with more minerality and earthiness. 

A Portland neighborhood bar featured a “Pét Nat Rouge” from Bavaria that offered a chilled, effervescent red with natural winemaking techniques. 

In Denver, a casual Chinese restaurant had a “Chilled House Red” that was very popular and featured light, juicy red fruits, and in Los Angeles, a chilled Provence red blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot, Marselan, and Roussanne highlighted the trend of chilled natural reds.

Smaller portions of cocktails and wine are becoming increasingly popular, giving guests the chance to try more drinks without the commitment of a full serving. This trend offers bartenders the flexibility to showcase a variety of creations while maximizing profitability with higher-margin mini portions. 

In Austin, a neighborhood tavern featured their “Black Manhattan,” “Between the Sheets,” and “Sunnyside” cocktails in a mini coupe glass as well as in a full-size option, perfect for those who want to try more without committing to a full drink. 

This trend is facilitated by the full batching of spirit-driven cocktails without citrus that can simply be poured, stirred with ice, then served for maximum service speed. This trend showed up at a Denver wine bar and restaurant featuring sweet wines sold by the ounce, like a 2020 Chenin Blanc from Vouvray for $10 per ounce all the way up to a 1923 Tawny Port from the Barossa Valley in Australia for $30 per ounce.

“Our 2024 Liquid Insights Tour has uncovered an exciting shift in consumer preferences, with bartenders and mixologists embracing new ingredients, techniques, and presentation styles,” said Brian. “These trends are not only elevating the guest experience but also providing fresh opportunities for creativity behind the bar. By incorporating everything from bold, botanical flavors to minimalist garnishes, industry professionals are finding innovative ways to differentiate their offerings, drive engagement, and stay ahead in a highly competitive and ever-evolving market.”

“Southern Glazer’s is dedicated to investing in data and insights to help drive business growth and benefit our suppliers and customers,” added Chris Williams, Executive Vice President, National Accounts at Southern Glazer’s. “Our unique offerings, such as the Liquid Insights Tour, give us an unparalleled ability to identify and spot new trends. Our team will utilize these insights in conjunction with our data analysis capabilities, along with third-party data investments, to continue to provide exceptional services that builds trust with our partners.”

Stay ahead of the latest beverage alcohol industry trends by following along on the Liquid Insights Tour. Southern Glazer’s own Brian Masilionis and Debbi Peek travel from city to city uncovering the emerging on-premise drink trends that will help you stand out and drive sales. From trending cocktails to shifting consumer preferences, their insights deliver real-world menu inspiration. 

By working with our highly certified team of experts at Southern Glazer’s, you’ll gain data-driven insights and actionable takeaways like these for your on-premise bar or restaurant.