How Mixology is Taking New Age Bars to the Next Level

The food and beverages industry is one of the fastest growing industries of the world and with its rise we have seen the scale of increasing unfolding growth. With food having been dominating the field, restaurants have evolved from classic French to molecular gastronomy to farm to table and many new concepts. Chefs and restaurants have been recognized by Michelin stars and World’s Best Restaurants and other accolades. Shows like Chefs Table have given them the exposure.

Now the second part of the dynamic, Beverages that was earlier lagging has been gaining its ground. There are many restaurants in current times that focus equally on food and beverages. Concept focus bars are slowly challenging and changing the traditional mold are coming up all over the country. Ideas like farm to glass and root to fruit are slowly evolving in the beverages industry with equal importance as in the food. Drinking has not just remained a part of the restaurant experience, instead it has carved out it’s own little niche within.

The focus has now shifted to either better tasting or better looking drinks. Everyone wants to drink something that makes them feel special or look different from rest.

Popularity of the Bar & cocktail culture is growing for various interconnected reasons: a craving for trying new things, love for travelling and hence seeing new stuff from around the world, deep pockets, drinking or eating what one prefers and lastly and importantly Social media. Customers are willing to pay more for artisanal drinks, but for top dollar, they’ll also expect bartenders to fit the part. Whether that means a certain attire, banter, or even just a little frill in the way they shake the shakers, customers notice the extra details and can identify when a bartender is passionate about their craft.

While there are some things that never change about the bar scene, there are always new and interesting trends that make their way into the limelight. With each year comes a new chance to explore a different side of the beverage scene, whether it be craft wine or culinary cocktails. Infused liquors, skilled movement, and artful garnishes are all part of the experience of enjoying a drink—with all our senses. 

The new age bars are going big and setting trends and benchmarks.

The new generation of bartenders are committed for the long haul, having built followings that move when they move. They know how spirits are made, how they mix with other ingredients, and they’re creating a new cocktail ecosystem.

Cracked, cubed, crushed, hand-chipped, spherical—ice is to a drink what a stove is to cooking now. Better cubes determine the rate of dilution and should complement the particular drink you’re having.Kitchens and bars once maintained separate kingdoms, eyeing each other warily. No longer. Bartenders today raid the larder for veggies, herbs, even meat (in the form of bacon-infused bourbon) for added depth and intrigue. Ice programmes and infusions have been the most widespread trend of the past year.

Cocktails have roots in the early-19th-century patent-medicine era, and today’s top bartenders love to borrow old methods and ingredients to create new flavours. Look for in-house tinctures (single infusions of herbs, barks, and the like), bitters (blends of infused ingredients), and syrups (sugar, water, and flavourings) that produce modern cocktails brimming with two centuries of tradition.Healthy hedonism is rising as consumers seek out new ways to have a good time without side-stepping alcohol altogether, and new spaces open to provide fun drinks with fewer morning-after regrets. Cocktails that offset their alcohol content with vitamin-rich mixers are a key part of the alco-health trend. Herbs and herbal liqueurs feature in cocktails designed to revitalize and rejuvenate drinkers.

High end bars / cocktail bars are now focusing on curation of local produce, fresh herbs, edible flowers, organic/local honey to make new fresh cocktails. These are made into shrubs or syrups or garnishes creating new looks and technique producing photogenic “instagramable” cocktails. Although seasonally driven yet making the most of the season. Social media has been instrumental in the rapid popularity of drinks & bars and marking them as “trending” There is still a lot to experiment with, a lot to indulge into and a lot to discover.The following year promises a new set of exciting trends and discoveries, watch out!