Jackie Summers’ Post

The Intoxicating History of the Cocktail! A cocktail is an alcoholic drink that combines one or more spirits with other ingredients, such as bitters, juices, syrups, or tonic water. Depending on the ingredients, the flavor profile of a cocktail can be sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, or even salty. There is a mind-boggling array of ingredient combinations and names, and the libations can be served over ice, at room temperature, or on fire. Concocting one can be as simple as blending gin and tonic water over ice and adding a wedge of lime, or it can be a splashier, more involved affair, such as the Long Island iced tea. The creation of the cocktail was inspired by punches that combined spirits, fruit juices, and spices in large bowls. Historians suspect these punches originated in the early 17th century with British sailors, who would use local ingredients from India or Indonesia to create their own alcoholic beverages. While beer would spoil during a long voyage, the addition of sugar and citrus to spirits would help preserve the punch. In a world once dominated by beer and wine, these diverse and flavorful punches were a novelty, and the trend took off. Mixed drinks began as a way to serve a crowd of sailors or aristocrats, and evolved into individual concoctions that played with different combinations of ingredients. Today, the cocktail’s nearly infinite varieties make it the chameleon of alcoholic beverages, limited only by imagination and the ingredients on hand. The art and science of drink-making continues to be driven by innovative mixologists who create new recipes and put their personal stamp on traditional drinks that date back centuries. The word “cocktail” was first used to describe a mixed drink in1803. It appeared in a U.S. newspaper called The Farmer’s Cabinet, though the article didn’t include a definition of what constituted such a drink. The earliest definition of “cock tail” appeared in the May 13, 1806 issue of The Balance and Columbian Repository, which offered this description: “a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.” The term gradually came to reference any kind of alcoholic mixed drink, and sometimes the word “cocktail” included a modifier — for example, “gin cocktail” — to specify a drink’s primary ingredient. That said, the mixing of ingredients traditionally associated with a cocktail predates the use of the word. In the 18th century, drinks combining a spirit, sweetener, water, and bitters were known to be imbibed, and bitters were often sipped for medicinal purposes.

My husband brought a really interesting IP issue to my attention. Apparently there are several liqueurs which are only made by one source and whose recipes are well-kept trade secrets. Some of these are liqueurs that are incredibly integral to many well known drinks. For example, Chartreuse is a French herbal liqueur which comes in several types (primarily green and yellow). The exact recipes are all trade secrets which are known at any given time only by three monks of the Carthusian order that makes the beverage. When there was a Chartreuse shortage a couple years ago, lots of bars and cocktail enthusiasts (including my husband, actually) panicked. (As the best wife in the world, obviously, I went to 4 different ABC stores at one point trying to track down Chartreuse for John.) The reason for the panic is clear. As Liquor.com said, "There are few liqueurs as integral to cocktail culture as Yellow and Green Chartreuse. Without these complex herbal liqueurs, classic cocktails such as the Tipperary, Alaska, Naked & Famous, Last Word, and Greenpoint wouldn’t exist in their current iterations." Later in the same article, Liquor.com called Chartreuse "practically irreplicable." https://lnkd.in/ecfxdY76 It's a little startling to think that if something happened to the monks who know the Chartreuse recipe (god forbid), this recipe and ingredient could be lost forever. This is also true of another ingredient which is essential to even more cocktails than Chartreuse: Angostura Bitters! These are used in the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Whisky Sour, Cuba Libre, Pisco Sour, Zombie, and many more well known cocktails. The recipe for Angostura Bitters is a trade secret, although the exact details of how many people know the recipe and how much of the recipe they know appears to be a bit shrouded in legend (according to this BBC article which includes several of these myths, including the story that two halves of the original family have part of the recipe and neither side knows what is on the other's list) https://lnkd.in/exdwK7MF These are only two examples of trade secret cocktail ingredients, but there are several others as well. Apparently all types of vermouth sold on the market today are trade secrets! Vermouth is a key ingredient in cocktails like the martini, the Manhattan, and the Negroni. It's honestly a really fascinating subject, which demonstrates the impressiveness but also fragility of trade secret recipes, and one I'd love to look into more in the future.

A Brief and Intoxicating History of the Cocktail PERSON RAISING A GLASS A cocktail is an alcoholic drink that combines one or more spirits with other ingredients, such as bitters, juices, syrups, or tonic water. Depending on the ingredients, the flavor profile of a cocktail can be sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, or even salty. There is a mind-boggling array of ingredient combinations and names, and the libations can be served over ice, at room temperature, or on fire. Concocting one can be as simple as blending gin and tonic water over ice and adding a wedge of lime, or it can be a splashier, more involved affair, such as the Long Island iced tea. The creation of the cocktail was inspired by punches that combined spirits, fruit juices, and spices in large bowls. Historians suspect these punches originated in the early 17th century with British sailors, who would use local ingredients from India or Indonesia to create their own alcoholic beverages. While beer would spoil during a long voyage, the addition of sugar and citrus to spirits would help preserve the punch.In a world once dominated by beer and wine, these diverse and flavorful punches were a novelty, and the trend took off. Mixed drinks began as a way to serve a crowd of sailors or aristocrats, and evolved into individual concoctions that played with different combinations of ingredients. Today, the cocktail’s nearly infinite varieties make it the chameleon of alcoholic beverages, limited only by imagination and the ingredients on hand. The art and science of drink-making continues to be driven by innovative mixologists who create new recipes and put their personal stamp on traditional drinks that date back centuries. Let’s Talk About That Name, Though The origin of the word “cocktail” is as muddled as a mojito. One possible explanation links the word for a mixed drink to a British reference about “cock-tailed” horses — that is, a horse whose tail has been docked or clipped to signify it was of mixed breed. Other theories include a mispronunciation of the French word for egg cup, “coquetier,” which was used as a drinking vessel by the New Orleans apothecary who created the famous Peychaud’s bitters. Some say the name comes from mixing the dregs of spirit barrels, known as “tailings,” and selling them at a low price. Yet another theory posits the name came from a horse breeder’s practice of inserting spices, specifically ginger, into the rear end of a horse in order to make the animal appear more energetic. However it came about, a cocktail by any other name would still taste delicious. Credit: HistoryFacts.com

Check out this BevNet article where Flavorman was mentioned for our keen ability to discern flavor trends, particularly in the sweet & spicy fusion categories. According to other industry insiders, beverages that incorporate Ube, a filipino "sweet potato" variant, and olive oil are on the rise. Are you going to be welcoming these new flavors to your palette? Read more below!

Gone are the days when going out for a drink meant bracing yourself for a hangover!! The latest trend taking the UK by storm is the rise of no and low-alcohol beverages, or "No&Lo" drinks. Whether you're a teetotaller, the designated driver, or just looking to cut back on alcohol, there's something in the No&Lo world for everyone. What Are No and Lo Alcohol Drinks Anyway? No-alcohol drinks contain 0.0% alcohol by volume (ABV). Low-alcohol drinks typically have up to 1.2% ABV—just enough to give a bit of a taste kick without tipping you over the edge. Why the Sudden Uplift? No&Lo drinks tap into a broader movement towards healthier, more mindful drinking. People are becoming more conscious of their lifestyle choices, and alcohol consumption is no exception. Plus, with Dry January and Sober October, more people are looking to enjoy social occasions without the booze! Here are my top picks: 1. Non-Alcoholic Beers: Brands like The HEINEKEN Company 0.0 and Privatbrauerei ERDINGER Weißbräu Werner Brombach GmbH's Erdinger offer all the flavour of your favourite pint without the alcohol. 2. Mocktails: These alcohol-free concoctions are as colourful and creative as their boozy counterparts. Think Virgin Mojitos and fruity punches. 3. Non-Alcoholic Spirits: Non-alcoholic spirits like Seedlip Drinks and Lyre's Spirit Co capture the essence of traditional spirits, so you won’t feel like you’re missing out (too much😂). 4. Non-Alcoholic Wines: Brands like Eisberg and Torres offer wines that mimic the real deal, minus the alcohol. I'm not yet overly convinced by this category, but it's definitely getting there!! The Social Scene Lucky Saint | B Corp™ is an ingenious little idea. You'd have assumed a No&lo beer brand would create an alcohol-free pub. Absolutely not. Rather than split up friendship groups where some are and some aren't drinking, they have incorporated both options so no one has to miss out! So next time you’re out and about, why not give No&Lo a go? Your body and mind will thank you, and you might just find your new favourite drink. Cheers to that! 🍺 Gregory Walker #NoandLo #AlcoholFree #GW

Beat the Heat with these nutritious natural drinks. Traditional Indian drinks are perfect for staying hydrated and beating the heat. Popular options include Nimbu Pani (lemon water), a refreshing mix of lemon juice, water, and a pinch of black salt with honey. Aam panna, made from green mangoes, natural sweeteners, and spices, is another cooling beverage. Buttermilk or chaas is a tangy yogurt-based drink, often seasoned with spices like cumin and coriander. Jaljeera, a tangy beverage made from water, cumin, mint, and tamarind, is also popular. Khus sherbet, made from khus (vetiver) and water, is known for its cooling properties. Sattu (powdered roasted gram) is a wonderful drink as well - it could be had salted or sweet. Additionally, coconut water is a natural, electrolyte-rich drink. Another tip is to add fresh mint, lemon slices, orange slices, water melon to water and enjoy your own flavoured coolant. These traditional drinks are not only delicious but also beneficial for health.

Ice cream, mochi, and anko (a traditional Japanese dessert element) combine in unique new ice creams from Häagen-Dazs Japan! The company created the new flavors to celebrate its 40 years in the country. Check out the new launch (link in comments), and let us know which one you'd want to try first! #icecream #frozenfood #frozenfoods #frozendessert #frozendesserts #freezer #freezersGeneral #food #foodnews #foodtrends #foodindustry #globalfood #futureoffood #foodinnovation #whatsnew #vegan #veganfood #plantbased #plantbasedfoods #plantbasedicecream #veganicecream

Beverages as Usual? No thanks The ready-to-drink alcohol category here in Aotearoa, like it is all around the globe, is evolving rapidly. For new players seeking to ride the waves of this rising tide, there are essentially two options - although disappointingly for Kiwi consumers, few will let the first wave pass and take the second of these. This first option is to simply fish where the fish are. Scan the market. See what’s working well. Respectfully “borrow” ideas and try your hardest to snag market share from the other guys. It’s a well-trodden path – and a visit to the chiller in your local liquor store will show you an array of beautiful, quirky, surprising packaging holding the latest versions of the same hard soda. There are fantastic ones and some not-so-great ones, which makes the category vibrant but a tad confusing. RTD blah blah. The second option is to create something new; something that’s not cider, beer, wine or what we currently think of as an RTD, to challenge and shake up the status quo. This is the fantastically chaotic and alchemic world of alternative alcohol, featuring low-carb, low or no-sugar and low-alcohol choices made through traditional or ancient brewing methods without any modern shortcut nasties. The sort of drinks that elicit the terrifying “I love it but where does it sit?” question from the liquor store manager. With no established category to fall into, who in their right mind would pick option 2? We did. Why? Because we believe that better-for-you and better flavour are not mutually exclusive; that real ingredients are worth celebrating, and that we don’t need to dumb down our drinks with artificial flavours, preservatives, or sweeteners. Has it been stressful? For sure. Is it fun? The best. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat. Our goal is to be Aotearoa’s leader in alternative alcohol, shaking things up, challenging the norm, and offering something better, tastier, and real. Our focus this year is on our two current product ranges – our original hard kombucha Beach Booch and a soon-to-be-launched range of Slight Twist craft-brewed cocktails. But these are just the start. We see the shifting tide of consumers who are increasingly mindful about what they eat, who they spend their time with, how they find balance, and increasingly, what they drink. Our aim is to grow our product offering to meet evolving consumer choices. We don’t necessarily want to do this alone though. If you’d like to be part of the journey, I’d love to chat with you about our plans and how you can get involved through investment, partnership or simply being part of our community. #BeachBooch #SlightTwist #AlternativeAlcohol #InvestInLocal #AotearoaInnovation #SupportSmallBusiness

Milk washing is a strange idea. You’re basically adding milk to a spirit or a whole cocktail, intentionally curdling it, then straining the curds to give you a clear liquid that still contains whey. Milk washed cocktails as they are called, can be surprisingly delicious. Plus, the whey changes the texture and helps the drink to froth when shaken. Despite the unusual approach, milk washed cocktails aren’t a new idea at all. The technique dates back to at least 1711, possibly even earlier, with the classic English clarified milk punch. Since then, clarifying or milk washing cocktails has gone in and out of favor. Right now, it’s all the rage. Milk washed cocktails tend to be clear and they don’t taste like milk at all. Instead, the other ingredients shine through. You can even have a completely clear cocktail that tastes almost exactly like a pina colada. Impressive, right? Milk washing isn’t just about creating clear cocktails. The process also removes some of the flavor compounds from spirits and other ingredients, making them mellower and helping contrasting elements to meld together. There are a few things to consider, though. First, like regular milk cocktails, these cocktails do contain dairy, making them off-limits for vegans. Plant-based milk doesn’t behave in the same way, so it’s tough to make clarified cocktails without dairy. Also, lactose doesn’t get removed during the clarification process. But, you can buy lactose free milk, where the lactose has been broken down by enzymes. This still behaves like regular milk, so it can be used to make lactose free clarified cocktails. Finally, don’t use expensive spirits for these cocktails, as the milk washing process strips away some of the nuances of your spirit. In fact, clarified cocktails are a great way to use up cheap spirits.

In honor of National Martini Day (6/19), for #TrendinciteTuesday, this week’s trend is #RTDCocktails and #CannedCocktails. Premixed cocktails including spirits RTDs reached $2.8 million in 2023 and grew by 26.8%, representing the fastest growing spirits category by revenue, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS). Here are a few recent launches that include a variety of liquors and flavors. Sazerac introduced the Spritz collection in three flavors: Hugo (Elderflower and notes of mint and lemon), Limone (Limoncello and notes of blood orange, grapefruit, carraway, and orange blossom), and Traditional (Mandarin orange notes and herbal liqueur). Kylie Jenner rolled out Sprinter, a canned vodka soda line in four flavors: Black Cherry, Peach, Grapefruit, and Lime. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg collaborated on a canned cocktail brand, Gin & Juice in Apricot, Citrus, Melon, and Passionfruit flavors. Jim Beam has expanded its RTD cocktails with Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers in Blueberry Lemonade, Orange Crush, Peach Crush, and Strawberry Lemonade. The Spritz Society x Claussen Pickle pickle-flavored canned spritz is back for a limited time. In the UK, Mixtons released a line of RTD cocktails in Dragon Mojo (Rum-based Kiwi Dragonfruit), Forbidden Zest (Gin-based Pink Grapefruit Yuzu), and Spicy Melons (Tequila-based Watermelon Chili). Raise a can to new products and flavors in the RTD cocktail space! Need a #marketing hand? From crafting custom #flavor and #beverage content to #ghostwriting to #trendreports to #marketresearch, Trendincite LLC is here. Follow me on LinkedIn or email [email protected]