I need to sing praises of the cocktail and wine scene in Kansas City. Not just because it’s my hometown, or because my alma mater nearby just won the NCAA Championship (Rock Chalk, Jayhawk). For a mid-sized city in the Midwest, the culinary, cocktail, and wine culture stands up well to other major markets.
Kansas City, as many people might not know, has been a drinking town for centuries. But it’s no surprise to the locals that our town is tops when it comes to a great cocktail (and wine) scene. That’s why I had to make it the second stop on our Liquid Insights Tour, Southern Glazer’s extensive, coast-to-coast educational initiative that explores and identifies the latest trends in mixology and wine.
Wine trends in Kansas City: 3 oz. pours, wine pricing strategies, and by-the-glass offerings
This is the first time in this year’s tour I saw 3 oz. wine pours, as well as an overall wine pricing strategy at one location to sell a lot of wine and make money by building in good value on by-the-glass and by-the-bottle offerings to drive velocity.
Are consumers more educated about retail prices for a bottle of wine post-COVID? You bet, and on premise business owners know it.
Cocktail trends in Kansas City: Manhattan variations, burnt sugar, espresso martinis, and butterfly pea
Like Houston, there are many people in the hospitality industry who got their early start at trend-forward cocktail and wine bars and who still keep in contact to help collectively keep offerings fresh (even if they work at different concepts).
To start, I immediately noticed many different variations on the Manhattan — much more than in years past. Variations on this cocktail were designed to make it more approachable and less boozy with a softer/rounder flavor profile than a traditional version, often incorporating ingredients like amaro, dry Curaçao, and, in one instance, Cognac.
This is also the first time I’ve seen the simple (but delicious) ingredient of burnt sugar used at a few different places, by essentially dry cooking sugar until it caramelizes and then diluting it down, adding a richer flavor than just simple syrup. Since this reminded me of the burnt sugar birthday cakes my grandmother used to make for my family and our cousins when I was a kid, I’m really hoping this trend translates to other markets!
Similar to Houston (trend alert), there were more espresso martinis (or variants thereof), uses of butterfly pea flower, and the use of QR codes on menus to see additional beverage offerings.
Classic Nick and Nora glassware, especially the coupe, is now nearly ubiquitous. Highly crafted and high-priced non-alcoholic cocktails appeared on menus once again in KC, and operational ease using partial or fully pre-batched drinks continued to be common.
Do two cities make a trend? Possibly. Do we have many more glasses of wine and cocktails to sip to be sure? Absolutely. Stay tuned as we plan stop three: Las Vegas. Straws out!
Optimize your beverage program with Southern Glazer’s
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 wine and 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.
Discover our other stops on the 2022 Liquid Insights Tour:
Brian Masilionis
Sr. Dir., On-Premise Channel Insights
Date Published
January 25, 2024
