Top 10 drink trends from the 2026 Liquid Insights Tour

Welcome back to the Liquid Insights Tour. This time, we’re diving straight into the top 10 drink trends we identified in London and Paris. To help on-premise businesses stay competitive, we toured iconic beverage cities to shine a light on what’s new, what’s evolving, and what’s shaping the future of cocktail and wine programs.

Over the course of this European tour, we visited standout bars, wine spots, polished and fine dining destinations, some in hotels, engaging with beverage leaders to uncover the next wave of creativity, efficiency, and storytelling in hospitality experiences.

Here are the 10 trends that stood out as ones to watch in 2026 — ready to inspire U.S. on-premise beverage leaders looking to stay ahead. 

Used more often than even gin and rum, cordials and aperitifs are stealing the spotlight in these two markets. From Calvados and fruit brandy to a wide range of amari — from light and herbaceous to bitter and complex — used in unexpected applications, these nuanced spirits are redefining cocktail complexity.

Think of it as the cocktail world’s version of the Indian Pale Ale (IPA) lifecycle starting way back in the late 90s — changing palates and paving the way for bold, bitter, and balanced flavors that erupted in growth over the next 20+ years. Compared to London and Paris, the U.S. is still in those earlier years when it comes to complex cordials, amari, and bitter aperitifs.  

Clarified cocktails? Check. House-made distillates? Double check. Bars are embracing culinary techniques like rotary evaporation to curate custom spirits infused with tea, spices like cardamom and tonka bean (illegal in the U.S.), and even ceviche essence! 

One elaborate standout? A Scotch whisky sour featuring a Kit-Katso infusion (yes, Kit Kats and koji, a Japanese ingredient used for fermentation) for a sweet-savory twist. Creating in-house syrups and batching ingredients in the U.S. have become common, but these infusion techniques create hard-to-duplicate differentiation with compact flavors that don’t require adding a lot of liquid to cocktails to keep them balanced.

Beverage leaders can now ponder not just what kind of cocktail we should develop, but what custom ingredient we can create — just as chefs in the kitchen would — to truly make a drink stand out from the rest and build talk value with younger guests.

Half-sized cocktails at half the price are trending, offering guests value and variety. Some bars even offer cocktail tasting experiences paired with bites, booked in advance — think fine dining meets mixology. 

Guests are interested, too. In a survey we conducted with cocktail drinkers, 72% of 21 to 34 year olds would be likely to very likely to order a half-sized drink at half price. It’s the flight concept, elevated, and meant to be consumed individually to deliver on both value and moderation and not to be sipped all together.

Lychee and yuzu are just the beginning. Expect  Japanese vodka, shochu, sake, shiso, sesame, and miso to add subtle umami layers to cocktails. These ingredients add complexity, balance, and a sense of the exotic as unique twists to familiar but modern cocktail offerings. East meets West never tasted as good as it did in London and Paris.

The proliferation of Asian fruits was notable on our last tour, suggesting those flavors were likely the first wave of a much bigger opportunity with more unique and differentiated applications and combinations.

Garnishes? Primarily if they’re edible and functional. One clarified Scotch cocktail paired with a wild strawberry cordial and dehydrated strawberry chips made by the pastry chef was a standout. 

And yes, although very rare, we saw maximalist presentations like 3D-printed glassware of a hollowed-out pear under moonlight to hold a cocktail — because why not? This opens the door for beverage leaders to revisit their glassware to ensure the quality of the glass matches the quality of the drink in the glass. 

Also, from a creative standpoint, when a unique garnish might be used, maybe look for something meant to be nibbled when sipping. Beyond the fruit chip, we saw thin chocolates, parmesan or sesame or wakame crisps, and even fresh-baked soft bread with blueberries as a topper — all of which added complexity to the drink or accentuated a flavor used in the drink itself.

Non-alcoholic spirits and wine ranked as the seventh most-used ingredient type across menus — beating tequila and Cognac! These types of drinks and ingredients weren’t afterthoughts; they were unique, crafted experiences priced slightly below their boozy counterparts. 

One of the stunners used a sparkling tea to provide great flavor and effervescence that mimicked the flavor of a dry sparkling wine. We noticed bars prominently incorporating them within the menu vs. relegating them to their own separate section. The U.S. has some delicious catching up to do to leverage these drinks to complement great full-spirited offerings.

Beyond soda, tonic, and sparkling wine, bars are using in-house CO₂ systems to flash-carbonate cocktails for a light, bubbly twist. Milk punches? Yes, but clarified with flavored or unflavored Greek yogurt for a silky texture and subtle tang. Yogurt was also used on its own to add some creaminess and unique flavor, not just as a clarifying agent. 

Whether it’s carbonation systems or exploring different types of ingredients that add a creamy twist, the opportunity for the U.S. is the same; look for these different drink styles to stand out from other delicious drinks that may lean into more boozy or sweeter offerings.

Smaller pours (4 to 5 oz.), tasting sizes (2 oz.), and even luxury sips under 1 oz. were seen on the tour to drive trial and excitement to learn new favorites. Some spots use preservation systems for still and sparkling wine to offer more wines by the glass with low to no waste. Imagine the possibilities for U.S. programs to continue to use technology to expand by-the-glass offerings so guests can explore while reducing cost. 

A survey we recently conducted with wine consumers revealed that among 21 to 34 year olds, 79% were somewhat to very likely to order a half-sized glass of wine at half price. More and more restaurants today offer two sizes of wine, usually a 6 oz. and an 8 or 9 oz. larger size. Fewer offer smaller sizes to drive trial and exploration. Lots of opportunity here!

From humorous flavor descriptions to including varietal breakdowns in blends to educating guests on wine from different wine regions around the world, menus in London and Paris often make wine approachable and fun. It’s time to rethink shrinking lists and embrace storytelling that sparks curiosity — in particular, with younger guests who have been moving away from wine to other options. 

Wine has always been viewed as intimidating to younger, new drinkers, especially today when budgets are even tighter in particular for them, so operators reimagining wine offerings and wine descriptions to make wine fun for them could open the door wider for the next generation of wine lovers.

Menus aren’t just lists anymore. They are becoming narratives. From cocktails inspired by Afternoon Tea traditions to menus styled as historic newspapers, storytelling adds depth and connection. In the U.S., this is an opportunity to start with the story and let it shape and inform the drinks featured on menus. 

On a next menu overhaul or seasonal promotion, perhaps more and more U.S. operators will look to the cocktail and wine menu as yet another way to connect with their guests through their drinks, explaining why they chose these beverages and how this fits who they are as a bar or restaurant. The menus don’t have to be elaborately produced (although we saw some that were), but there’s always an opportunity to be both functional and memorable.

Our trendspotting tour through London and Paris reminded us that beverage programs thrive when they balance heritage and innovation, flavor and function, and most importantly, experience and emotion. These trends aren’t just eye candy; they’re actionable ideas for U.S. bar and restaurant operators looking to stay ahead.

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.