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Many of us are creatures of habit when we order drinks. However, well-crafted seasonal cocktails and limited-time beverage offers can have a powerful allure, encouraging us to broaden our horizons and explore what’s new and exciting.
Memories of flavors past
Sometimes the yen for a seasonal libation is triggered by reminiscence. “I think a lot of it is tapped into memory,” says Melissa Carroll, bar manager of Fisk & Co. in the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago. “You crave strawberries in the summertime because you remember them as a kid. You find yourself making those choices without questioning why they happen.”
With that in mind, Carroll and Fisk & Co. bartenders Megan Conn and Kevin Green collaborate on offerings based on seasonal fresh fruits, herbs and an occasional zing of heat on the palate. A summer favorite is El Cazador. “It’s a beautiful cantaloupe drink with mezcal that doesn’t taste like a sugar bomb,” says Carroll. “It has light citrus flavors and just a bit of smokiness.”
The freshly juiced cantaloupe “draws people in,” Carroll says. “It encourages them to explore mezcal as a category apart from tequila, which is a great opportunity for them.”
Carroll has run two versions of the Lady Elgin, a summery fresh fruit, vodka and soda drink, one with strawberries and rhubarb and another with blueberries and mint. “Normally people would use rum against mint, but I think vodka is just as lovely,” says Carroll. Fancy, a riff on Spanish-style gin and tonic, offsets botanical nuances of gin with the tingle of pink peppercorns and bitter Italian amaro.
Hits of the season
At Steelpan, a Caribbean-American restaurant in the Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel, seasonal libations made with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, watermelon and mango are “huge hits for us,” says Robert Rose, food and beverage manager. “That’s what we like to focus on.”
Forever Young contains vodka, acai liqueur, pomegranate juice, blueberries and lemon, plus an eye-catching garnish — blueberries speared on a sprig of rosemary. An impactful garnish like that underscores the drink’s freshness and seasonality, Rose says.
The Bourbon Smash features premium bourbon muddled with blackberries or blueberries plus lemon and mint. “It appeals to bourbon drinkers who want to step out and try something a little different,” says Rose.
Another specialty, Cucumber Fizz, combines premium pear-flavored vodka and elderflower liqueur with muddled fresh cucumber and soda to create a summertime refresher.
“People can have their rum and Coke and vodka tonic back home,” says Rose. “But they’re on vacation here, so we’d like them to try something they wouldn’t ordinarily have.”
The business case for seasonality
Seasonal cocktails made with cost-efficient local ingredients contribute to a healthy bottom line. “You get the best prices when things are in peak season and abundant,” says Rose. “For example, we feature fresh berries now, which are huge here in the summer.”
It is important for seasonal cocktails to fit the prevailing tastes of the season. “Not many people would want a summer drink with strawberry, even though it’s in season, if it also contained egg yolk,” says Jesse Vanpoucke, lead bartender of SideDoor, an American-style gastropub in Chicago. “But a good number of guests seek lighter, more refreshing cocktails in the summer.”
From his perspective, melon, tomato, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, rhubarb, nectarine and tomatillo are the bar ingredients trending this season.
Fruity not cloying
At Steelpan, the bar strives to create drinks that are fruity but not too sweet. An example is a strawberry mojito made with muddled fresh strawberries. “People are getting more conscientious about seeking drinks with more healthful ingredients,” says Rose. He believes that finding ways to present vivid flavors without excessive sugar is a growing trend.
In addition to creating purees from scratch, operators may wish to explore high-quality fruit concentrates made without added sugar. Such preparations may be helpful in layering complex flavors in drinks without raising sweetness to unacceptable levels.
Adding holiday flair
The holiday season brings opportunity for distinctive seasonal specialties. At this time of the year, Carroll says she favors spiked apple cider drinks and variations of glühwein, German-style mulled wine. “I try to do a different version every year,” she says, typically spicing them with clove tinctures, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Come the holidays, even the most health-minded consumers may seek indulgence. Given the vast availability of fresh, seasonal ingredients and the growing array of high-quality flavored syrups and purees on the market, the sky’s the limit for cocktail creators who want to attract attention with rich, luxurious seasonal drinks and LTOs.
