What will the first year of the new decade have in store for cocktails and spirits?
From effortless on-the-go cocktails to the potential rise of “selfie bars,” here’s our annual gaze into the crystal ball to see how we may be drinking in 2020.
1. We’ll Be Flooded with “Whiskey Innovations”
It seems like every whiskey has a bazillion line extensions coming down the pike: limited editions, experiments with mash bills (wheated whiskeys seem to be coming into favor, for example) and fancy barrel finishes, over-proof variations that burst with flavor yet are almost too hot to drink. No doubt, there are some amazing bottlings to explore. But it seems like there might be a lot of frogs to kiss before whiskey lovers find their Prince Charming in a bottle.
We’ll Enjoy Better Drinks, in Weirder Places
2) No, we’re not talking about pop-up bars in crazy places (although that’s always a possibility). Rather, this refers to canned cocktails, boxed wine and a wide range of other ready-to-drink options that are able to go places traditional drinks can’t go. For example, some train stations now have well-stocked grab-and-go coolers that rival what might be found at a traditional liquor store, ready to enjoy on the rails. Airports and sports arena concessions are also starting to offer a wider array of RTDs, a trend set to expand quickly. Who knows where they will pop up next?
