What will you be drinking this Christmas?
It is that time of year again, the weather has turned, and the nights are getting darker, and in the blink of an eye Christmas and the festive period will be upon us all. As soon as Halloween, and bonfire night are out of the way, any good bar will be focussed upon making the festive period as much as a success as they can. The bar industry is more dynamic than it has ever been, and drinkers are more knowledgeable than ever. They expect the newest drinks and gastro foods from their local pub, at keen value for money in this biting recession. Christmas is a time for the traditional and trying something new, but what can we expect this year?
In the run up to Christmas it is the works Christmas party season, and Cocktails at the start of the evening have become more fashionable with Vodka, White Rum and Champagne being the ingredients of choice. It is the Cosmopolitan, Mojito or Bellini that may well appear at these events this Christmas.
As we run into the period between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Champagne comes into its own, and in recent years branded Champagne distribution has increased dramatically with many bars stocking the big brands like Moet Chandon, Perrier Jouet, Taittinger, Heidsieck and Dom Perignon to name a few.
What about Spirit brands? Well Gin has had an amazing year stealing female Vodka drinkers, and boutique brands like Sipsmith Gin have done very well. There is now an army of new Gin brands appearing in your local. I am told that in the 1960’s a warm orange Gin was common place over the festive period, but I have not yet been served this at Christmas. Dark Spirits such as Bourbon, and yes, Whisky is back, so expect an upturn this year. The old favourites such as Baileys, Tia Maria, and Cointreau are becoming supermarket brands rather than bar brands over Christmas, but they still have their place.
The most dynamic area this Christmas will of course be cask ales with any good local brewery worth their salt launching a festive brew. Expect a cacophony of ale choice on pull this Christmas, with any good barman extoling the benefits of each one. Cask ales are moving at such a pace that this Christmas should be a bumper year. If nothing else, do try the various Vin Chaud that bars are serving more, and more over Christmas.
Merry Christmas.