Gin is in but what’s on the horizon?
Brilliant botanicals are the current vogue but what will be the next top bottle?
Gin is in. That is very much apparent. The rise of gin in recent years has been incredible with the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA), reporting a 27% increase in gin volume sales between 2016 and 2017. This increase was further reinforced when the WSTA revealed that over 51 million bottles of gin had been sold in the UK during 2017 (which represented a 9.5 million bottle increase).
So, where did the gin craze begin?
The country’s initial fascination with gin was resurrected around 2009 when London’s own Sipsmith hit the market. This new brand of the traditional mother’s ruin peaked the British public’s interest, but no one predicted it would lead to such an industry boom 8 years later.
After 2009 gin sales slowly increased, it’s popularity increased too, as did the number of UK based distilleries that opened (and more importantly, stayed open). This culminated throughout the 2010’s and climaxed in 2017 when gin sales exploded.
However, it is not the large well-known brands that have benefitted most. Although, Gordons, Bombay and Beefeater will have seen revenue surges, it is the small craft gin industry that has really taken off. Prior to the arrival of Sipsmith, gin shelves were rather barren and only ever housed a handful of different brands, with the three aforementioned making up most of what was on offer. Now the selection available in the industry has grown to a point where gin manufacturers are competing for share in a highly competitive market. Not only are they having to compete for space on the shelves of retailers, but the online market is even more diluted, with hundreds of different options available.
But this resurgence in gin leaves those in the industry wondering what comes next. Years prior, a share of the 18-25 market was focused on with alcoholic beverages that prioritised being cost effective whilst being colourful and flavourful, such as WKD’s or alcopops. If these popular, electric blue nightclub elixirs can diminish so much and be replaced,gin can as well. That begs the question of what will step from the shadows of the drinks cabinet to become the next top tipple.
The Contenders
Cocktails
It would make sense that on the back of the “Ginvolution” there would be a reprise in the popularity of cocktails. Gin is possibly one of the most versatile drinks there is and is naturally a favoured ingredient by bar staff when mixing cocktails. As such, it is understandable and almost expected that 2019 could see a boom in cocktails and with the wide variety of gins that are now available, it could bring about a new generation of cocktail combinations, flavours and colours.
With both Pina Coladas and Daiquiris losing their stigma of being unfashionable and finding their way back onto menus nationwide, cocktails are in a prime position to make a comeback. On the other hand, this comeback could only be localised to the big cities initially. London is already a thriving cocktail haven and Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool have been becoming trendier metropolitan areas in recent years. It would be no surprise if this followed with cocktail menus starting to get longer and more complex next year., with operators continuously adding new recipes and innovations to those already-existing.
Rum
Rum is big. There is no denying that the spirit originally deemed as “the pirates’ drink” is a favourite of the nation. The fact that 2017’s rum sales topped £1 billion for the first time proves that the water of Barbados is growing in popularity at a steady and consistent rate. With an increased number of recipes and combinations that rum is being used in, it has been a silent player in the alcohol market and is now at a point where it could take over as the new top bevvy.
Rum has built up a wide and loyal fan base but with the explosion of gin and in turn gin-based cocktails, it is only a small jump from gin to rum. As such if the gin trend wains, rum could step in as a cocktail base substitute for gin. As mentioned in the previous section, Pina Coladas and Daiquiris are already becoming more popular and so too are other rum based concoctions. Rum & Black and Rum & Coke are both common choices, but other exotic variations have started to emerge in recent years. With Mai Tais coming back into fashion and the addition of cocktails such as rum based Caipirinha drinks, rum is a dark (and sometimes spicy) horse that could take over from the UK’s current gin fever.
Tequila
With cocktails being tipped for a revival in the coming years, it brings into question tequila and how it would fair should umbrella clad classics come back into the limelight. This spirit derived from the blue agave has always been more popular with our cousins across the Atlantic. It does raise the question, if cocktails increase, will the preferred choice be rum based, tequila based or another? Margaritas are a staple on any cocktail menu and so too are Martinis and Tequila Sunrises but could tequila benefit in the same way that gin has? Gin has become so popular, wanted to explore anything but the norm, so it stands to reason that tequila could experience the same phenomenon.
Most people know the standard drinks that tequila is used for and it is unlikely that tequila shots are suddenly going to become a staple order whilst eating out. But Although recently, other tequila drinks such as the Matador have started to surface in bars and restaurants. It is unlikely that tequila will sell in the same amount volume as gin, rum, vodka and other beverages, but it could find itself in the middle of a battle for supremacy within the cocktail arena once gins popularity starts to decrease.
Prosecco
The final potential usurper of gin’s market dominance is a drink that has already found great success both in popularity and volume sold. The sparkling wine, otherwise known as prosecco, has found its way to the nations’ livers in parallel triumph to gin. Both beverages started booming at about the same time with each one experiencing their best years in 2017 and neither have showed signs of slowing during 2018.
In spite of prosecco’s rise in popularity, it is somewhat opposite to gin. Gin represents a rediscovery of premium and extravagant drinks that the nation has fallen in love with. Prosecco however, has come about due to the increasing price of champagne. Going back, sparkling wine always had a stigma attached to it that it was a poor man’s champagne. Nevertheless, Prosecco has challenged that notion and won. It is just as qualitative at home compared to a five star restaurant or a club on a night out and due to its affordability, it is quickly replacing champagne for family / social celebrations.
The fact that prosecco has been able to flood all markets and do so with such ease means that out of all the up and coming beverages, it is this sparkling wine that is most likely going to take over from the gin-lead market that is currently being forged.
But for now, gin is king and its era will no doubt continue to prosper as we head into 2019. At Alliance, we are ready for any change whether it be prosecco, rum, tequila, cocktails or another player that is yet to reveal themselves with our wide range of glassware , barware and other catering equipment. With regional depots throughout the UK, Alliance offer great service, expertise and can bring affordable and convenient catering options to your home or business.
