As 2025 approaches, the beverage industry “is bubbling with new innovations and creative twists on classics, from new iterations of global flavors to old standbys getting a ‘luxe’ makeover,” Datassential said. The data firm asked consumers about drink trends for the first time this year and determined 10 defining trends for the alcohol beverage industry heading into the new year.
Here are 10 trends to watch and ways they might show up in 2025:
- Beer with a hint of lime: Beer with a slice of lime may have been spotted in bars or on commercials for years, but this evolving trend has a global theme: It comes hand-in-hand with consumers’ love of Mexican and Latin food, and has popped up in the form of new Mexican lagers with lime.
- Candy-flavored beers: Brewers are tapping into sweet childhood favorites like cotton candy and gummy candy, and with them drawing in a new audience. Candy flavors are especially popular with Gen Z, a generation that tends to choose beer less often than their older peers.
- Functional beer: Functional beer is part of a larger, better-for-you movement in the segment that also includes natural wine and collagen-infused cocktails. Functional beers have been developed with ingredients from electrolytes to spirulina.
- Craft/signature shots: Part of two trending themes—cross-over creations and sensory experiences—these shots can be enjoyed in one gulp or savored slowly, but either way, these small creations are all about enjoying the experience.
- Tamarind in cocktails: Global flavors continue to inspire the cocktail scene, and tamarind is having a moment.
- Ube cream liqueur: Ube—a purple yam native to the Philippines—has become a hit in desserts, and now it’s making its way into cocktails with ube cream liqueur.
- “Dirty” drink customization: A dirty drink, made dirty with the addition of cream and sometimes complimentary juices, has jumped from soda and has the potential to reinvent cocktails and mixed drinks.
- Fortified wine cocktails: Cocktails with fortified wines like sherry, vermouth and port are another crossover we’re watching as these rich, concentrated flavors add a touch of sophistication and innovation to mixed drinks.
- Gin-based hard seltzers/canned cocktails: Gin-based hard seltzers and canned cocktails coincide with a broader botanical trend that’s evolving in cocktails, and several other broader themes, including smaller sips and cross-over creations.
- Vegan fat washing: As the plant-based movement continues to influence every corner of the food and beverage world, vegan fat washing is becoming a growing technique. This process involves using plant-based fats—like coconut oil or cacao butter—to infuse spirits, creating a richer, creamier texture without animal products.