If you love bourbon or vodka, your favorite cocktail may be one of America’s faves. Classic cocktails have begun to make a major comeback in the consumer market, with the appearance of craft cocktail bars and speakeasy style joints beginning to rise across the country. These specialty cocktail bars, generally only found in major coastal cities in the past, have begun popping up all over the nation, causing a surge in craft cocktail interest and classic cocktail consumption.
So what is America loving the most?
Turns out, the Old Fashioned and Moscow Mule rank highest. Data collected from the IWSR reports as follows that ten establishments across twenty-five major urban markets were surveyed, with both the Old Fashioned and Moscow Mule accounting for a combined 30 percent of menu mentions, with the Old Fashioned taking the lead of the two. The data continues to report that whiskey cocktails are most popular on menus, taking up 23 percent of menu space. In search of learning more, IWSR determined that over 60 percent of these bars change their cocktail menu seasonally, as well as incorporate variations of the drinks on their menu to reflect consumers’ desires. Brand followings also reflected consumer habits and choices. With the consumption of spirits on-premise projected to increase, which classic cocktails will be the next big thing? Only time will tell.
