What’s Hot in beverages? Craft, artisan and locally made

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Washington, D.C. -- Beverages are going to make a splash in 2019, according to early results from the National Restaurant Association’s annual What’s Hot survey.

Craft, artisan, and locally produced spirits, are on tap as the industry’s No. 1 alcoholic beverage trend next year, the Association’s survey found. Craft coffee and house-made soda trended highly in the non-alcoholic category.

The What’s Hot survey is a barometer of food and beverage trends at restaurants around the country. The results forecast the food, beverage, and culinary concept trends for the year ahead. The annual survey looked at the responses of more than 650 professional chefs – all members of the American Culinary Federation.

“At restaurants and other foodservice operations today, beverages, including wines, spirits, beers, and nonalcoholic drinks are big traffic drivers,” said Hudson Riehle, the Association’s senior vice president of research. “Offering craft liquors, wines, and other beverages, allows restaurants to distinguish their drink programs from their competitors. At the same time, putting a more local, sustainable spin on beverages is particularly appealing to millennials, who, in general, are more apt to support smaller, different, more socially responsible businesses and products.”

Here is what chefs said about some of the beverage trends for 2019:

• Nearly 65 percent of respondents indicate that craft, artisan, and locally produced spirits is the No. 1 alcoholic beverage trend for 2019.
   
• Almost 60 percent of respondents said locally produced spirits, wine, and beer would be among the hottest beverage choices in 2019.
   
• More than 50 percent identified house-brewed beer as a hot trend.
   
• On the non-alcoholic side, 51 percent said craft/house-roasted coffee would simmer over in 2019.

The National Restaurant Association and its ServSafe Alcohol team advocate responsible alcohol service and consumption every day, especially around the holidays.

The complete 2019 What’s Hot survey results will be available in early January.

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