Hello Top Shelf friends, Kara Newman here, with my choice for the cocktail of summer in this now-weekly newsletter.
But first, I’m picking up where my Top Shelf colleagues left off over the past month. They’ve treated you to drinking trends like crossover beers (Tony), introduced you to ghost distilleries in Scotland (Brad) and filed reports from Napa Valley wine country(Elin).
I, too, have been putting my liver to the test in the name of discovering the latest intel about which bottles and drinks are heading your way.
The event? Bar Convent Brooklyn, an offshoot of Bar Convent Berlin, a giant trade-only booze conference hosted in Berlin every October with more than 15,000 attendees. While the annual Brooklyn event hasn’t yet reached the massive proportions of its European cousin, there were more than 200 exhibitors and 5,000 drink pros—not to mention all the unsanctioned add-on events (shh) and hundreds of takeovers across the city where out-of-town bartenders shook, stirred, and poured.
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And when the dust had settled, I noted a few trends and bottles that stood out.
1. Agave spirits beyond tequila are going mainstream.
Alcoholic drinks made from agave that are not tequila—think bacanora, racilla—as well as pretty much any spirit from Mexico, even whiskey, are becoming more popular for a simple reason: They remind you of tequila.
“What’s wild is that tequila has so saturated the market, now the demand for once-obscure Mexican spirits is also way up,” said Matt Ray, experience team leader for Sazerac House in New Orleans, on a panel about the state of the spirits industry. They’re even sold at Disney, he observed. “This tequila bar in Epcot has a sotol menu. They sell racilla at Epcot now!” he exclaimed. “Things are changing.”
One bottle I’ll be happy to see ride this wave: Banhez Destilado de Mango. The Mexican fruit distillate from Oaxaca is similar to France’s eau-de-vie, but funkier; a pineapple (Destilado de Piña) also is part of the lineup. Bartenders were going, well, bananas over the possibilities for mixing them into creative drinks.
2. Savory flavors are (still) having a moment.
From briny dirty martinis to umami-packed cocktails, drinks with savory flavors seem to be everywhere right now, and the trend shows no signs of stopping. So I was excited to get a taste of Isolation Proof’s Ramp Gin, which fits right into that trend since it’s practically a Gibson on its own. The $48 bottle is part of a seasonal lineup from the New York state craft distiller, which also includes summery strawberry rhubarb and autumnal mushroom. It’s tough to find outside New York at the moment, but distilleries may soon be free to ship bottles out of state.
3. Spirits from BIPOC producers are on the rise.
The purchasing power of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) was discussed and celebrated in multiple spaces. This shouldn’t be surprising: A study from McKinsey & Co. estimates that Black consumers’ collective economic power is set to expand dramatically, from about $910 billion in consumption in 2019 to $1.7 trillion (in nominal dollars) in 2030. Although few are making spirits that cater to this key demographic, that may be set to change.
A panel led by Garrett Oliver, founder and chair of The Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing & Distilling, which provides educational funding for BIPOC brewers and distillers, suggested that better representation might stoke the breakout of spirits unknown to most Americans, like Africa’s ogogoro or India’s feni.
Elsewhere, Pronghorn, an incubator for Black-owned spirits brands, showcased several spirits—and their stand was so busy, it took a couple of passes before I could swoop in for a good look. While Ten to One rum continues to be the breakout brand from the portfolio, I was also intrigued by the mellow vanilla and spice of Abisola whiskey, named for female founder Abisola Abidemi.
4. Zero-proof drinks may not be 100% delicious, but they’re here to stay.
Nonalcoholic drinks are still going strong, stoked by enthusiasm from Gen Z and a trend toward moderation in general. According to data from drinks analysis firm IWSR, the volume of no-alcohol spirits in the US surged 38% in 2023 and is expected to register strong double-digit growth to 2028. And in a separate IWSR study, about 75% of Gen Z consumers in the US are moderating their alcohol consumption.
I’ll be honest: Many nonalcohol “spirits” are just not great, and there’s a glut of them on the market. But Badger Bevs was among the bright spots in the N/A corridor, especially the crisp and refreshing Sparkling Grapefruit.
Maybe it’s so good because it’s not trying to be a faux version of a spirit or cocktail? Or maybe it’s because bar pro Jillian Vose (Hazel & Apple; formerly the Dead Rabbit) is a partner and ambassador with the mixer company. Though the line is positioned as “luxury mixers,” the grapefruit flavor is one I’d gladly drink straight. I even nicked a bottle for the train home.
So, what’s your Drink of the Summer?
It’s that time of year where the race is on to declare the official Drink of the Summer. Already, some votes have been cast.
The Financial Times thinks the Paloma is the one this year, and it’s hard to argue against the rationale. It’s easy to make and instantly recognizable—plus tequila tends to be a strong draw (see above).
Martha Stewart made a case for the Batanga—what it lacks in familiarity it makes up for in salt-rimmed fun. Oh, and it also has tequila.
Better Homes & Gardens polled 23 beverage experts and came up with the Lone Ranger, another tequila-based cocktail that has some French 75 attributes courtesy of sparkling wine.
Trade journal the Spirits Business played it safe and nominated slushy-style frozen drinks but dodged selecting which drink or spirit might drive the trend.
Food & Wine, on the other hand, went out on a limb and called it for the Lemon Drop. Delish went the NSFW route and declared summer 2024 as the moment for the Porn Star Martini, so named because it uses fresh passionfruit. (These are both vodka drinks)
If I absolutely had to pull the voting lever on the drinks put forward thus far, I’d probably lean on the Paloma as the likely winner.
But I’m also seeing Tomatinis—tomato martinis—popping up on menus across NYC and elsewhere, and I wouldn’t be one bit sad to see that pull a surprise upset.
The most over-the-top version I’ve tried was at L’Americana, made with cream cheese fat-washed gin and topped with a few pesto-green dots of basil-infused olive oil—a twisted version of a classic Caprese salad. But I personally think the best way to make Tomatinis is with fresh, summer-ripe tomatoes, which, generously salted, quickly give up plenty of fragrant tomato water.
This non-recipe-recipe was posted on Instagram way back in 2020 by New York Times editor Dan Saltzstein, and it’s become my go-to. “I wait for it every year,” he wrote. But you don’t have to wait: Peak tomato time is already here.
What would you pay to own a piece of tiki history?
If you’ve ever dreamed of furnishing your own personal basement tiki bar, now’s your chance: On Friday, July 12, more than 100 original pieces from the Beverly Hills outpost of Trader Vic’s will be sold through Julien’s Auctions, in partnership with Turner Classic Movies.
The first Trader Vic’s, created by Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron, opened in 1934 during the height of the Depression. The chain still exists today, with 25 locations around the world, including in Emeryville, California, and Atlanta (see the full list of locations here).
But drink and design enthusiasts know: Mid-century was tiki’s heyday.
The auction items hail from LA’s Beverly Hilton hotel, where the Polynesian-themed watering hole resided, first as a sprawling restaurant that drew Hollywood’s elite from 1955 through 2007, and later as a diminutive poolside lounge, which closed in 2017. The items on auction appear to be from the first iteration, ranging from tables and woven bar stools to decorative items like the seashell-adorned chandelier that once hung in the restaurant’s entryway.
In pre-bidding, the various totem poles, a white metal sign with the original Trader Vic’s logo, and hand-painted panels are shaping up as the hottest items. (Note: These vintage items are product of their time; some of them include iconography that today would be considered cultural appropriation.)
The one thing I’d most like to own? The vintage menu from 1955. I can just imagine leafing through and ordering mai tais and crab rangoon, a dish that originated at Trader Vic’s.
Get in there and place your bids; The Trader Vic’s Tiki Paradise auction is set for July 12 at 10 am PT in Los Angeles.
And that concludes this week’s meeting of the Top Shelf Society. Later this month, I’m headed to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans—the big boozy granddaddy of all the drink confabs—so I expect to return with more drink ideas and mischief. Wish me (and my liver) luck. Until then!