Top Fall Cocktail Trends Defining Bars 2024

The bar industry is ever-changing and Fall 2024 brings with it new cocktail trends that promise to transform the way we and our customers enjoy drinks. These are the six cocktail trends we’re most excited about for Fall 2024.

1. Savory Cocktails

Top bars around the world have started using savory ingredients to create complex flavor profiles for their cocktails, completely reshaping the mixology landscape. This beetroot and black pepper simple syrup concoction is an earthy take on a whisky sour.

2. Fat-Washing

Infusing spirits with oils or milk creates a rich silky texture and mellows out your spirits. We fat-washed Campari with Coconut Oil for a light tropical taste in this twist on a Novaro Sour. The unconventional ingredient gives this drink a rounder mouthfeel and a silky texture that pairs surprisingly well with the bright ginger and lemon notes in the drink.

3. Fun New Foams

This trend is especially exciting for us here at Ripples, because the perfect foam is a straight-up requirement for Ripples-topped drinks, and we’re always on the lookout for new textures, flavors, and techniques. Some of the foams this fall are a bit too ephemeral to hold up to a selfie (champagne bubbles!), but this thick cream cheese foam topped a delicious carrot cocktail makes us feel like we’re drinking a glass of cake. A decadent drink just in time for sweater weather.

4. Coffee Cocktails

Espresso martinis are everywhere this season, and this decadent cocktail has paved the way for a sea of coffee cocktails. Running the gamut from homemade cold brew concentrate to coffee liqueurs, bars are putting a mighty, caffeinated punch into each glass. We’re loving unique flavor pairings (like notes of pear), and enjoying the nighttime versions of our Soccer Game Saturday pick-me-ups (that would be a caramel bourbon latte for this editor).

5. Mocktails

Alcohol-free and low-alcohol beverages are here to stay, and bars are adding a new creative level of sophistication to their mocktails to meet the growing demand. This beautiful layered concoction uses a touch of aquafaba with orange juice to create the beautiful foam layer, and printed with an elegant rose design to entice non-drinkers out to the bar.

6. Interactive Technology

Technology is transforming the bar experience. Whether they create flavorful smoke bubbles or use the Ripple Maker drink printer machine to add customer photos to their cocktails, bars everywhere are leveraging tech to enhance customer experience at scale.

This Fall, customers at the bar are expecting a blend of sophistication, innovation, and customization. Bartenders don’t just serve drinks, they craft experiences that resonate with their patrons. As these trends continue to evolve, they promise to influence future seasonal menus and ensure that the cocktail culture remains as dynamic and vibrant as ever.