From pumpkin spice and apple cinnamon to chai and maple, fall brings to mind plenty of cozy, warming flavors.
These seasonal staples show up in our food as well as our drinks, but some bartenders are also experimenting with unexpected ingredients and fresh takes on classic fall flavors.
To find out which beverages are worth ordering this season and ones you may want to skip, Business Insider spoke with three bartenders about the trends they’re seeing the most from behind the bar.
Savory and produce-forward cocktails are having a moment.
Jenneca Younger, a lead bartender at The Mothership in Milwaukee, said savory cocktails are still very much trending — especially if they’re made with fresh produce.
“I love a savory cocktail. I feel like there’s a big uptick in my social media on all of those tomato martinis,” Younger told BI. Ordering a cocktail “dirty” (with olive brine) is in, too.
Additionally, she said, she’s also seeing bartenders incorporate purées made from fresh produce, like shisito peppers or squash, into classics like margaritas and gimlets.
Darker days call for darker spirits.
As the weather gets colder in the fall, drinkers tend to gravitate toward more whiskey-based cocktails and darker spirits, Younger said.
In contrast to the lighter, crisper spirits that are popular in summer, Younger said whiskey-based cocktails tend to become more popular as temperatures cool.
Some examples include Manhattans (made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters) and Boulevardiers (often made with bourbon or whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Campari).
Tea-infusions can add unexpected flavors to fall cocktails.
Chris Hewes, beverage director and bartender at Coast Range in Solvang, California, said he’s been especially loving tea cocktails lately.
He especially enjoys pairing Thai tea with whiskey, cognac, mezcal, or rum to really extract the tea’s vanilla-like flavors.
Espresso martinis with a twist are hitting the spot.
Steve Bell, lead bartender at The Hitchcock in Nashville, said there’s been growing interest in riffing on the classic espresso martini.
Customers are liking them with tequila or rum instead of the usual vodka, he said.
“You can get people wanting bourbon espresso martinis, which honestly doesn’t sound very good to me, but some people like it,” Bell added.
Hewes said he’s also been experimenting with creams and toppers for coffee cocktails after being inspired by a drink topped with Chartreuse (an herbal liqueur) whipped cream.
Low-ABV and nonalcoholic cocktails are only getting more interesting.
Both Younger and Hewes said they’re seeing bartenders find more and more ways to work low-ABV and nonalcoholic drinks into their menus.
For example, Hewes said, wine is being incorporated into certain cocktails to lower their overall alcohol content.
He said those looking to experiment with lower-ABV cocktails can also try ordering a mocktail or nonalcoholic drink as a flavorful base, then add a small amount of alcohol to it.
On the other hand, overly complicated cocktails may be on their way out.
Fat-washing, infusions, molecular gastronomy, and other fancy tricks have made their way into cocktails over the years, but Bell said people are moving away from overly complicated techniques and back toward something simpler.
“People want riffs on classics, not something that feels like Gordon Ramsay sitting in front of you telling you about all the crazy types of techniques,” Bell said.
Let’s give the Hugo Spritz a break.
Younger said she’s over the Hugo Spritz — a popular summertime drink typically made with prosecco, elderflower liqueur, club soda, and mint.
“It just feels watered down to me,” she said. It’s time to replace the light, refreshing drink with something that packs more flavor.
For example, a “more flavorful” and timeless French 75 that uses prosecco and mixes it with lemon juice, gin, and simple syrup in a punchy way.
As an alternative, she also suggests Death in the Afternoon, a bubbly drink “with a little more punch” as it’s typically made with chilled sparkling wine and absinthe.
Pumpkin spice is getting too predictable.
“I really just think the chai pumpkin stuff is not what people want,” Hewes told BI.
Instead of relying on the usual pumpkin-spice flavors, Hewes is looking to seasonal ingredients and desserts for inspiration, including cranberry, rhubarb, sweet potato, and fruit cobblers.
Younger also said using stone fruit, cinnamon, clove, and pimento dram are other more creative ways to bring fall flavors into cocktails.
“Tiny tinis” can be cute, but they may not catch on everywhere.
Mini martinis, sometimes called “tiny tinis,” are smaller versions of the classic cocktail, offering a cute presentation as well as a way to have alcohol in a more controlled portion.
Hewes said some bars are trying to make the smaller pours a trend, but he doesn’t see the mini version of cocktails taking off in most places.
“I think people get more mad at seeing a small martini, to be honest,” Hewes told BI. Those looking to cut back their alcohol consumption may just be better off ordering a lower-ABV drink.
Cucumber cocktails could use an upgrade.
Hewes said he’s ready to move away from cucumber in cocktails and recommends swapping it for a more unexpected ingredient this fall.
He suggests arugula as one alternative, which can even take on a honeysuckle-like flavor when combined with honey. Arugula also pairs well with cranberries and strawberries, he said.
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