Cya Spicy Margs: Top Bartenders Predict the Drink of Summer 2024/5

When it comes to “the drink of the summer”, the northern hemisphere doesn’t muck around. The Poms do Pimms. The Italians guzzle spritzes. The French chug Chablis, rosé and pastis. Because if it ain’t broke since forever, why bother fixing it?

Australia, on the other hand, has more of a revolving door policy. Last year was all about the spicy Margarita. The summer before that, it felt like we’d reached peak seltzer and the pét-nat craze had finally fallen off a cliff. The Negroni sbagliato — “the one with prosecco in it” – was somewhere in the mix, too.

Because summer is nearly upon us (and because it’s fun to be right), we’ve asked the best in the drinks business for their predictions on the next big thing. And if you’re looking for the latest and greatest packaged drinks for your next picnic or park hang, wine writer Mike Bennie has you covered.

Variations on the highball, whether it’s a classic whisky or something with a unique syrup added to it. The other will be classic Tom Collins. I think both are due for a big comeback because they’re refreshing, delicious, and incorporate lemon. Bartenders will be shying away from lime and will be focused on utilising ingredients we have an abundance of – like the humble lemon!

Sparkling water for all those kiddies who don’t drink. But also chellllooooooooo spritz. Limoncello all over the place. More people are doing modern takes on those old-school products. Chell-Oh! do a wicked limoncello and yuzuchello – think punchy flavour, well-balanced, lower alcohol (if that’s your vibe) and joyful sunshine drinking! Also, I want to see more people drinking mistelle and pineau des charentes. Just bloody delicious, really.

There are few things more glorious in life than an ice-cold wet Martini in 35-degree Brisbane heat, and I think people are starting to realise that. I do think the concept of a “summer drink” is a little bit of a creative roadblock for bars. It’d be great to see people ditch the typical summer classics and give bars a chance to show off what they do best. At Before & After we’re very well known for our amaro sour and that’s a sensational summer drop. We’d like nothing more than for Margies and spritzes to take a hike for a year or two in favour of that.

I think the drink of the summer is absolutely a thing. Last summer was the season of the spicy Margarita and I think this year we’re going to see the rise of the sgroppino, because who doesn’t love bubbles and sorbet? I’m personally hoping more bars are going to bring back the Miami Vice: 50/50 Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri and Pina Colada.

I reckon this summer is all about Campari sodas. Did they ever go anywhere anyway? But if that’s too boring – drinks that are fun. Perhaps someone will play around with some liqueurs? Midori could be a good shout, we’ve been talking about bringing out an “ode to Midori” menu.

Sodas are making a comeback, which is great! There are many small-batch, naturally derived sodas like Mischief Brew that are absolutely killing it. People are happy to spend a little bit more for craft sodas that are better for you rather than generic, hyper-produced ones. A lot of people are also looking for creative non-alcoholic drinks – ones that play with viscosity, layering and foams – as substitutions rather than imitations. The movement for more natural and “true” flavours with little or no sugar is big.

For a certain set of people who finally made it to Europe, this year is going to be about spritz 5.0. Not a local, artisan, canned version – just a cheap prosecco and Aperol. Or a Campari and Soda for those who survived Spritz 4.0. “Lemon” stuff is now fancy – the fancification of Hard Solo, yuzu and citron. Second-tier imported lagers like Asahi, Grolsch and Peroni are all set to return to the esky. And putting soda into classic cocktails like the Negroni, Margarita and Martini.

The responses in this article have been edited for clarity and length.