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Tag: alochol

Hot Liquor Trends 2009

Here are the top drink recipe trends according to the National Restaurant Association:

Top alcohol trends

  1. Micro-distilled liquor. Micro-distilled liquers are small run “boutique” distilleries making high quality, often specialty liqures like vodka and whiskey. Check out Sunshine Vodka by Green Mountain Distillers. When you are out next time, ask the bartender if the feature any micro-distilled liquors and substitute one in your favorite mixed drink recipe.
  2. Culinary cocktails. Culinary cocktails are drinks recipes that feature organic herbs and vegetables normally used by chefs in the kitchen. An example is the Basil 8 at Table 8 in Los Angeles. It’s made with an unexpected combo of crushed white grapes, vodka, ginger ale, Angostura bitters and basil. It sounds weird, but it’s totally the best drink ever according to Alexandra Tellier over at metromix.com.
  3. Organic wine. The idea of organic wine really isn’t new, but more like coming full circle back to wine’s origins. However, for a wine to be labeled “Organic” and bear the USDA organic seal, it must be made from organically grown grapes and give information about who the certifying agency is. A wine in this category cannot have any added sulfites. It may have naturally occurring sulfites, but the total sulfite level must be less than 20 parts per million.

Top non-alcoholic beverage trends

  1. Specialty iced tea. A Dallas company’s new iced tea line, introduced in July, features three flavors—lemonade green tea, vanilla black tea, and berry-hibiscus tea—all fortified with probiotic cultures, which are said to promote digestive health. Not to mention we’ve all see the new Snapples commercials featuring “better stuff”.
  2. Organic coffee. Much like organic wine, organic coffee must meet a set of guidelines.
  3. Flavored/enhanced water is flavored and “nutritionally enhanced” bottled water that has been jazzed up with everything from cucumber to mango and grapefruit extracts, infused with vitamins, minerals and electrolytes and loaded with herbal supplements, antioxidants and oxygen.