This Surprising Mixed Drink Is Making A Comeback For 2022
As 2021 comes to an end, we say goodbye to some of the hottest culinary trends of the year. Plant-based products increased in popularity this year as more and more major brands rolled out vegan alternatives to meat and dairy, and TikTok helped usher baked feta pasta and salmon rice to fame.
As far as drinks go, it's hard to deny the overwhelming popularity of the one and only espresso martini, which came back in full force this year, to the dismay of many bartenders. The other surprising beverage trend this year was opposite of the high booze, high sugar, and high caffeine combo the espresso martini contains. Alcohol-free and low-ABV cocktails became all the rage this year, The Drinks Business reports, from booze-free versions of popular spirits like Gordon's 0% gin to unique faux-liquors like Monday.
As we enter the new year, food and drink experts are predicting what we'll find on restaurant and bar menus in 2022. The New York Times has placed their bets on hibiscus, environmentally-friendly kelp, and "swicy" flavors coming to dominate the food world in the coming months, as well as a familiar drink we all love to hate (or is it hate to love?).
Long Island Iced Tea
Time to party like it's 1985 because the Long Island Iced Tea is back! At least that's what The New York Times predicts, along with your other favorite 80s cocktails that, until now, may have been met with raised eyebrows or judgmental chuckles when you tried to order them at a trendy bar. Drinks like Tequila Sunrises (tequila, orange juice, and grenadine) and Blue Lagoons (blue curaçao, vodka, lemonade) are also set to make comebacks this year, albeit with fresher juice, better spirits, and a healthier twist — how that will work, exactly, we'll all have to wait and see.
Though you might associate Long Island Iced Tea with any number of embarrassing encounters, bartenders are hoping to change this classic cocktail's reputation in the new year. Traditionally made with vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, and a splash of Coke, this cocktail remains a favorite among those of us trying to forget an ex or suffer through a high school reunion.
As Andrew Freeman, president of consulting firm AF & Co., told The New York Times, "We all need things that are sweet and colorful and joyful and playful, especially now." If this potent cocktail is a part of the positive vibes we're determined to manifest in 2022, we can only hope it comes without the hangover part.