From Hot Honey to habanero, sweet and spicy flavours have surged in popularity in recent years, with consumers increasingly looking for heat in their drinks as well as their food.
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Spirit Cartel general manager David Hood told The Morning Advertiser (The MA) the trend presented a “significant opportunity” for pubs to drive cocktail sales.
“Spicy and ‘Swicy’ (sweet and spicy) flavour profiles are going off-the-scale in sales - and are no longer confined to just food; consumers are actively seeking heat in their cocktails,” he continued.
Great combination
“Spicy options now appear on 95% of foodservice menus and, in the past four years, there’s been a 230% increase in ‘swicy’ options across food and drink. And, in the on-trade, both [in the UK] and the US, we’ve seen a 42% increase in spicy cocktail options.”
In addition, Hood said the overall bourbon had continued to see “solid growth”.
“This [drink] represents a great combination of on-trend tastes coming together in one glass,” the general manager added.
Hood advised the Haberno Mule pairs well with Tex-Mex snacks such as tortilla chips, tacos, loaded nachos, burgers and fajitas.
Phenomenal growth
The serve also offers strong margins for operators, costing around £2.10 per cocktail to create with a sales value of anywhere between £8 and £12.
“[The habanero Mule] unlocks high-margin cocktail growth with minimal preparation and impact on serve times,” Hood continued.
“With that habanero garnish, it’s also an eye-catching serve that will draw attention from other drinkers.
“More importantly, it taps into the phenomenal growth of all-things spice across food and beverage menus, nationwide.”
Habanero Mule
Ingredients:
- 50ml Horse With No Name Bourbon Infused With Habanero
- 40ml Ginger beer
- 1 dash lemon juice
- 1 pc. Habanero pepper
Method:
- Give all the ingredients a good stir with some ice cubes
- Serve in a Lowball glass garnished with a habanero or red chilli pepper
To feature in The MA’s Drinks Masterclass series please email rebecca.weller@wrbm.com. See the previous recipe here.
