There’s no more active venue for trends and trials than bars and nightclubs. From fashion to music to interior design to culinary and beverage innovations… So what’s next? What’s history? Here’s a big pitcher look at the landscape now.
Thank you nightclub.com editor, Donna Hood Crecca, for the assist.
WHAT’S IN
• Bartenders putting guest service on par with crafting great cocktails
• Bars, and those who tend them, breaking out as mainstream media darlings
• Pisco, rye and cachaça
• Millennials (born between 1977-1998). They’re coming of age in droves.
• Live entertainment – music and comedians, with social media building the buzz
• Better trained bartenders, thanks to programs like the USBG Master Accreditation, BarSmarts, B.A.R. and more
• Organic, green and sustainable spirits, wine and beer
• Boutique brands — but only of the authentic variety
• Iconic beer brands (think PBR) on the menu alongside eclectic brews (think Allagash White)
WHAT’S OUT
• Drinks with ingredients no one can pronounce
• Telling patrons, “We don’t serve that here.”
• Thinking gin will be the next vodka
• Thinking vodka is over (see above)
• Flat, skunky or poorly poured beer — there’s just no excuse anymore
• Deep, deep drink discounts that deliver no margin and attract the “wrong” guest