What aspects of a drink made behind the bar tickles your fancy? With 2024 being a quarter of the way through, the wondrous world of mixology is bound to evolve as time and new discoveries arise to catch the latest wave of the consumer’s mind and satisfaction.
While the young’ns of today are on the way to be the generation to consume the least alcohol with nearly 30% of drinking-age Gen Zs stating they tend to never drink any alcoholic beverages, that doesn’t mean that the top trends of today will also be on a downward trend. Don’t fret! Mixology trends this time aren’t only hiding behind the “quality over quantity” fence, but are also heavily taking into account the story and process behind each individual concoction.
Fat-Washing, Yes Fat-Washing, But With A Twist!
Fat-washing is the act of manipulating the texture of any drink, be it a cocktail or spirit, to give it this unique silky-smooth sensation. Well, then how does one do it? The process involves infusing any oily supplement such as butter or milk with the drink. The liquid is then frozen so that the fat will become solid, separating from the original drink. The fat is then cut and scraped off. This allows the fat’s taste to remain persistent in the drink.
While the act of fat-washing in itself isn’t that common for the time-being, bartenders across the globe who do already carry out fat-washing have begun experimenting with new oily substitutes that mould the taste of their drinks very much differently. From coconut and sesame oil to duck and chicken fat, the flavors that come from these alternatives give the consumer a special and curated taste that is impossible without dipping your toes into fat-washing. The most popular fat-washing drinks currently seen would be gins mixed with either butter or cheese, but some of the unorthodox fat-washing concoctions on the rise are meat-based ones, mixed with whiskey.
Ready-To-Drink (RTD) Cocktails. Mixology Magic On-The-Go
What is so great, or more so convenient, about RTD cocktails? It is literally what their name says they are – cocktails that are immediately ready to drink once bought. RTD cocktails really struck it big during the COVID-19 pandemic. People were forced to either make their own cocktails, or to go the ready-to-drink route. Ever since then, RTD cocktails have elevated and gotten better and better.
Even though the convenience and flexibility of RTD cocktails is not necessarily needed in 2024, the knowledge that people have learnt from the pandemic years has given alcoholic beverage-drinkers an eye-opening experience. These portable concoctions are not solely favored for on-the-go moments, however, as many tend to also like RTD cocktails in the confinements of a bar. This is due mostly to its simplicity, and once again, convenience. They’re quick to just order and serve. Almost instantaneous at that!
RTD cocktails also provide the ease of buying in bulk. Got a party? Need cocktails for it? You’ll know where to look. Ready-to-go cocktails are definitely a trend that will stay and thrive in 2024. Several bars have tried RTD cocktails, but one that’s put their own unique twist on it would definitely be Woobar at W Kuala Lumpur. Woobar’s ready-to-drink cocktails are unique in the sense that they’re cocktail D.I.Y. sets. Their mixology kits allow anyone to create their very own concoctions at a minute’s notice, coming along with the necessary bar utensils to brew your cocktail perfectly.
ICE, ICE… Cubey? What About Other Shapes?
Ice is such a key aspect of most cocktails, not only to keep the drink cold, but also to provide that stylish artiste’s touch. An element that many tend to miss is the intricacies that can be found in ice. Once you take your eyes off of ice cubes, the world of ice is gargantuan – some may even say it’s as big as a glacier!
The sheer diversity that can be found when crafting the perfect type of ice for a cocktail is unheard-of. Purely having a different shape already sets you leagues above the masses, but adding ingredients into the ice itself? Now you’re talking. There’s already been a plenty of out-of-the-box (or maybe out-of-the-cube) ideas for what to freeze in ice.
Ice and the creativity that comes along with it is without a doubt a cocktail trend that will mix and melt its way right into the mainstream. A freezing topping that cools a drink just to the right temperature.
Wastage No More!
Bars in recent times have become more and more sustainable. With several different sustainable efforts that are seamlessly integrated into these bars’ daily routines and inner-workings, of course consumers have begun turning heads. A bar that provides exquisite drinks while carrying out procedures that help our planet? Now that will get people talking. An example of a bar that has these eco-friendly efforts to a tee would definitely be Woobar.
Woobar has managed to incorporate several different sustainable procedures that are becoming more and more popular as other bars try to adapt to just how green Woobar is. Firstly, Woobar reuses a plethora of any of their ingredients. As Woobar is a part of W Kuala Lumpur, the bar shares its ingredients with the hotel’s other outlets, such as FLOCK, WETDeck, YEN, as well as its in-room dining. This means that ingredients such as fruit peels get unused rather often. The team at Woobar decided to recycle them in their own special ways.
Banana peels, instead of being thrown away, are actually used as a substitute for fries (or chips if you’re from across the ocean). These fries provide a different and more flavourful taste with every bite. Orange peels are also used in a creative way, namely to make oleo. The oleo that Woobar makes is a culmination of orange peels and sugar stored overnight in an air-tight container. Oleo is used as a substitute for flavouring in the beverages themselves, as the peels excrete their natural oils and aromas overnight, mixing with the sugar. This then provides a strong and pungent flavour that is not achievable with any other method of flavouring.
A true promise to W Kuala Lumpur’s passion points, in this case its Taste passion point, that is implemented into all of the leading city escape’s outlets. And these recycling tactics are made even better with the fact that all its produce is local which reduces their carbon emissions by a noticeable margin.
Moving on from that, packed with the sass of a speakeasy, this restaurant also reuses any of their garnishes that go unused. They utilise them in making their fruit tea, often used as a welcome drink to ease guests into its delightful and meticulous concoctions. These garnishes are dehydrated and kept overnight, allowing for their tastes to truly soar when put into a drink the next day.
Lastly, on the topic of sustainability, Woobar puts their foot down in regard to their use of plastic – they don’t! Be it a bottle or a straw, nothing at Woobar has any plastic whatsoever. All bottles seen at the bar are made of glass (this goes for their water bottles too). Their straws are made of biodegradable material that can easily, seamlessly and rapidly degrade back into nature which makes it easier for the average bar-goer to know that wastes aren’t ending up in the bin.
Talk The Talk & Taste The Tastes
Keeping a bar up to par is one thing, elevating it is another, but staying true to your word – that’s a whole other promise. A mixology trend that seems to be picking up steam is the unique and special tastes that are offered with each sip; it needs to be different, be other-worldly. Why else would someone keep coming back to a bar if it weren’t for the palate they have on offer?
Woobar strikes again in this field. Their cocktails and mocktails pack a punch, while managing to tell a complete story that encompases the entire drink. The taste and story of the beverage hold a big responsibilty in maintaining the reputation of not only the bar but also the mixologists behind the drinks themselves. Doing this isn’t easy however, as they can’t just simply over or under do it, they have to be just right.
Yash, the head mixologist over at Woobar who was the 2nd runner up for the MAH KL Bartenders Competition 2023, has made many cocktails that are held in great regard by his guests. One that he holds close to his heart, however, would be the “Granny Jack” which he made after his grandmother. The drink manages to encapsulate the aromas and tastes of his grandmother’s old jackfruit farm, plus the memories there with his brothers, as well as his grandmother’s favourite Guinness beer. He nailed the drink to a tee, and he couldn’t have been happier. “The drink truly has personality”, Yash added.
This head mixologist loves putting himself up for a challenge. Yash stated “one of the challenges I’ve taken on that I hold in high regard would be the time a guest gave me a handful of names for cocktails and challenged me to make drinks that not only resemble their names, but also taste other-worldly. Safe to say, challenges like these truly put my creative juices to the test. And I love a good test.”
Personalities (Even Behind the Bar) Shine Through
Even though the story and personality of a drink matters a lot, the characters behind the drink and the bar matter equally as much. They exude the passion that is truly put into each brew and sip. This is also a trend that seems to be going on the way up in 2024, as it shows that the people behind the bar are genuine with their craft.
Avai, who’s the Liquid Manager at W Kuala Lumpur, handling all beverages on the hotel’s premises, loves interacting with guests – that’s his whole shtick. It’s actually his favourite aspect of mixology. Avai has mentioned how mixology brings people together over shared experiences and tasty beverages. The joy that he experiences when seeing people enjoy his liquid creations makes him feel incredibly fulfilled. He very much adores meeting and talking to new people to spark various conversations. He loves spreading his happiness to all his guests.
Avai started his mixology journey as a complete novice, but through sheer passion and dedication, he rose up the corporate ladder, spearheading several of the hotel’s initiatives, activations and fostering a myriad of connections between guests and brands that result in them coming back to W Kuala Lumpur. These connections, specifically with the brands, have led to a multitude of collaborations for the hotel.
So What Are The Key Takeaways?
Mixology trends for 2024 seem to be focused on convenience, sustainability, as well as personality and uniqueness. But why? These main factors lead to the consumer knowing that they’ll be getting the most bang for their buck, while also putting that money to a good cause.
Want to experience these mixology trends for yourself? Book now at Woobar in W Kuala Lumpur by getting in touch with them at bf.wkualalumpur@whotels.com or +60 12-347 9088.
