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Cocktail trends

What's trending for 2026

Every year we look at what's actually moving in the cocktail world and build a few onto our tap menu. Here's what's hot right now, plus a few classics that never really leave.

Last updated for 2026 · refreshed seasonally

Trending now

2026 is leaning into lighter, more intentional drinking — low-ABV spritzes, bold citrus, and a return to savory, layered flavours.

Garibaldi cocktail with fresh orange juice and Campari in a tall glass, garnished with an orange wheel
Rising fast

The Garibaldi

Fresh orange juice and Campari, built simple and bright. It's having a real moment as the go-to low-ABV aperitivo this year — equal parts refreshing and effortless.

Built on tap, finished with fresh-squeezed orange.

Modern spritz cocktail with prosecco and bittersweet aperitif, garnished with a citrus twist
Still climbing

The Modern Spritz

Low-ABV, endlessly variable, and made for long, easy gatherings — bittersweet Italian aperitifs paired with sparkling wine and a twist of citrus.

A natural fit for our prosecco tap.

Savoury umami-forward martini garnished with mushrooms and a sage leaf
Adventurous pick

Savoury & Umami-Forward

Briny, herbal, and a little unexpected — think a martini-style pour with a savoury twist. Not for every guest list, but a memorable addition for couples who want something different.

Best suited to our muddled, hand-finished service.

Elevated alcohol-free mocktail with smoked citrus and sage garnish
Bigger every year

The Elevated Mocktail

Alcohol-free is no longer an afterthought — guests expect a non-alcoholic option with the same care and presentation as everything else on the menu.

Already built into every drink we batch — ours start as mocktails by default.

The classics

Trends come and go — these never really leave the menu, and for good reason.

Fresh mojito with mint, lime, and crushed ice in a tall glass
Forever popular

The Mojito

Bright, herbaceous, and crowd-pleasing across every age group — light rum, fresh lime, fresh mint, and a little sugar.

Mint can't go through a tap — this one's muddled fresh, every time.

Classic margarita with a salted rim and fresh lime wheel
Always a top order

The Margarita

Sweet, sour, and a little salty — tequila and lime in perfect balance. Still one of the most requested drinks at any event we work.

Batched and kegged for easy, consistent pouring all night.

His & hers pairings

Most couples pick a rosé for one tap and something a little bolder for the other — here are a few pairings we love right now.

Rosé spritz cocktail in a coupe glass with an orange twist garnish

Hers: Rosé Spritz

Light, dry rosé on tap, topped with a splash of soda and a twist of citrus.

&
Smoky paloma cocktail with grapefruit, lime, and a smoked sage garnish

His: Smoky Paloma

Grapefruit, lime, and a mezcal twist on the classic Paloma — bold and a little smoky.

Garibaldi cocktail with fresh orange juice and Campari

Hers: Garibaldi

Fresh orange and Campari — bright, low-ABV, and endlessly photogenic.

&
Classic old fashioned cocktail with a large ice sphere, cherry, and orange twist garnish

His: Classic Old Fashioned

Bourbon, bitters, and a single large ice cube — built simple, never out of style.

The full recipes

Every recipe below, ready to batch, keg, or muddle — exactly how we'd build it on the truck.

Garibaldi cocktail with fresh orange juice and Campari

The Garibaldi

Kegged & tapped

Ingredients (per batch)

  • 2 parts fresh orange juice, strained
  • 1 part Campari
  • A splash of soda water to finish

Method

Batch the orange juice and Campari together and load the keg. Pour over ice and top with a splash of soda at service. Garnish with an orange wheel.

Calculate a batch for this recipe

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Modern spritz cocktail with prosecco and bittersweet aperitif

The Modern Spritz

Kegged & tapped

Ingredients (per batch)

  • 3 parts prosecco
  • 2 parts Italian bittersweet aperitif
  • 1 part soda water

Method

Combine and keg cold. Pour over ice, garnish with a citrus twist or olive depending on the season.

Calculate a batch for this recipe

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Savoury umami-forward martini garnished with mushrooms and sage

Savoury & Umami-Forward Martini

Muddled & finished

Ingredients (per glass)

  • 2.5 oz gin
  • 0.5 oz dry vermouth
  • A few drops of olive brine or mushroom-infused syrup
  • Olive or shiitake garnish

Method

Stirred to order, not batched — this one needs a bartender's attention to balance the savoury notes correctly for each guest's taste.

Calculate a batch for this recipe

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Elevated alcohol-free mocktail with smoked citrus and sage garnish

The Elevated Mocktail

Batched, alcohol-optional

Ingredients (per batch)

  • Fresh-pressed seasonal fruit juice
  • A house-made botanical syrup (citrus, herb, or floral)
  • Soda water to finish
  • Spirit of choice, added per glass on request

Method

Build the non-alcoholic base first and batch it. At service, every glass starts as a mocktail — alcohol is added only if and when a guest asks for it.

Calculate a batch for this recipe

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Fresh mojito with mint, lime, and crushed ice

The Mojito

Muddled & finished

Ingredients (per glass)

  • 2 oz light rum
  • 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 8-10 fresh mint leaves
  • Soda water to top

Method

Muddle mint with sugar and lime juice. Add rum and ice, top with soda. Mint can't go through a tap line — this one's always built fresh, glass by glass.

Calculate a batch for this recipe

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Classic margarita with a salted rim and fresh lime wheel

The Margarita

Kegged & tapped

Ingredients (per batch)

  • 2 parts tequila
  • 1 part orange liqueur
  • 1 part fresh lime juice
  • Salt for the rim

Method

Batch and keg cold. Pour over ice into a salt-rimmed glass, garnish with a lime wheel.

Calculate a batch for this recipe

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Rosé spritz cocktail in a coupe glass with an orange twist garnish

Rosé Spritz

Kegged & tapped

Ingredients (per batch)

  • 3 parts dry rosé
  • 1 part soda water
  • A splash of elderflower liqueur, optional

Method

Batch the rosé with elderflower liqueur if using, and keg cold. Top with soda water at service. Pour over ice, garnish with an orange twist.

Calculate a batch for this recipe

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Smoky paloma cocktail with grapefruit, lime, and a smoked sage garnish

Smoky Paloma

Kegged & tapped

Ingredients (per batch)

  • 2 parts mezcal
  • 3 parts fresh grapefruit juice
  • 1 part fresh lime juice
  • A splash of soda water to finish

Method

Batch the mezcal, grapefruit, and lime juice together and keg cold. Pour over ice, top with soda, and garnish with a charred or fresh sage leaf for a smoky aroma.

Calculate a batch for this recipe

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Classic old fashioned cocktail with a large ice sphere, cherry, and orange twist garnish

Classic Old Fashioned

Muddled & finished

Ingredients (per glass)

  • 2 oz bourbon
  • 2-3 dashes aromatic bitters
  • 1 sugar cube or 0.25 oz simple syrup
  • Orange twist and a cherry to garnish

Method

Muddle the sugar with bitters, add bourbon and a large ice cube, stir until chilled. This one's built glass by glass, not kegged — it's about the single big cube and the slow dilution.

Calculate a batch for this recipe

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Trend insights drawn from 2026 industry trend reporting, including the Bacardi Cocktail Trends Report and several hospitality industry sources, then adapted into recipes that suit our tap-and-batch service model. Recipes here are our own.

Want any of these on tap at your event?

Tell us your two, and we'll build the rest — these trends and more are all fair game for your tap menu.

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