Franklin & Sons: ‘The spirits category is expanding’

If you’re to believe the headlines, the spirits category has undergone a huge shift this year, marked by the waning of the “Ginaissance”. While headlines may have proclaimed the end of the gin boom, the reality is that the changes are more nuanced and gradual, and present significant opportunities for restaurants and operators.

Founded in 1886, after a trip across the Atlantic to discover what prohibition-era Americans were drinking if not alcohol, Franklin & Sons are award-winning independent creators of mixers, with an ethos rooted in flavour discovery and exploration. Nearing 140 years-old, the brand has thrived through many mixer, soft, and spirit trends – and reveal the trends they’re seeing as the spirit category widens.

James Stimson, the Senior Brand Manager at Franklin & Sons, notes: “Across the board, we’ve noticed a shift in consumer preference towards premium serves, and cocktails even with operators that would traditionally shift higher volumes of house spirits and value tonic. As consumers feel the pinch with the rising cost of living, they’d rather indulge in a quality serve that delivers a remarkable moment and memorable experience – such as a Franklin & Sons Premium Indian Tonic Water or one of our dual-flavoured tonics. House spirits and value tonics are being avoided as a result, and often left to at-home drinking. We’d recommend stocking a diverse spirit range across all categories and encouraging staff to learn what makes these categories so interesting and special. This way consumers can be guided through their choices and aided in understanding the breadth of your offering.

“Non-alcoholic serves are also taking some market share from gin. The leaders in gin volume have emphasised rallying results in their non-alcoholic offerings – and we’ve seen very similar trends across the industry. Don’t get hung up on stocking a non-alcoholic alternative for every spirit on your bar – a non-alcoholic gin can set the expectations that it should taste like a gin, and there are plenty of remarkable non-alcoholic spirits in the market that capture the essence of a base spirit without drawing a comparison. Non-alcoholic cocktails offer more interest and excitement to the consumer, while upselling them from a non-alcoholic spirit and mixer.

“Spritz cocktails, are another area where we’re seeing huge growth. These easy to understand ‘wine-based’ serves are having their moment, and we predict exciting infusions of flavour in this category, with unique modifiers, helping the cocktail stand out and continue increasing consumer demand. The spritz conjures up feelings of warmth, images of Mediterranean terraces and slowing life down a little. It is the perfect cocktail expression for exploring and stepping slightly away from your spirit and mixer serve – and with just three base ingredients, diverse and exotic flavours can be combined in a way that’s still easy to upsell and digest.”

“Alongside consumers trading up to premium gin, we’ve seen them trading across to up-and-coming spirits with an air of discovery around them. Rum and tequila are leading this trend, with vermouths and bitter liqueurs also in the sights of consumers looking beyond household-name gins and vodkas. Tequila is an interesting spirit category – chief among the serves synonymous with this spirit is the paloma, alongside margaritas and other tequila classics. As the official mixer sponsor of Pub in the Park over the summer, we’ve seen our paloma serve, quickly become our best seller, highlighting just how much demand there is for tequila serves among the discerning foodie-consumer.”

Here are five serves that tap into these trends with Franklin & Sons:

Orange and ginger spritz with Franklin & Sons Mandarin & Ginger Soda​

A drink that will transport you to a sunny Venetian veranda. It is bitter-sweet and balanced, long and refreshing, and perfect for lifting spirits and toasting ‘good health’.

Ingredients​
o 30ml Martini Fiero
o 50ml prosecco
o 20ml freshly squeezed orange
o 50ml Franklin & Sons Mandarin & Ginger Soda
o Orange peel (to garnish)

Method​
Fill a wine glass with ice, then add all the ingredients. Gently stir and top with more ice if required. Garnish with an orange peel.

Raspberry and pineapple spritz with Franklin & Sons Pineapple & Almond Soda​​

Take a trip down memory lane with Franklin & Sons raspberry and pineapple spritz, a refreshing and nostalgic cocktail that will transport your back in time with every sip. This spritz will leave you craving twists on classic cocktails from the past.

Ingredients​
o 25ml Chambord raspberry liqueur
o 50ml white wine
o 75ml Franklin & Sons Pineapple & Almond Soda
o Lime peel (to garnish)

Method​
Fill a wine glass with ice, then add all the ingredients. Gently stir and top with more ice if required. Garnish with a lime peel to serve.

Paloma spritz with Franklin & Sons Pink Grapefruit Soda​​

If you’re looking for a twist on a classic Paloma… Franklin & Sons have you covered. The Paloma spritz combines the citrusy flavours from Franklin & Sons Grapefruit Soda with the herbaceous complexity of red vermouth to create a complex and refreshing summer tipple.

Ingredients​
o 30ml Patron silver tequila
o 15ml fresh lime juice
o 30ml Cocchi Americano
o 75ml Franklin & Sons Grapefruit Soda
o Grapefruit peel (to garnish)

Method​
Fill a wine glass with ice, then add all the ingredients. Gently stir and top with more ice if required. Garnish with a grapefruit peel to serve.

No Sin Spritz with Franklin & Sons Guava & Lime Soda​​

A zero ABV serve championing one of the originators of the ‘no ABV spirit’ movement. Fragrant, spiced and fresh for the ‘no ABV’ drinker or someone looking for something different.

Ingredients​
o 50ml Seedlip Spice 94
o 25ml fresh grapefruit juice
o 75ml Franklin & Sons Guava & Lime Soda
o Slice of grapefruit (to garnish)
o Slice of lime (to garnish)

Method​
Fill a wine glass with ice, then add all the ingredients. Gently stir and top with more ice if required. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a slice of lime to serve.

Elderflower spritz with Franklin & Sons Elderflower & Cucumber Tonic Water​

Elderflower Spritz is a refreshing and delicate serve that captures the essence of a spring day in bloom. Elderflower is the star of the show combined with Franklin & Sons Elderflower & Cucumber Tonic Water to create a remarkable summer tipple.

Ingredients​
o 30ml St Germain elderflower liqueur
o 65ml white wine
o 5ml fresh lemon
o 50ml Franklin & Sons Elderflower & Cucumber Tonic Water
o Slice of cucumber (to garnish)
o Lemon peel (to garnish)

Method​
Fill a wine glass with ice, then add all the ingredients. Gently stir and top with more ice if required. Garnish with a slice of cucumber and a lemon peel.

Franklin & Sons sponsored the Cocktail List of the Year award at this year's National Restaurant Awards. For more information, click here​​. ​