FROM SPRITZ WARS TO SLUSHIE SERVES: WHAT BCB LONDON TOLD US ABOUT SUMMER DRINKING TRENDS

The recent BCB London brought together the bar and beverage world for two days of spirits, sampling and some serious trendspotting. With a mix of established names and emerging producers, it was a great temperature check for where drinks culture is heading next.

From gin brands fighting their way back into the conversation, to spritzes and slushies stealing attention, and agave spirits showing no sign of slowing in the UK, here are the trends that caught our eye.

Gin had its moment. Actually, it had several. There was the craft gin boom, the pink gin boom, the flavoured gin boom, and then a bit of gin fatigue.

But at BCB London, there were signs that the category, which has of course never totally gone away, could make yet another ‘comeback’. Smaller producers in particular seemed focused on giving gin a new reason to be talked about. Colour-changing gins, aged gins and more were all being used to bring fresh energy into a category that consumers may feel has been done to death.

But one thing that’s clear is that gin’s comeback won’t be built on nostalgia. It will be built on reinvention.

Aperol has ‘owned’ summer for years, but if BCB London was anything to go by, it’s got some seriously hot competition.

Spritzes were everywhere. Classics like Aperol and Campari were rivalled by Paloma Spritzes, Sarti Spritzes and even non-alcoholic aperitifs. What was once almost a one-brand serve feels like a format that everyone is getting in on.

It makes sense. The spritz is simple, sociable, and feels both premium and accessible. It works for afternoon, early evening and low-tempo drinking. It also gives brands an easy way to tap into real consumer behaviour, while bringing something new to the glass.

In short, the spritz isn’t going anywhere… but the category is becoming less of a one-horse race.

Spritzes are the polished summer staple, but slushies are bringing the fun factor. Right now, the two seem to be battling it out for the serve of the summer.

Rum, whisky, tequila – you name it, someone had frozen it. We spotted slushies across several stands, including Coca-Cola Mix, Teeling Whiskey and Equal Parts x Brown-Forman UK, proving that the frozen favourite is moving beyond nostalgic novelty and into something with real menu potential.

Could slushies rival spritzes as the summer drinking top pick? Possibly.

Shotting is out, sipping is in. Recent headlines show that tequila is only continuing to gain momentum, with spicy margs, palomas and even the simple tequila & tonic helping to make it one of summer’s hottest spirits. And if tequila is proving more popular than ever, mezcal is just getting started.

The next challenge will be making its discovery feel accessible rather than overly specialist. At BCB, brands were using their space to educate, build intrigue and lean into flavour, craft and provenance.

While agave spirits were everywhere, Calvados is just starting to regain presence.

For a long time, Calvados has suffered from being seen as too traditional or niche, but that could now be a strength. As consumers look beyond the obvious and bartenders search for ingredients with depth, provenance and a point of difference, Calvados is reintroducing itself.

The trick will be modernising how it is talked about and served. Less dusty digestif, more cocktail-friendly, food-pairing, provenance-rich spirit with character.

One of the biggest things we noticed was how the brands with the budget to do so were recreating the on-trade experience on stand. Signature serves, bar-style activations, bartender-led storytelling and menu inspiration all played a role. The strongest stands helped visitors imagine not just what the product tastes like, but where it fits: on a menu, in a venue, during a specific occasion, in the hands of a specific drinker.

It’s a reminder for any drinks brand – experience is a great sales tool.

The real takeaway for brands is that liquid alone is no longer enough. The strongest drinks companies were not just talking about taste. They were building stories around serves, occasions and experiences. They created a reason for people to care. Why now? Why this serve? Why this occasion? Why should a bartender add it to the menu, a journalist write about it, or a consumer choose it over something they already know and love?

That’s where we can support. The right PR strategy can turn a product into a talking point, a serve into a summer trend and a heritage category into something that feels relevant again. It can help brands own occasions, build bartender advocacy, educate consumers without overcomplicating things, and create stories that travel beyond the trade show floor and bring a brand to life in a way people *actually* want to talk about.

We know cut-through comes from connecting product, culture and occasion. Whether it’s helping a challenger take on a category leader or turning a serve into the drink of the summer, the job is the same: give people a reason to care, talk and try.