Cheers to 2022: The Year of the Revival of the Bar World?

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How has working during a pandemic inspired current bar trends for 2022? And how can the bar scene be revived and the community among bartenders further strengthened? Damien Guichard gives us some insight into what he expects for the new year.
 

With the new year just beginning, I wanted to sit down and write about the bar trends we can look forward to in 2022. However, that's easier said than done. Like most of us, I couldn't help but focus on all the challenges we've faced in the last two years instead of the upcoming trends for this year.

Survival and innovation go hand in hand

After two years of uncertainty and constantly changing plans, it's hard to look ahead without feeling like another Covid wave or lockdown is looming. With so much hanging in the air, bars often seem to focus more on survival than innovation.

Then I realized that this survival is tied to innovation. The pressure over the past two years has produced some great new trends in bars and drinks, and I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Fun is back on the menu

Guests have spent a lot of time at home, and many of them can make their own classics at home. The bar is a place of celebration and sometimes escapism. The drinks we put on our menus reflect that energy. Now is the time for more adventurous drinks, different techniques and unexpected ingredients. The element of the unexpected will play a big role in the coming year, bringing more fun to guests.

Casual and playful drinks

Casual cocktails are also in high demand right now. Lighter drinks, carbonated drinks, anything with bubbles. I'm finding that more and more guests prefer to have several fun, light, casual drinks throughout the evening, rather than one or two stiff drinks. Even the stiff drinks I've been serving lately usually have a fun element or unexpected ingredient. This fun element, especially with casual cocktails, often keeps guests coming back for more.

Carefully considered drink selection

In addition to the conceptual approach, the technical aspects of the drinks we serve have also been adjusted. The bar industry has been hit hard around the world and now every penny counts. This means that ingredients, preparation and menus now need to be carefully considered. Bars that used to do a lot of research and development may not have the headcount now.

Value placed on financial efficiency

Making the best use of products and reducing waste are also important aspects of beverage development. Particular attention is now being paid to the financial efficiency of drinks and menus. Many bars have shifted their focus to a more efficient, low-key menu. A smaller menu with a few excellent cocktails offers far more bang for your buck than a long menu with no clear focus.

Strengthening a sense of community

The pandemic has shifted the focus from global to local, and I look forward to see this intensify by 2022. Bars and brands have become much more focused on their local bar communities. Travel has been made more difficult, and in some cases impossible, and local colleagues and customers are more important than ever. There are fewer tourists and fewer guest shifts, but a much greater appreciation for the local community. Now is the perfect opportunity to refocus branding and promotion at the local level to foster a stronger sense of community. Bars are focusing much more on local regulars. Brands are focusing much more on partnering with local bars and local events.

Community over competition

This trend extends to the bartending community as well. Two Schmucks' motto is "community over competition," and never has this been truer. Local communities should take this opportunity to look out for, encourage and support each other, because that will have a big impact on how we move forward. Instead of seeing other bartenders as competitors, the pandemic has helped us realize that we are all in this together. This is a great opportunity for peer-to-peer education and creating grassroots community support. This is already happening, and I am excited to see what else comes out of this community spirit.

Be part of the revival

But what might concrete ideas look like that strengthen the community? For example, host a workshop for peers on a topic you are good at and have them do the same the following week. Another option would be to write recommendation lists for your guests. Recommend cool bars in the neighborhood to them.

To revive the bar world in 2022, we need each other. Get creative and be part of this revival!