Shaken, Stirred, And Storytelling: Rise Of Alco-Bev Culture In 2024

The food and beverage industry plays a significant role in the world of hospitality. Like all other segments, the beverage industry is ever-evolving and witnesses newer trends every season based on the preferences of customers. With the focus on innovative approaches, experimental flavours, use of seasonal ingredients and eco-conscious practices this season, the beverage landscape has seen an exponential growth in India.

With the growing demand for high quality spirits and speciality bars and with today’s adventurous consumer excited about trying new spirits, the cocktail scene is booming in India.

Shift in cocktail culture

Looking back, if there is one major beverage trend to pinpoint for 2024, it has been the obvious shift in cocktail culture — to reflect a focus on storytelling, points out Vikram Achanta, Founder- CEO, Tulleeho and Co-Founder, 30BestBarsIndia. He says, “Beverage programs are now dedicated to featuring curated and thematic menus, narrating the larger story of what goes into the consumer’s glass. This attention to detail is evident in the choice of technique, style of preparation and presentation, and the selection of ingredients—all of which give consumers a deeper appreciation of the nuances in a cocktail. The beginning of 2024 saw the rise of low ABV and no ABV cocktail programs— celebrating hyper local ingredients and innovative approaches in mocktail-making.” The agave and tequila phenomenon has been undeniably popular, with dedicated agave-focused bar menus bringing the best of tequilas and mezcals onto the forefront.

The cocktail scene has evolved in India, what with specialty bars offering innovative twists on classic drinks. Both trends highlight a growing demand for high-quality spirits. Leti Blagoeva, Co-Founder, D’YAVOL, elaborates, “The neutrality of vodka makes it a top choice for both consumers and mixologists. With our Single Estate Vodka, we have noticed that the sipping culture is increasingly taking hold. This trend mirrors what is happening in other categories such as Scotch whisky, where consumers wanting sipping spirits are looking for high quality whiskies.”

Year of wins

For the alco-bev industry, 2024 has been a year of wins—both literally and figuratively. “With the growing number of Indian beverages securing accolades on the global stage—such as Godawan’s double triumph at the London Spirits Competition and the World Whisky Masters—the global spotlight is on Indian-origin spirits. India’s consumption of whisky has grown exponentially, and so has the appreciation for home-grown, artisanal craft spirits.

Consumers are immersing themselves to understand the grain-to-glass experience, and are increasingly seeking liquids which possess a character and stature of their own, celebrating the Indian story behind the spirit,” affirms Vikram Damodaran, Chief Innovation Officer, DIAGEO India.

With consumers keen on acquiring limited-editions and special small-batches crafted with a purpose, collectible culture is a point of inflection. He adds, “Our experience with Godawan 100 and Godawan Exclusive to the Palaces of Taj stands testament to this growing demand for iconic whiskies.

Sharing notes on the most sought-out beverages in 2024, HV Chinoy, Director of South Seas Distilleries, marks, “Single malts from India are garnering impressive recognition both domestically and internationally. Today, we are seeing highly aged malts matured in our warm climate, which means that some of the whiskies coming from India are equivalent to those aged for decades in cooler climates. As one of the country’s oldest malt producers, we have a rich legacy of maturing malts.” These exceptional, highly aged single malts are rare and distinctive, and with more of these emerging from India, the world is seeing the rise of a new centre for outstanding and high-quality whiskies.

Increase in demand

Driven by evolving consumer preferences and a growing trend towards premiumisation, the Indian beer industry is also undergoing a remarkable transformation.

“Although craft beer represents less than 1% of the market, it is expanding rapidly at 70-80% annually, highlighting a shift towards more artisanal and unique flavours. This trend is particularly evident in urban areas, where consumers are increasingly willing to pay a premium for a superior beer experience, and in tier II and III cities, where the demand for premium craft beers is rising,” advocates Narayan Manepally, Co-Founder of Geist Brewing Co. “We recognise the importance of staying attuned to global trends and adapting them to meet local tastes. We have focused on introducing craft lagers, which are gaining traction worldwide as balanced and easily drinkable alternatives to heavily hopped beers,” he tells.

The rising popularity of niche categories reflects a broader desire for quality and diversity in choices.

Rakshay Dhariwal, Founder & Managing Director, Maya Pistola Agavepura, states, “2024 so far has been celebrating the popularity of tequila and agave, paving the way for agave spirits as the category of choice—for sipping experiences as well as cocktail blends. Premium aged agaves, along with new celebrity-backed launches and luxury variants, are the rage now, pushing the needle on agave as the parent category to rapidly expand. The beverage audience is beginning to appreciate the nuances of sipping high-quality matured agave spirits, and there is a specific interest coming up for pure 100% agaves.”

He sums it up with, “Today’s exposed and adventurous consumer is excited about trying and tasting new-world spirits, thanks to their unique and diverse flavour profiles. As this evolves, there will be a bigger focus on high-quality, unique collectibles—for 2024 and beyond.”