At this time of year we always look back and look forward – so what brands did make an impact and what serves were popular in 2022. Gregor Farquharson spoke to Stuart NcPhee of Siberia in Aberdeen, Brian Flynn of Behind The Wall in Falkirk, Keir Beckwith of Gaucho in Glasgow and Fraser McIlwraith of Dark Arts Drinks, the man behind Vodka Wodka. He also checked out what they thought would be the trends for 2023.
Stuart McPhee runs Siberia in Aberdeen and has noticed a few changes in customer habits over the last year. He said, “Cocktails in 2022 have been really huge for us. We are always experimenting and changing our menu to suit different tastes and trends and that has really paid off.
“Pre batching has also been really successful and that really helps to make the workload easier on really busy nights. “
You also have your usuals like spirit mixers which have again been a really popular choice, particularly on the weekends. This year we also noticed a bigger uptake in our whiskey selection. I think that is down to us going on some staff training to teach staff about our whiskys as well as having a much better offering now as well.”
Keir Beckwith, General Manager at Gaucho, Glasgow, has said that by all accounts it was a successful year for the business. The Argentinian steakhouse opened its doors in the city in February and has already become a staple in the city. Keir has said he has noticed that since coming out of lockdown, people seem more inclined to spend that bit more for a premium brand.
He said, “It has been a very strong year for us since opening the doors in February. I think given the current forecast we have been a lot busier than expected. I’ve noticed in particular that champagne has been doing really well for us, especially the higher end options.
“I think after lockdown people are more willing to spend the extra wee bit and have a more premium experience. When people were in lockdown and shopping in supermarkets, they were experimenting with new drinks and that seems to have carried over into the industry.
“It is the same with wine. People are putting more trust in us to help give them a new taste experience. People will spend the extra £10 or so on a bottle to enjoy with a meal. We sell a lot of brands that people may not have heard of before, so people being more willing to try something new has been great. I expect that to continue into next year as well.” In terms of successful brands this year, Stuart said it is the big brands people know that continue to do well.
“We went through a stage of selling loads of Tequila Rose but that trend seems to have slowed down a bit now. When its sunny outside, we sell loads of Kopparberg cider. A bigger change, and one I expect to continue in 2023, is people being more keen to try the more premium products.
“Moretti has been doing really well for us over other beers, and customers are willing to spend an extra wee bit to enjoy the more premium choice. But I can’t really point a finger on what the “It” product will be in 2023.
I think it will remain largely the same, with cocktails still being a real popular choice, but who knows. “People are enjoying being out, albeit coming out less. I think if there is a reason to be out, such as a party or event, people are more inclined to go. We also noticed that we are selling less food and I think that is down to people choosing to go to food specific places when dining, rather than a bar that does food.”
Fraser McIlwraith is the Director at HOSPO Talent, Dark Art Drinks as well as Glasgow Cocktail Collective. In 2022 he has noticed a huge demand for dairy free and vegan products.
Fraser has also seen a bigger demand for pre bottled and kegged cocktails and expects this to be a huge trend in 2023. He said, “Next year I see batch cocktails becoming a really big thing across the industry. More and more bars are beginning to do this and with systems such as the cornelius keg it is becoming a lot easier to set up. I think that customers, as well as staff, are caring more about sustainability so I think batch cocktails will really take off because of this.”
Brian Flynn the boss at Behind The Wall in Falkirk, has had what he described as an uncertain but good year. He said, “It was a decent year for us and its made us feel optimistic about next year.
“In terms of brands that have done really well, the main one would have to be Madri. It has been huge this year and competing with the likes of Tennents as well. We also do a lot of crafty beers and ciders which people also really enjoy trying. Spirits wise, pink gin is still really popular and we incorporate that into many cocktails as well which tend to do well.”
Brian said that Behind The Wall has seen a bigger focus on dining in groups and people wanting to go out for a reason. This is helped with their regular events that are held in their event space. He said: “I have noticed that people are more inclined to go out if there is an event to attend. This could be anything from comedy shows to tribute bands, but people really enjoy them. People are also coming out to dine a lot more I think and when out dining, will be more inclined to upgrade their wine to a bottle rather than a glass. I think having a reason to go out will be something that continues into 2023.”
Here’s hoping!