Spring into planning for next yearโs drinks โ itโs never too early to start thinking about seasonal creations.
Naturally as a drinks manufacturer of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, this month weโve been exploring Spring flavours for 2025. From fresh mint and tart fruits for cordials and cocktails, to fresh fruits and bright blossoms to colour drinks, start sowing seeds for 2025 now with our Spring Drink Ideas.
Classic Spring flavours
So many flavours are synonymous with Spring โ from sweet strawberry or melon and tart rhubarb to fragrant rose and refreshing mint.
Early Spring varieties of berries like strawberries and blueberries can set Spring drink trends for 2025 โ creating blueberry lemonades or blueberry mimosas, for example. These ingredients can also highlight provenance or sustainability credentials to align with wider drink trends year-round.
There are plenty of Spring blooming citruses to make Spring drink flavours too, like lemon, lime and grapefruit and more unusual kumquats. Furna restaurant in Brighton used a blood orange infused vodka with lemon and homemade marmalade in its Lady Marmalade cocktail earlier this year. Citrus blossoms like orange blossom will work in Spring cocktails too, adding a crisp, bitter flavour.
Floral flavours & Bright colours
Vibrant and fragrant flowers can be used to create luxurious-feeling Spring cocktail drinks.
The New York Times this year labelled lavender as Springโs equivalent to Autumnโs pumpkin spice. The sweet-spicy floral works well in flavoured coffees, lemonades, and RTDs alike. With the same hue and similar sweet flavours, mid-May blooming violet is another fresh Spring flavour, as already used in Boeโs violet flavoured gin.
Pretty pinks from cherry blossom offer the same bright colours for drinks, but with a softer, almond-like flavour. Restaurant Pine in Northumberland uses a cherry blossom syrup with homemade lemon geranium bitters in one of its cocktails.
May-blooming elderflower offers a softer, subtler flavoured spring drink flavour, suiting the annual re-emergence of the ever-popular, lower-ABV Spritzes.
Florals like magnolia, lilac and honeysuckle also offer easy start points to be worked into drinks. These ingredients also suit the ongoing trend for eye-catching, brightly-coloured drinks.
Stylish staples of the Spring season offer rich inspiration for drinks too. This yearโs Chelsea Flower Show set the tones for the year ahead, with the same vibrant shades of pinks, purples and yellows that burst from flower displays later being seen on catwalks and in cocktail glasses alike.
Sour Spring flavours
Spring drinks can keep up with the sour drinks trend by adding seasonal variations. Spring harvests of rhubarb can add tart and sour tastes to Spring cocktails or soft drinks, or additions like lemon or vinegar can sour sweeter ingredients. Hotel chain The Pig uses a homemade rhubarb cordial and rhubarb flavoured vodka across some of its cocktails and mocktails.
Rhubarbโs intense flavour suits the retro drinks trend too, reminiscent of childhood favourite, rhubarb and custard candies. Sorella bar in London uses the flavour in its Pink Collins, alongside a Vault vermouth, crรจme de fraise, and hibiscus gin.
International flavours for Spring beverages
Spring drinks can signal the joy of summer being just around the corner by sharing exotic or escapist global flavours.
The growing trend for Granita โ the Sicilian shaved ice dessert โ can be emulated with slushie syrups. Global granitas are already combining Spring flavours, like Tokyo bar Carmineโs Sakura granita and Askham Hallโs rhubarb, blood orange and Campari granita. Adult slushies can also offer a fresh take by using seasonal Spring flavours, like Meril barโs Lushie, a cocktail combining seasonal fruits and premium spirits.
Holiday classics like Sangria and Limoncello can be recreated using fruits that come into season earlier on the continent; since strawberries and lemons are harvested across Spain and Italy, respectively, from as early as January. With Spanish cuisine trending more broadly and drinkers seeking lower ABV serves, Sherry could be a good Spring cocktail option too. The sweet fortified wineโs flavour pairs well with Spring flavours like strawberries, rose and cherry blossom.
And tropical fruit flavours like mango, which is in season from May, are ideal for Spring cocktail drinks โ like LOS barโs tequila, mango, lime, pineapple and coconut foam cocktail served in Brisbane.
For Spring flavours from further afield, South East Asian botanicals are the answer, like Philippino ube, a purple yam. Bambu bar in Melbourne uses it to give a rich purple colour to its Tropic Thunder cocktail; combining ube, rum, lemon and coconut.
At Simpsonโs Beverages, weโre already working with brands on flavours for Spring 2025 and beyond. Chat to our team to start your planning.
Image source: Trendhubย The Food People 2024