Summer means cocktails on a patio, at the beach or by the pool. With hot weather on the rise, what better way than to take stock of the alcohol trends for summer 2021! While some drinks return every summer, 2021 has introduced us to some new drinks that are sure to be popular with consumers.
Rosé wine
Let’s face it, rosé is good all year round! But in the summer, this drink is particularly sought after, both as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to a dish. Whether you prefer it dry, fruity, sweet or chilled, this brightly colored wine will certainly refresh your palate. With over 250 rosé choices on the Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ) website, you are sure to find something to suit your taste. Several Quebec options are also available, so it’s time to take advantage of them!
Hard Seltzers
A newcomer to the ready-to-drink world is the hard seltzer. The popularity of this drink has exploded in the last year and many Quebec brands have joined this trend. The hard seltzer takes the form of a fruit-flavored sparkling water, with little alcohol taste. The popularity of this type of alcohol is due to the fact that these drinks are often low in calories, easy to find in the SAQ or in grocery stores and that they are soft, refreshing and easy to drink. Will you dare to adopt the trend?
The aperol spritz
The spritz or aperol spritz is once again back in the drinking trends for the summer of 2021. This drink of Italian origin is composed of gentian-based liqueur with a bitter orange taste, dry Prosecco-style sparkling wine and sparkling water. The original recipe has been adapted to Quebec, as many distilleries have released their version of bitter liqueur in recent years. You can make the recipe at home with these three ingredients, or buy a ready-to-drink version directly from the SAQ.
Ready-to-drink
The perfect cocktail to take on your picnics, your outings to the park or around a fire is clearly the ready-to-drink! In the form of mojito, spritz, cider, wine, sangria, amaretto, gin-based drink or sweet cocktail, these drinks have the advantage of being served in individual portions. This makes it easier to serve yourself a single drink, since you don’t have to open a big bottle. The rise in popularity of ready-to-drink drinks means that a wide variety is available, both at the SAQ and in grocery stores.
Alcohol-free
Gone are the days when the only non-alcoholic option was lemonade or virgin bloody caesar! Non-alcoholic cocktails have really evolved and many interesting drinks have arrived on the shelves. Whether it’s in spirit form or ready-to-drink, they’ll make you forget you’re drinking a virgin drink. You can also find many Quebec mocktail options at the SAQ or in grocery stores.
