10 Up-and-Coming Beverage Trends to Watch For

You could see some new trends popping up when it comes to beverages, especially as people get more creative in quarantine.  S&D Coffee & Tea and Nation’s Restaurant News teamed up to commission a survey to discover what kind of changes you could expect on the national beverage scene in 2020.

1. Nitrogen
   Cold brew coffee just isn’t enough anymore. Now, caffeine lovers want their cold brew with a shot of nitrogen, which results in a smoother, creamier mouthfeel. The nitrogen trend is spreading to more beverages, too, with nitrogen tea, lemonade and other beverages becoming more mainstream.
2. Sustainability
   Sustainable ingredients aren’t just for your dinner plate. They’re popping up on beverage menus as well, especially when it comes to the coffee industry.
3. Carbonation
   Just like with nitrogen, more bars, restaurants, coffee houses and beverage producers are creating craft sodas and other beverages with a shot of carbonation, such as carbonated coffees and teas.
4. High-Tech Freezing
   Mixologists are using a new method simply called switching to create flavorful new drinks. During the switching process, a high-proof spirit is frozen to such a cold temperature the water separates out of the spirit and then that frozen water is replaced with a different liquid, such as juice or tea. This gives the spirit a new flavor without diluting it.
5. Adaptogens
   More consumers are looking for beverages with “adaptogens,” ingredients that help the body better deal with stress. Popular adaptogens include root ginseng, rhodiola, ashwagandha, mushrooms and more.
6. CBD
   About 10 percent of operators are considering adding CBD to coffee in their operations, while more than 25 percent are considering adding CBD to their tea offerings.
7. Nootropics
   Similar to drinks with adaptogens, more drinks now have nootropics, or ingredients intended to enhance brain function, such as choline, L-theanine and acetyl-L-carnitine.
8. Water Kefir
   Water kefir is growing in popularity. Water kefir is a vegan drink similar to kombucha and kefir. Lactic acid, bacteria and yeast are added to water or coconut water and then allowed to ferment. The sour drink offers lots of gut-friendly health benefits.
9. Plant-Based Drinks
   Plant-based drinks continue to gain popularity, with alternative milks and fruit- and vegetable-based drinks taking precedence over dairy.
10. Alcohol-Free
    More and more consumers are going sober, with no-alcohol beers, wines and cocktails becoming more popular, thanks to the sober curious movement.