You Can Sip Your Cocktail And Save The Planet Too, Here’s How!
Creativity is the heartbeat of the cocktail industry. Think about it, nobody would want to drink the same cocktail every Friday! There’s only so many times you can post a picture of a Cosmopolitan on your Instagram page, right? People like us love trying new things and that’s what makes cocktail creators concoct newer and trendier cocktails all the time.
For instance, over the years, I have seen trends like spicy, sugar-free, fermented, smoky cocktail and what not. I tried them, loved them (maybe hated them too) and then forgot about them. But this year, there’s a new trend in the cocktail world that’s devised for more than enjoying and sharing on your Instagram page. It’s not just a fad but a movement of sorts.
Meet Sustainable Cocktails, the new trend of mixed drinks that not only keeps you happy but could help save the environment too.
I first heard about this trend at World Class 2019, a bartending competition. The bartenders were whipping up cocktails using a single resource to the fullest and minimising bar waste. Which means, I can have my cocktail and save the planet too!
At World Class, Ketel One has been the inspiration for bartenders to re-think the way they prepare their cocktails. Since vodka naturally pairs well with most ingredients, from the peel to the pulp, it is the perfect spirit to concoct a sustainable cocktail.
Take my word for it, this trend is going to be the next big thing. And, you too can hop on to this sustainable cocktail bandwagon, by following these easy hacks when mixing up a drink.
Go seasonal and local
Using seasonal fruits in cocktails makes them fresher and full of natural flavour. That’s the reason why mango cocktails are popular in summer. But you may wonder, what does this have to do with sustainability? The simple answer is, using fresh ingredients minimises your carbon footprint.
Upscale and Recycle
When life gives you lemons, there’s more you can do than just juicing it. It takes a lot of resources and money to grow a single ingredient. For instance, lemon juice is often used in cocktails. However, you don’t have to discard the rest as soon as you juice it up. The peels, rinds, roots, leaves and seeds can all be upcycled as part of a new cocktail creation. You can use them for garnish or for flavouring, there’s a lot of possibilities.
World Class 2019 saw a bunch of competing bartenders get creative when it came to the use of a single ingredient in their Ketel One Sustainability Challenge.
Mukesh Patwal, the bartender from Sidecar in Delhi created a cocktail using orange in multiple ways. Right from infusing Ketel One with orange, to dehydrating orange slices for garnish and using it as flavouring powder, he uses the whole ingredient. Now that’s what you call a sustainable cocktail!
Follow World Class India on Instagram for more such sustainable cocktails.
Skip the plastic
The most basic step you can take to embrace sustainability is to get rid of plastics in every way at the bar. You can transition to environmental-friendly options like bamboo straws or better yet, straws made from your cocktail ingredients.
For instance, World Class 2019 contender Rohit Gaurav used corn as the main ingredient in his cocktail. He then went to use the corncob as the straw for the cocktail. How innovative is that!
Sustainability is more than just creating environmentally friendly cocktails, it’s a way of thinking.
Are you ready to give sustainability a shot too?
*Drink Responsibly!
