Drink • 5 min read
Drink trends for 2027
Low and no grows up, English sparkling holds its ground, and the bar becomes a piece of theatre.
Drinking habits in the UK are still shifting toward less alcohol but better quality, and event bars are following. The change is no longer a token mocktail on the menu — it is a properly designed alternative list that people choose for its own sake.
Low and no, done well
Expect zero-proof aperitivo serves, alcohol-free sparkling made by proper method rather than sweetened grape juice, and kombucha or verjus as an acidic base for complex non-alcoholic cocktails. Price them the same as the alcoholic list and put them at the top of the menu — that single decision changes how many people order them.
English drinks, local names
English sparkling wine is now the default welcome drink at a good UK event, and guests notice a named estate. The same goes for Surrey and Hampshire gin, cider from the south east, and beer from a brewery guests could actually visit. Local sourcing is a story your bar staff can tell in one sentence.
- Batched signature serves so the queue moves
- A short, sharp menu — four cocktails beats twelve
- Slow-serve theatre: a smoking cart, a tableside negroni trolley
- Proper glassware; it changes perceived quality more than the spirit does
Service is the trend
One bartender per 50 guests during a reception is the working minimum; below that, the bar becomes the queue people remember. Pre-batching, a dedicated pouring station for the welcome drink and table service for wine at dinner all buy back time at the bar.
