June 2025 Drinks Trend Report

June 2025 Cocktail Trends

This June 2025 Drinks Trend Report highlights emerging cocktail trends across major U.S. regions. Bars and hospitality venues nationwide are navigating evolving tastes shaped by seasonality, regional culture, and social media influence.

As the heat of summer rolls in, cocktail bars nationwide are preparing for a spirited, ingredient-driven season. The June 2025 Drinks Trend Report reveals a shift toward locally inspired refreshers and bold flavor compositions. Across the U.S., bartenders are embracing clarified juices, coastal botanicals, and culinary techniques to elevate seasonal sips. Low-ABV builds, foraged garnishes, and nostalgic Americana are all converging behind the bar. From rooftop lounges in Manhattan to trailhead taverns in Oregon, summer menus are being shaped by both regional identity and global influence. This season, cocktails will be lighter, brighter, and more expressive than ever.

ALSO READ: SPIRITS PAIRING CHART

Northeast U.S.

Trend Insight:
In the Northeast, bartenders are leaning into minimalism with herbaceous European spirits. Vermouth and sherry are replacing base spirits in many builds. Additionally, mushroom tinctures and forest flavors have found favor in cocktail-forward restaurants.

Cocktail 1: Greenpoint Spritz
Origin: NYC’s Lower East Side speakeasies

Ingredients:

• 1 oz dry vermouth
• 0.5 oz elderflower liqueur
• 2 oz Prosecco
• 1 oz club soda
• Dash of celery bitters
• Cucumber ribbon and mint sprig garnish

Instructions:
Add vermouth, liqueur, and bitters to a glass with ice. Stir lightly. Top with Prosecco and soda. Garnish.

Cocktail 2: Forager’s Negroni
Origin: Portland, Maine – Hunt + Alpine Club

Ingredients:

• 1 oz mushroom-infused gin
• 1 oz dry vermouth
• 1 oz Suze (gentian aperitif)
• Lemon twist

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Stir with ice. Strain over a large cube. Garnish with lemon.

Mid-Atlantic States

Trend Insight:
Washington D.C., Baltimore, and Philly bars are pushing nostalgic American flavors. Root beer bitters, nutmeg, and cola syrups are making a comeback. Hospitality-led cocktail bars are elevating classics with regional character.

Cocktail 1: Chesapeake Rickey
Origin: Baltimore’s The Bluebird Cocktail Room

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Felene American Handcrafted vodka
• 0.75 oz black cherry shrub
• 0.5 oz lime juice
• Club soda
• Mint sprig

Instructions:
Build vodka, shrub, and lime juice in a highball with ice. Top with club soda. Stir gently. Garnish.

Cocktail 2: Cream City Flip
Origin: Washington D.C.’s Service Bar

Ingredients:

• 1 oz bourbon
• 1 oz Fernet Branca
• 0.5 oz root beer syrup
• Whole egg
• Fresh nutmeg

Instructions:
Dry shake all ingredients. Add ice, shake again. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Southeast U.S.

Trend Insight:
Southern cocktail bars are exploring farm-to-glass authenticity. Local fruit, garden herbs, and homemade tinctures define this season’s drinks. Zero-waste practices are also driving creative syrup alternatives.

Cocktail 1: Savannah Smash
Origin: The Grey, Savannah, GA

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon
• 0.5 oz peach purée
• 0.5 oz lemon juice
• Basil simple syrup
• Mint and peach slice garnish

Instructions:
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain over crushed ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with mint and peach.

Cocktail 2: Carolina Mule
Origin: Raleigh’s Foundation Bar

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz vodka
• 0.5 oz sorghum syrup
• 1 oz lime juice
• House-made ginger beer
• Candied ginger

Instructions:
Shake vodka, syrup, and lime juice. Strain into a copper mug over ice. Top with ginger beer. Garnish.

Midwest

Trend Insight:
In cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, and Detroit, low-ABV cocktails are trending. Local craft spirits and house-aged infusions dominate menus. Smoke, wood, and spice are seasonally appropriate.

Cocktail 1: Lake Effect Spritz
Origin: Detroit’s Castalia

Ingredients:

• 1 oz aquavit
• 0.5 oz grapefruit oleo
• 1 oz dry cider
• 1 oz soda water
• Dill frond garnish

Instructions:
Build ingredients over ice in a stemmed wine glass. Stir gently. Garnish with dill.

Cocktail 2: Cold Fashioned
Origin: Chicago’s Kumiko

Ingredients:

• 2 oz cold brew-infused rye whiskey
• 0.25 oz Demerara syrup
• Coffee bitters
• Orange peel

Instructions:
Stir all ingredients with ice. Strain into rocks glass. Garnish with orange twist.

Pacific Northwest

Trend Insight:
Botanicals and bitter-forward profiles dominate in Seattle and Portland. Local foraged ingredients, like spruce tip syrup and Douglas fir bitters, lead innovation. Sustainability and local sourcing remain top priorities.

Cocktail 1: Spruce Collins
Origin: Seattle’s Navy Strength

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz gin
• 0.75 oz spruce tip syrup
• 0.75 oz lemon juice
• Soda water
• Spruce sprig garnish

Instructions:
Shake gin, syrup, and lemon with ice. Strain into a Collins glass. Top with soda. Garnish.

Cocktail 2: Pacifico Amaro
Origin: Portland’s Deadshot Bar

Ingredients:

• 1 oz amaro
• 0.5 oz mezcal
• 0.5 oz cassis
• 1 oz lemon juice
• Smoked salt rim

Instructions:
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with salt rim and a thyme sprig or fresh bay leaf.

Western U.S. (California + Southwest)

Trend Insight:
In California and the Southwest, Latin American spirits and coastal ingredients inspire cocktail menus. Clarified cocktails and saline tinctures are now featured prominently. Citrus-forward builds remain dominant.

Cocktail 1: Baja Paloma
Origin: San Diego’s Raised by Wolves

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz blanco tequila
• 0.5 oz grapefruit cordial
• 0.25 oz lime juice
• 1 oz soda
• Pinch of smoked sea salt

Instructions:
Build all ingredients in a Collins glass. Stir with ice. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and salt rim.

Cocktail 2: Desert Cream
Origin: Phoenix’s Little Rituals

Ingredients:

• 1 oz vodka
• 1 oz coconut milk
• 0.5 oz prickly pear syrup
• 0.25 oz lime
• Crushed ice

Instructions:
Shake all ingredients until chilled. Strain into a tiki glass with crushed ice. Garnish with dried lime.