Sometimes, the best things do come in small packages, says Tyler Zielinkski as he tracks the trend of small-format cocktails.
Drinking less but better is far from a groundbreaking trend, with numerous studies in recent years finding that consumers, especially Gen Z-ers, are prioritising mindful drinking over overindulgence. But while that phenomenon does incite some uncertainty from a mezcal shot-loving Millennial who is concerned about whether this younger generation even knows what real, raucous fun looks like – the jury’s still out on that one – the trend of choosing quality over quantity when on the sauce has led to the prevalence of tiny cocktails on bar menus globally, and that’s something most imbibers have wholeheartedly embraced.
Before tiny cocktails nudged their way into the conversation in the past few years, the low-abv drink segment – which saw a 47% volume increase in 2023, and is set to grow 19% in the next five years (IWSR) – mostly consisted of Spritzes or other carbonated beverages based with vermouths and aperitifs. But with the popularisation of these small-format serves that are diversifying low-abv drinking by offering a wider range of cocktail style, guests can now enjoy their favourite cocktail – be it a Martini, Daiquiri or Irish Coffee – without sacrificing flavour or style.
At Farrands in Leeds, where inclusivity and accessibility drive the curation of the bar experience, a concise selection of four “tiny tipples” are featured on the menu, including a Martini and Charlie Chaplin (sloe gin, apricot brandy, lime juice). “I have found that guests opt for the taster flight instead of a single, full-sized cocktail, indulging in a choice of three tiny drinks at an accessible price,” says Amy Edgley, Farrands’ general manager, who highlights how miniature cocktails also offer more flavour for your buck.
She adds that the quaint nature of the serves is also an unexpected draw, with one order of a tiny tasting flight having a “domino effect” with other guests throughout the bar who want to get in on this novel way of cocktailing – even if it’s just for the photo opp. In Manchester, Blinker Bar first introduced small-format drinks to the menu as “a shot replacement so guests weren’t sinking full strength alcohol shots in the venue for the sake of it”, says owner Dan Berger.
“I wanted to have a pre-batched cocktail that staff could suggest as an alternative that was in line with the rest of the offering at Blinker. In the first few months they were served in a shot glass, but then we put more thought into the offering and tweaked the serves to be more like a cocktail in proper glassware. “These were remarkably well received by guests and we started to see a shift in the sale pattern.” Now, at Blinker, Berger notices that guests opt for a Snaquiri or Tiny Negroni if they’re in a rush, or order it as a sidecar to a draught beer — something Londoners have also encountered in recent years at the Cadogan Arms and The George, where both gastropubs encourage guests to pair their tiny cocktails with beers on the menu.
Most popular
Speaking of the Big Smoke, tiny drinks are running rampant at both bars and restaurants. Most popular is the mini Martini, which features on menus at Maison François, Jeremy King’s Arlington restaurant, and new French brasserie Marceline, but at other new bar venues like Archive & Myth, mini or, as they call them, “minor” cocktails are created with intention and occupy a third of the entire menu.
“We launched with two sizes on the menu to cater to three areas,” says Jack Sotti, bar consultant for Archive & Myth. “First is the growing temperance movement: people still want a full-flavoured cocktail but may not want a low-abv spritz. Second is financial flexibility: we are in a cost of living crisis so we wanted to ensure that affordable luxury was always within reach. “And third is variety, because with smaller serves, guests can try more of the menu and have a more varied experience without getting too intoxicated too quickly.”
Sotti also notes that “they are super cute,” which admittedly does drive sales of drinks, including Archive & Myth’s inimitable Sazerac de Nata, a pastel de nata-inspired take on the classic with pastry-infused brandy and an absinthe and cacao-cured quail egg yolk.
Sotti’s points truly sum up the value that tiny cocktails bring to the modern bar; and his approach also demonstrates that, while scaled-down versions of classics are well and good, there’s also an opportunity to develop drinks that lend themselves particularly well to the tiny format, such as caffeinated or decadent drinks that are often preferred in smaller doses, or cocktails that are best drunk at a specific, fleeting temperature.
As someone who has recently written a book on this exact drink format, set to be published in February 2025 titled Tiny Cocktails (pardon the unavoidable, shameless plug), and with wide-reaching newspapers like the New York Times also covering the subject of tiny drinks in 2024, all signs are pointing to this trend booming in the years to come.
So stock that tiny glassware and get stuck in – the benefits are undeniable and, if you can create a mini cocktail anywhere near as delicious as Tayer + Elementary’s famous One Sip Martini, then you’ll have also created a tiny tipple worth travelling for.