The best cocktails and mocktails for those looking to celebrate Freedom Day (19 July) - to mark the end of most Covid-19 restrictions - have been revealed in a brand new study.
Just Eat for Business’ Cocktail Championship study reveals which cocktails and mocktails are the nation’s go-to on a night out - including the most popular spirits and flavour accompaniments - based on a recipe analysis of the UK’s leading recipe site.
The data found that it’s an Espresso Martini that the nation prefers, as it boasts the highest average rating across the number of recipes featured on the site, while other top choices included Mojitos, Pina Coladas, Sex on the Beach and Long Island Iced Teas.
This suggests they should be the go-to pick for those of us who’ll be celebrating the long-awaited Freedom Day on 19 July, which marks the end of most Covid-19 restrictions.
And if you’re not keen on Espresso Martinis but still want to get stuck into the festivities, the study reveals that the most popular spirit in cocktails is vodka - which luckily, features in other top drinks like Screwdrivers, Cosmos and White Russians.
However, every cocktail that features vodka isn't always a winner - the study also found that the nation’s least popular was a Bloody Mary, which pairs vodka with tomato juice and herbs.
For those who prefer to steer clear of alcohol, the study also named the nation’s top mocktails - which were, in order, Virgin Mojitos, Virgin Punch, Virgin Pina Coladas and Virgin Negronis - and named the top flavour pairings, which came out as lemon, orange and lime.
Commenting on the popularity of cocktails and mocktails in the UK, London-based mixologist Harp Mann weighs in, saying: “Cocktails have seen a great resurgence since the dark days of the 80s where sweetened watered down drinks were bedecked with umbrellas.
“Cocktails offer theatre, a treat, opulence, fun, good times - essentially an experience - so there’s the social element of them. Also mixed drinks offer a great way to experience new flavours, new spirits and aperitifs, more premium or better quality ingredients too.”
And there’s never been a better time to get in on the action, as search trend analysis shows queries for 'cocktail bar' increased by almost 10% (9.4) since the Euros kicked off, while 'cocktail recipes' have jumped by 15% in the run-up to Wimbledon.
To find out more about how popular your favourite cocktail is and which ingredients were the most popular across the UK. please visit the Cocktail Championship at: https://blog.citypantry.com/blog/cocktail-championship