Flight Club: Debating best and worst industry trends of 2023, dinner parties and playlists
It's time for another round of my friends giving hot takes about what we loved and hated in 2023, best cocktails for a dinner party and go-to music when hosting.
On this edition of Flight Club, I got two of the homies to give their hot (mild, if we're being honest) takes about industry trends, hosting dinner kickbacks and Spotify playlists. We discuss everything from vegetable drinks and canned cocktails to our favorite bars of the year.
Big thanks to Crystal and Roger Corbin, co-founders of The Liquor Connoisseur and Chris Van, drink master at The Winston for participating. Be sure to give them a follow on Instagram for their spirited commentary and insights. Oh, and I decided to get in on the action too. Let’s get started.
1. What industry trend has been the biggest surprise for you in 2023?
The Corbins: Consumers using a milk frother to aerate spirits. This was formerly used to mix cocktails for a better blending of ingredients. We have never been in the mindset of altering spirits in their natural state, so we were taken aback by this trend. We try to drink alcohol as it is intended but understand the use of a milk frother in cocktails.
Van: The integration of vegetable and savory elements in cocktails. A local cocktail bar had a margarita-style cocktail that used a tomato oleo saccharum with a dehydrated tomato salt rim. It was a creative way to infuse some acid and salinity into the drink — and it was very refreshing! Umami has always been associated with savory foods, but I believe when used thoughtfully it can really open up other flavors in a cocktail. I’ve been working on incorporating miso into modern spins on classics that I may put on our next menu.
Maisonet: The improvement in making great cocktails at home. You want smoked cocktails? No problem. You want clear ice? You got it. Forgot something at the store? Delivered at your door in less than 45 minutes. I don’t mind spending $15 or $20 on a good cocktail, but I love knowing I can reasonably make something as good — or even better — at the house. Bar Maisonet is a wave.
2. What industry trend has been the biggest disappointment for you in 2023?
Maisonet: The flooding of celebrity-backed spirits. To be clear, I think some of the new spirits on the shelf are adding value and innovation to the market. Scottie Pippen’s “Digits” bourbon is legit. The Rock’s Teremana tequila hits the mark. My concern here is the attack on shelf space and the fight for the upstarts to get our attention. I always encourage folks to expand their horizons — buy local, buy regional, buy black-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, etc. — whenever they can afford a trial. Yes, LeBron’s tequila or Lil Wayne’s rum will catch your eye, but then you might miss Uncle Nearest, Ten to One or Saint Cloud.
The Corbins: The trend of canned cocktails has been the biggest disappointment. We understand efficiency and how these drinks mean we don't have to mix them ourselves anymore, but…SunnyD is now spiked! Who has been spiking SunnyD? This trend has gone too far. We would like to see some of these canned cocktails mixed with more natural ingredients to recreate nostalgic flavors. We are not saying all of these canned cocktails are bad, just now it has become such a fad and everyone is on the bandwagon, except Kool-Aid.
Van: Cheese. Parmesan cheese espresso martinis had its moment, but the moment might be over. The idea can be jarring — grating cheese onto a drink —but if balanced properly the saltiness and nuttiness of Parmesan complement the chocolate and coffee flavors. It’s exciting when new trends gather momentum in the cocktail world, but just like everything else, it can be overdone. It’s a little disappointing when bar programs lean in a little too much, especially en masse, and immediately create consumer fatigue. Earlier in the trend, I was at a bar that had a cocktail with a Velveeta cheese-infused spirit cocktail. It tasted exactly what you think it would, but curiosity got the best of me, immediate regret. (laughs)
3. You’re hosting a small dinner party this weekend — what’s the one cocktail you’re offering for guests?
Van: If I had only one dinner cocktail I made for guests I would go for something with bubbles like a champagne cocktail riff. You can incorporate so much flavor in it but still keep it approachable. Mango and basil is a combo I’ve used all summer. We recently took this drink I made — a mango champagne colada — to a competition and won. It’s perfect for summer.
Maisonet: I’ve professed my recent love for a mezcal negroni in recent newsletter editions, and the reason is simple. I love when folks tell me they don’t like whiskey, then I give them that drink and they get mad that I gave them a whiskey-based cocktail…but it’s also really good. I’m ornery, but I also like seeing that look on their face when they realize there’s no whiskey in there. They usually leave with a new favorite drink.
The Corbins: We don't typically do a lot of mixed drinks, but when we do, we try to serve cocktails that go with the season. Now that we are going into fall, we would likely serve a spiked cider. We would heat up some honey crisp apple cider with cloves and cinnamon and add to it a high-proof whiskey in a stainless steel mug to hold the temperature. We make sure the notes from the cider pair well with the notes from the whiskey. It is a taste of fall in a cup.
4. At the dinner party, you get one artist to start a radio station on a streaming platform — who is it and why?
The Corbins: We recently had a dinner party and while it was a mix of artists on the playlist, the one artist that stood out the most that could set a vibe was H.E.R. She has worked with so many other artists from R&B to Hip-Hop that there would be a continuous vibe of new and familiar artists that span from Toni Braxton to YG. The music is sure to match the mood of the party and ebb and flow as the night moves on.
Van: Odesza would definitely be my artist, especially their earlier work that has a very chill lounge vibe. The first song would either be Sun Models or Bloom. Those songs always put in me a good mood.
Maisonet: Anderson Paak. I’d play every album straight from Venice to Malibu to Oxnard and Ventura. No skips.
5. Fill in the blank: _____ is the best bar you’ve been to in 2023.
Maisonet: Refuge in Houston. The speakeasy that sits above Anvil in Montrose is cranking out some good stuff. However, their Solera Old Fashioned caught me off guard because it damn near tasted like candy. A discussion with my bartender April revealed that it’s less Solera and more Infinity, as one of the magicians there makes a blended whiskey just for the experimental old fashioned. It’s a must-order drink anytime you pull up in H-Town.
Van: Dead Rabbit in New York City. DR is still up there as one of the best bars I’ve been to this year. I always go when I’m in NYC and will every time I visit. No matter how busy it always feels warm and welcoming. Doesn’t hurt that their Irish coffee is one of the best.
The Corbins: Barkeep OKC in Oklahoma City. Barkeep is the best bar we have been to in 2023! We have visited many bars this year, but the creativity in the drinks they serve is top-tier. Not only is it a bar, but it is also a bar supply store that offers cocktail classes! Our favorite cocktail to watch them make was The Cloud Chamber.
This was dope! Enjoyed all these hot takes and learned some new things as well.