Overview

In this week’s episode of Trend Me Tipsy, we’re covering the week of July 21st through July 27th for which drinks truly exploded onto the scene and the reasons behind their popularity spikes. The discussion highlights a fascinating interplay between the influence of traditional media and the rapid virality of social media in shaping drink trends.

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Trending Cocktails

Southside

What’s this: A Southside is a classic cocktail typically made with gin, lime juice, simple syrup, and fresh mint leaves. It’s a refreshing drink, often compared to a minty Gimlet or Mojito, and is known for its balance of herbal, sweet, and citrus flavors.

Interest increase: Breakout

Reason for Interest Spike: It seems it was heavily influenced by a New York Times Wirecutter article by Antara Cena. This article, titled “The Best Canned Cocktails,” was published right in the middle of that week, on July 23rd, and it featured the original Southside as a top pick. This is a great reminder that, you know, well-researched traditional media can still drive trends pretty significantly. Quality content really does matter, doesn’t it?

Recipe: Perfect Southside Cocktail from Inspired Taste

Manhattan

What’s this: A Manhattan is a classic cocktail made with whiskey (traditionally rye but bourbon is also common), sweet vermouth, and bitters, garnished with a maraschino cherry. It’s typically stirred with ice and served in a chilled cocktail glass.

Interest increase: 170%

Reason for Interest Spike: The Manhattan, that true classic, saw a plus 170% jump. Is its appeal just always there, or is there something subtle going on? It seems like its appeal is just pretty consistent. We couldn’t find one specific external cause for this particular spike. But maybe that just reinforces its role, you know, as that reliable go-to choice. It’s almost reassuring to see that not everything needs a viral moment, right?

Recipe: Manhattan from Liquor.com

Rum Runner

What’s this: A Rum Runner is a sweet, fruity rum cocktail known for its strong, tropical flavors and its origin in the Florida Keys. It typically includes light and dark rum, banana and blackberry liqueurs, pineapple and orange juice, and a splash of grenadine.

Interest increase: 200%

Reason for Interest Spike: This sweet, fruity, tropical mix, the Rum Runner, showed a big 200% increase. The likely cause here points straight at summer vacation crowds. Where were people searching, you ask? Well, the search interest was noticeably heavier in warm, classic vacation spots like Panama City, Florida, or the Lake Tahoe area in Nevada. It just screams beach drink or lakeside cooler, you know?

Recipe: Rum Runner from Liquor.com

Tequila Sunrise

What’s this: A tequila sunrise is a vibrant, layered cocktail made with tequila, orange juice, and grenadine, creating a visually striking resemblance to a sunrise. The grenadine settles at the bottom, creating the red base, while the orange juice and tequila form the upper, lighter layers.

Interest increase: 160%

Reason for Interest Spike: The Tequila Sunrise saw a 160% increase, and honestly, the timing gives it away. The driver here was pretty clear, National Tequila Day on July 24th. It always has a pretty big social media presence, we saw like 16,700 TikTok posts mentioning it, but the holiday definitely amplified things. It’s fun, it’s refreshing, and great for brunch or warm evenings

Recipe: Tequila Sunrise from Liquor.com

Lemon Drop Martini

What’s this: A Lemon Drop Martini is a sweet and sour cocktail known for its lemony flavor, typically made with vodka, lemon juice, orange liqueur (like Cointreau or Triple Sec), and simple syrup. It’s often served in a chilled martini glass with a sugared rim and a lemon twist garnish.

Interest increase: Breakout

Reason for Interest Spike: Now, the Lemon Drop Martini is almost the perfect counterpoint to the Southside, showing that direct social media influence really clearly. What made this sweet and sour, lemony vodka cocktail explode that specific week? Yep, it was TikTok. A TikTok user, @kaleighs_mom posted a recipe on July 21st, and it just took off, getting over 17,000 likes really quickly. It just goes to show how a simple, refreshing drink, perfect for a hot day, can absolutely blow up almost overnight, all driven by just one popular post. It’s a stark contrast to the Times, right?

Recipe: Perfect Lemon Drop Martini from Inspired Taste

Honorable Mention: Hugo Spritz

What’s this: A Hugo Spritz is a refreshing, low-alcohol sparkling wine cocktail that originated in Italy. It’s a popular alternative to the Aperol Spritz, replacing Aperol with elderflower liqueur. The drink typically includes prosecco, elderflower liqueur, club soda or sparkling water, fresh mint, and a lime wedge or slice for garnish.

Interest increase: 90%

Reason for Interest Spike: The Hugo Spritz showed a solid 90% increase. Its rise seems to be part of this broader trend of people looking for spritz variations. Perhaps something a bit less bitter, more floral than Aperol, makes sense, right? It’s positioned as this really elegant choice for hot summer nights, rooftop bars, backyard parties, that kind of thing.

Recipe: Hugo Spritz from Liquor.com