Food entrepreneurs and fast casual restaurants that can offer up a blend of cocktails and mocktails have unique menu challenges on their hands. In addition to keeping their food menus varied, they have to find ways to bring bursts of flavors to their drink lineups, too. Breathing new life into your drink selection doesn’t mean you have to go for fancier and more expansive liqueur selections. Sometimes, you only need a little spice to liven things up.
The art of crafting spicy cocktails and mocktails is steeped in rich history, with roots tracing back to ancient civilizations that used spices for both medicinal and flavoring purposes. For instance, the “Singapore Sling”, created in 1915 by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon at Singapore’s Raffles Hotel, was designed to resemble a fruit juice, allowing women to discreetly enjoy alcohol in public—a testament to the cultural nuances of its time. Mixologists in New York City are leading the way by incorporating heat in innovative ways — from smoky, chili-infused mezcal to tangy jalapeño syrups. These bold, spicy ingredients are adding depth and excitement to the city’s cocktail and mocktail scene, showcasing how heat can be used to complement and enhance other flavors.
Spicy flavors reshape how you think about cocktails and mocktails, bringing a newfound depth of flavor and complexity that makes your menu the talk of the neighborhood. Here are some of the ways that spicy ingredient solutions can redefine your drink menu and customer experience.
Bringing the Heat
The key to infusing spicy ingredients into your cocktails and mocktails lies in striking the right balance without overwhelming people with heat. Customers want more than that distinctive alcohol or mixed drink flavor; they crave bold, unexpected combinations that infuse every sip with a new adventure. It’s about crafting a flavor range that sits comfortably between kick and comfort. Spicy ingredients layer complexity, create depth, and fill social settings with stand-out drinks that bring your customers back for another round.
A prime example is the “Mace” cocktail at Mace, a renowned cocktail bar in New York City. This drink combines Aperol, aquavit, beet juice, orange acid, young Thai coconut cordial, and a mace mist, resulting in a unique blend of earthy, fruity, and spicy flavors.
Depth of Flavor — Not Heat for the Sake of It
A drink should be exciting but never punishing. The goal isn’t to set taste buds on fire but to develop a mixture of warmth and complexity that keeps your customers coming back time and time again. Infusing a cocktail or mocktail with a custom blend of spices can unlock a depth of flavor that feels natural and effortless.
A notable recent example is the “Mango Sticky Rice” cocktail introduced in the past six months at Double Chicken Please, a renowned bar on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. This cocktail combines mango, coconut, and chili flavors, capturing the essence of the traditional Thai dessert. The careful balance of sweetness, creaminess, and heat exemplifies how spices can enhance a drink’s complexity without overwhelming the palate.
Finding the right balance of ingredients helps identify what flavor profiles you wish to highlight. It allows you to pick some hero spices and seasoning blends to make the experience wholly unique. Customers crave quality, and it begins with the right seasoning blend. Whether in a house cocktail or a week’s worth of menu specials, the right balance of spice sets the tone for a drink that’s as smooth as it is exciting.
Compliment Other Ingredients
Spice should work with the drink, not against it. A splash of lime, a bit of fresh ginger, a touch of citrus — all these elements sit beautifully alongside heat when done right. The trick is in the process. You don’t just shake, strain, and hope for the best. You test, layer, and refine until you strike the perfect balance.
A fantastic example of how dry seasoning can complement other ingredients is the “Rio Bravo” at The Skylark in the Garment District. The cocktail blends Dos Amigos Reposado Tequila, Ancho Chili Liquor, grilled tomatillos, and cilantro to create a rich, smoky, and spicy flavor profile. The addition of chili powder or smoked paprika is key in highlighting the smoky and earthy tones of the mezcal, while balancing out the tartness of the tomatillos. This drink exemplifies how carefully chosen spices can work harmoniously with other ingredients to create a dynamic and flavorful cocktail.
The market has spoken: customers expect something new, daring, and spicy, but not just for the sake of it. A mocktail with a light chili finish or a bourbon cocktail with a warm cinnamon kick can turn an ordinary recipe into a signature. When a drink fills the glass with complexity while keeping every note in check, it’s an instant favorite.
Capitalize on Hot Trends & Bring in Customers
Bars, restaurants, and food entrepreneurs have picked up on who are drawn to bold flavors.. How spicy ingredients shake up cocktails and mocktails is about more than heat. It’s about flavor combinations that challenge expectations while still being approachable. A customer orders a drink and expects something familiar, but the moment they taste a custom blend of honey, citrus, and chili? That’s where the excitement begins and snares their attention.
Fast-casual restaurant chains are increasingly incorporating spicy elements into their beverage offerings to cater to evolving consumer tastes. For example, Starbucks introduced a line of spicy beverages at its Reserve locations in Chicago, New York City, and Seattle in March 2024. These included the Starbucks Reserve Hot Honey Espresso Martini, featuring Starbucks Reserve Espresso, Kalak Single Malt Vodka, vanilla syrup, Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur, and hot honey, topped with spicy-sweet cold foam and garnished with black sesame seeds. Another offering was the Starbucks Reserve Hot Honey Affogato, combining vanilla gelato with Starbucks Reserve Espresso, Scrappy’s Orange and Firewater Bitters, hot honey, and an Amarena cherry.
The market demands unique twists, and spicy cocktails are filling that need. Social settings thrive on conversation, and what better way to start one than with a drink that makes you stop, take a second sip, and think? This is how you succeed in the evolving culinary space — by offering something just outside the ordinary, yet still grounded in high-quality. Our research and development team has worked hard to strike the right balance between on-trend bold spicy flavors and delivering seasoning blends appealing to a diverse audience.
Most Common Spicy Ingredients to Bring the Kick to Your Cocktails & Mocktails
Heat takes many forms. From a sharp, bright spice to a slow, lingering warmth, the right ingredient transforms a drink from simple to unforgettable. Our experienced product developers know how to take ingredients like lime juice, herbs, seeds, and other spices to find the perfect balance of heat to give your customers the kind of undeniable experience they’ve desired. Here’s a breakdown of common spicy ingredients you can use to shake up your cocktails and mocktails:
- Jalapeños
- Ginger
- Cayenne Pepper
- Chili Salt
- Thai Basil
- Cinnamon
- Habanero
- Black Pepper
The ability to mix and match these ingredients means endless possibilities — cocktails, mocktails, and everything in between. Our team has experimented with a wide range of options and has created delicious custom blends that make your non-alcohol and alcohol consumption a night to remember. You can create a drink for every occasion with the right spices in your restaurant’s kitchens.
Discover How NuSpice Can Help Channel the Heat!
Spicy flavors have a way of redefining the drinking experience. It’s not about heat for heat’s sake—crafting blends that elevate every sip. At NuSpice, we provide food ingredient solutions that bring complexity, depth, and excitement to the mix. Whether you’re developing a signature cocktail, testing new recipes, or simply looking to fill a gap in your offerings, we can supply the custom blends you need.
Your customers expect fresh, bold options that make every drink worth the moment. The right spices, the right process, the right approach — it all comes together in the glass. When you’re ready to shake things up, we’re here to develop the perfect blend for your needs.