How Modern Bars Are Redefining Cocktails with Terroir and Craftsmanship

Ordering a simple gin and tonic could, over the past decade, become something of a scientific endeavor: a dozen different gins and three times as many tonics were often on offer in self-respecting bars, each promising a unique twist. But that boom has since faded, making way for fresh creativity rather than endlessly revisiting the same tried-and-true classics. Today, bars—and cocktails themselves—are experiencing a renaissance, one defined by a very different sense of identity than in years past.

For a long time, bartenders who saw themselves as "walking recipe books," meticulously mixing classics the same way worldwide—and strictly separate from food—embodied the gold standard, a model that left little room for adaptation beyond fleeting cocktail trends.

Since the mid-2000s, however, a different kind of "bar renaissance" has taken hold. "The bar has established itself as a culinary discipline with its own technical repertoire and understanding of ingredients," says Marcus Volsa, head bartender at Beletage in Traunkirchen, Upper Austria. How does this shift manifest? "Culinary thinking is now flowing into the bar. We use similar infrastructure and techniques as kitchens, and both disciplines increasingly rely on in-house production. This lends an individual character—whether through fermented ingredients in the kitchen or homemade essences from local raw materials."

No Citrus Allowed

International examples illustrate this evolution: modern bars have embraced a newfound confidence. "They're defining themselves—through their presence, style, and offerings," Volsa explains. At Röda Huset in Stockholm, citrus fruits are banned; Lady Bee in Lima, Peru, centers its drinks around local ingredients like cacao beans, placing ecology at the forefront; and Cham in Season in Seoul focuses exclusively on Korean spirits and seasonally available—often fermented—ingredients, pushing boundaries through experimentation.

Bringing nature into the glass, with a focus on "terroir drinks," is one of the most forward-looking trends, according to Volsa. He specializes in amari—herbal bitter liqueurs (see sidebar)—blending his structural understanding of cocktails with whatever herbs, leaves, roots, or flowers are at hand. "At their core, amari are simply alcohol plus sugar (at least 10 percent) plus bitterness," he explains. "But nature and time are the defining forces."

By now, he has crafted a distinct bitter liqueur for each month, capturing the essence of Lake Traunsee in that specific time of year while adhering to the framework of a classic amaro. His "Brachmond", representing June, draws inspiration from the structure of a traditional "sour amaro" (typically made with Averna). For Volsa, June evokes rhubarb, lemon balm, strawberries, and currant leaves, with bitterness contributed by quinine, southernwood root, and mugwort.

For his "Weinmond" (Wine Month), he took Fernet Branca as a structural model, infusing corn spirit and a touch of whiskey with wine leaves, anise, pine resin, and lovage root. "I wanted a Fernet made with regional ingredients that still fits seamlessly into classic cocktails like the Toronto or Hanky Panky."

The demand for fresh, authentic concepts in modern bars is also clear at Hammond Bar in Vienna. Owner Sigrid Schot and head bartender Laura Peez prioritize "cool, approachable drinks—but with a twist." They've observed a rising trend in tequila and mezcal cocktails, an area ripe for exploration. Unlike gin, the nuances of Mexican agave distillates and their diverse varieties remain largely undiscovered in these parts—presenting an exciting frontier for the next wave of mixology.