The Double Strainer 2025 Recap: Cocktail Trends, Systems & What’s Next
- thedoublestrainer
- Jan 4
- 3 min read
In 2025, The Double Strainer reinforced a clear mission: publish service-ready cocktail knowledge and bar systems designed for real venue execution, and make them completely free for the global bar community.
This year, the platform reached 25,000+ readers and built a growing base of 900+ newsletter subscribers, establishing a strong presence among beverage professionals, hospitality teams, and cocktail enthusiasts. Throughout the year, 60+ articles and special editorials were published, including new releases and updated evergreen content across mixology, ingredients, leadership, and bar operations.
In Southeast Asia’s beverage landscape, structured operational cocktail knowledge is still uncommon. The Double Strainer stands out as one of the few editorial platforms in Southeast Asia consistently publishing original, professional, execution-focused cocktail content that can be applied by beverage teams—even in high-volume service environments.
2025 was not only about creativity—it was about clarity, feasibility, and repeatability, proving that innovation has more impact when it can be taught, batched, and executed with precision.
And now, The Double Strainer moves into its next stage. 2026 will bring major updates across education, service systems, and bar development resources.
Editor’s Picks 2025: The 12 Articles That Defined the Year
These 12 highlights reflect not just what we published in 2025, but what shaped conversations, bar thinking, operational execution, and hospitality standards worldwide.
Bar Systems & Technique Foundations
What About Ice? The Main Ingredient of Every Cocktail – Ice, temperature, dilution, and consistency as the real backbone of drink performance.
The Solera System: A Timeless Method of Aging – Layered batching logic, perpetual blending, and flavour architecture for structured beverage programs.
Tinctures in Cocktails: The Art of Infusing Flavor and Aroma – Micro-dosing as a tool for intensity control, aromatic precision, and repeatable flavour.
Ingredients & Homemade Components
From Pomegranate to Pour: Crafting the Perfect Homemade Grenadine – A re-engineered base syrup built around acidity balance, sweetness calibration, and storage feasibility.
The Ultimate Pomelo Soda Recipe for High-End Cocktails – Brix calibration, carbonation logic, and premium long-drink backbone design.
The Essential Guide to Bitters in Cocktails – Aromatic structure, finishing balance, and layered dosing for refined beverage execution.
Cocktails Built for Service Execution
Twisting the Rob Roy ‘Like a Boss’ – A bold rethink of a whisky classic for real service conditions.
Why the Barracuda Cocktail Deserves a Spot on Your Menu – Spumante adoption, menu placement strategy, and structured drink design.
How to Make the Lager Whiskey Sour – Beer integrated as a mixable component, focusing on foam systems and feasibility.
Business, Leadership & Hospitality Systems
From First Drink to Regular: How Bars Really Build Guest Loyalty – Loyalty built through systems, not chance.
Leadership Behind the Bar: Guiding With Respect Instead of Fear – Bar leadership framed as culture protection and team performance infrastructure.
The First 30 Seconds: Crafting Unforgettable Bar Impressions – The first moment engineered to increase guest loyalty and spend.
2025 Trend Analysis: What the Year Proved
Documentation is the new standard: bartending craft is evolving from intuition toward structured execution systems.
Ingredients are only powerful when systemized: prep logic, dosing, shelf life, and batching feasibility define the real advantage.
Classics are being premiumized: familiar drinks with modern discipline outperform pure novelty.
Beer cocktails are becoming technique-driven: foam, CO₂ integration, and operational speed are reshaping service.
Zero-alcohol serves demand equal discipline: balance, texture, sweetness, acidity, and perception engineering define premium mocktails.
Hospitality is operational: leadership, music, first impressions, and guest loyalty frameworks now determine success as much as recipes.
2026 Outlook: What Comes Next
The Double Strainer enters 2026 with momentum. The next phase includes:
New editorial formats and deeper practical guides
Expanded toolkits for bar operators, hotels, and beverage teams
Structured training systems for service speed and consistency
Downloadable educational resources designed for real bar environments
New community collaboration initiatives
Online bar services
Large announcements are coming soon. 2026 will bring new standards and new ways to scale beverage knowledge worldwide!
Written by: Riccardo Grechi | Founder & Beverage Editor
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