Gen Z May Be Drinking Less, but Their Taste for Premium Cocktails Is Changing the Alcohol Business
For years, headlines have suggested that Gen Z is turning away from alcohol. But perhaps the more interesting question isn’t whether they’re drinking less. It’s what they choose to drink when they do.
Today’s younger consumers are more selective. They pay attention to ingredients, sugar, quality and authenticity. Drinking isn’t necessarily about consuming more; it’s about choosing something that feels worth drinking.
The recent success of BeanKick Espresso Martini offers a case study in how this shift is playing out in the alcohol business.
We asked Michael Glovaski, BeanKick’s cofounder with 25 years of experience working on alcohol brands, how to build a brand today. “First, you need a great distribution partner. For BeanKick, that’s Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. They’ve been amazing to work with. Then you need nontraditional influencer marketing. Above all, the drink has to deliver. People want a great cocktail and a good time without the pretense.”
Glovaski adds: “Ten years ago, a beautiful crystal bottle could do much of the selling. Today, people want to know what is inside, where it comes from and how it is made. Heritage matters. Tequila, for example, must come from authorized regions of Mexico and be made from blue agave. Consumers will call out a brand that gets its story wrong. My partners and I debated where to make BeanKick. Despite the added import costs, we chose Poland for its wheat vodka and used real coffee. We wanted to deliver premium quality without the premium price tag.”
Quality Over Quantity
Consumers increasingly want to know what is actually in their glass. They are looking beyond flashy labels and asking questions about ingredients, where products come from and how they are made.
BeanKick approaches the Espresso Martini from that perspective, combining Polish wheat vodka with real, bold coffee in a format that is ready to serve.
Sweet Enough Without Overdoing It
The Espresso Martini needs some sweetness, but it doesn’t have to taste like dessert.
BeanKick was developed to deliver the richness people expect from an Espresso Martini while keeping the coffee and vodka at the center of the experience. At 35% ABV, it is a full strength cocktail rather than a lightly alcoholic coffee drink.
And because everyone has different tastes, it can also be customized. Drink it straight, shake it hard over ice for a foamy top, add a splash of cream, or adjust it however you like.
Convenience Without the Compromise
Traditionally, making a good Espresso Martini means vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur, sweetener, measuring, shaking and cleanup.
BeanKick puts the cocktail in one bottle.
For restaurants, hotels and busy bars, that can mean faster service and fewer ingredients behind the bar. For consumers at home, it means no recipe and no instruction manual. Just chill, shake and serve.
A Different Generation of Drinking
Maybe Gen Z isn’t rejecting cocktails. Maybe they’re rejecting the idea that drinking has to mean quantity over quality.
They want transparency. They want convenience. They want products that feel authentic and can be enjoyed their own way.
And that may be the bigger story behind the changing drinking habits of a new generation: less can still mean better.
#beankick @beankickmartini
