From Better-for-You Dirty Sodas to Cask Strength Dual Expressions
Adam Harrie — May 3, 2026 — Lifestyle
These top May 2026 drinking trends show a month where functional beverages, craft spirits storytelling and bold RTD innovation are all hitting their stride at once.
The non-alcoholic space is one of the most active categories. Free-from non-alcoholic beers, functional RTD non-alcoholic cocktails and better-for-you dirty sodas point to a consumer base that wants the ritual of drinking without the drawbacks.
Craft spirits command equal attention. Award-winning single malt whiskies, coastal single malt distilleries and engineering-led whisky practices show a category where provenance and process matter as much as taste. Finnish long drink acquisitions signal that heritage category plays are attracting mainstream investment, while festival vodka brand activations and film-inspired vodka marketing campaigns prove that culture remains the most powerful driver of what ends up in consumers’ hands.
The non-alcoholic space is one of the most active categories. Free-from non-alcoholic beers, functional RTD non-alcoholic cocktails and better-for-you dirty sodas point to a consumer base that wants the ritual of drinking without the drawbacks.
Craft spirits command equal attention. Award-winning single malt whiskies, coastal single malt distilleries and engineering-led whisky practices show a category where provenance and process matter as much as taste. Finnish long drink acquisitions signal that heritage category plays are attracting mainstream investment, while festival vodka brand activations and film-inspired vodka marketing campaigns prove that culture remains the most powerful driver of what ends up in consumers’ hands.
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