# Spicy Thai Cocktails Erin Hayes' Cocktail Challenge Takes Inspiration from Tom Yum Soup By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2014-11-15 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cocktail-challenge References: [chicagoreader](http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/cocktail-challenge-fish-sauce/Content?oid=6133466) As part of a cocktail challenge, bartender Erin Hayes of Perennial Virant was tasked with creating a drink that made use of fish sauce. Although distilled fermented fish is pretty tasty in Thai food, drinking it hardly sounds appealing. However, this [popular Asian condiment](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nam-prik-pao) was fused with a variety of other complex flavors including citrus to maximize umami and minimize that strong fishy taste. Inspired by a traditional Thai tom yum curry, this drink starts with a fish sauce that's been aged in bourbon barrels, combined with two types of virgin sugarcane rum, lime juice, lemongrass simple syrup and a mix of [coconut and curry](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/curry-leaf-martini). To make this unconventional Thai-inspired cocktail, it's as simple as piling all of the ingredients into a shaker and combining well. To top it all off, Hayes suggests garnishing with a Thai basil leaf. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.3/10 - Popularity: 37% | Activity: 55% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Drinking](https://www.trendhunter.com/drinking) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Umami Cocktails:** Incorporating savory flavors like fish sauce into cocktails to enhance the umami taste. - **Asian Fusion Mixology:** Blending traditional Asian flavors and ingredients with modern mixology techniques to create unique and innovative cocktails. - **Experimental Cocktail Ingredients:** Using unconventional ingredients such as fish sauce to push the boundaries of flavor profiles in cocktails. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Cocktail and Mixology:** Opportunity for bartenders and mixologists to experiment with new ingredients and flavors to create exciting and differentiated cocktail experiences. - **Food and Beverage:** A trend in incorporating popular Asian condiments and flavors into beverages, offering new taste experiences for consumers. - **Hospitality:** Restaurants and bars can explore innovative cocktail offerings inspired by international cuisines to attract adventurous customers seeking unique experiences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Savory Beef Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-savory-project.md) - [Boldly Spiced Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spiced-cocktails.md) - [Savory Culinary Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/two-schmucks.md) - [Spicy Lemongrass Gins](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tarsier-chilli-lemongrass.md) - [Lime-Infused Savory Sauces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tiger-smirk-by-pretty-thai.md) - [Thai Soup-Inspired Chocolates](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tom-kha.md) - [Milky Curry Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/creamy-milk-punch-cocktail.md) - [Fried Chicken Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/karaage-cocktail.md) - [Hot Sauce-Infused Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tingly-jam-cocktail.md)