Bottoms Up: 8 cocktails trends to shake up your drink order

Is that a grasshopper? It's a grasshopper.

You know what they say about the grasshopper who sang all summer – he's awesome. Get that insect a drink. If you weren't born in 1919 when it was invented or living high (or just high) in the '80s, it's basically a big green minty blended ice cream sundae for alcoholics.
Deeelish.

Big Poppa's (96 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst)

The Gibson's back (not that it ever really went away)

Every year, we vote for a cup of gin as cocktail of the century and every year we are laughed out of town. Let this year be no exception. But just in case at least one of our clever readers comes to the party, we'd like to elect the mighty Gibson – a gin martini decorated with a set of cocktail onions. Or, if you're ordering one at the Dolphin, pickled Jerusalem artichokes. I say!

Romeo Lane (1 Crossley St, Melbourne) or the Dolphin (412 Crown Street, Surry Hills)

Getting on the source

The future is small batch and crafty. But then, you already knew that. So let us provide further ginspiration: the cocktail bar attached Voltron style to the distillery. Short of sticking your mouth over the tap, it's as close as you'll get to drinking at the source. Even better, some of the country's most excellent 'tenders are working the bar.

Four Pillars (2a Old Lilydale Road, Healesville); Archie Rose (85 Dunning Ave, Rosebery)

Modern tiki

The PTSD Solution for Americans in the '50s is the everyday remedy for your modern troubles. We're still talking enough rum to stop Don the Beachcomber rolling in his rattan tomb, but with half the risk of scurvy. The Golden Circle fruit juice is getting a rest for real pineapples and other fresh squeezed fruits. Yep, it's a sweaty time to be a bartender at the likes of Union Electric and Lobo Plantation. But a glorious time to be you.

Union Electric (13 Heffernan Lane, Melbourne), Lobo Plantation (Basement Lot 1, 209 Clarence Street, Sydney)

Tangled up in blue

The trend for all things azure isn't just limited to blue algae lattes, blue sherbert (we're looking at you, Hobart's Sweet Envy), blue macarons (oh hey, Zumbo) and blue ice cream (Aqua S, you got some 'splaining to do). It's also blue cocktails which have gone from inside baseball to inside a whole lot of bars. Available anywhere there's blue curacao and a bartender with a sense of humour.

Canned cocktails: the UDL for the discerning drinker

The era of sitting at the bar getting a lecture is over. The age of "gimme an old fashioned in a bottle/can and snappy – I've got a jukebox to punch" is in full swing. We're not talking barrel aged-negronis (happily, that trend seems to have gone the way of the marrow bone shot), we're talking martinis and manhattans bottled or canned for your convenience. All the more time to ensure you've programmed the jukey entirely with London Calling and Hunky Dory.

Hubert (15 Bligh St, Sydney), Continental Deli (210 Australia Street, Newtown), Heartbreaker (234a Russell Street, Melbourne), Black Pearl (304 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy)

All Australian negronis

The all Aussie negroni is where it's at, spotted on the bar at Aria Brisbane, Melbourne's Bad Frankie and Four Pillars, Healesville. Australian gin and vermouth is easy to find, but Australian Campari? Whaaaatttt? Give thanks to Applewood Distillery for putting Red Okar on the market in December – a Campari-style aperitif that's tart with riberry and barky bitterness. Its neighbours at Adelaide Hills Distillery have also released a bitter orange aperitif (known simply as The Italian) that's popping up around the traps. Supporting your local distiller has never been more holistic.

Aria Restaurant (1 Eagle Street, Brisbane), Bad Frankie (141 Greeves Street, Fitzroy), Four Pillars Gin (2a Old Lilydale Road, Healesville)

A-ZZZZZZ cocktail lists

We've all been there. When you're drinking negronis all evening – Australian or otherwise – then midnight hits and you've developed a hankering for a boulevardier. "Sorry, champ – we can only make drinks listed on the menu." But a boulevardier is just a negroni with bourbon instead of gin! "Yeah, I know, but the new drinking laws say we can't make any off-menu cocktails after midnight." If you think this is ridiculous, you would be correct. Luckily a few canny bars like the Gresham (Brisbane Times 2017 Good Food Guide Bar of the Year) are sticking it to the man with panache by printing drinks lists with as many known cocktails that can fit on a laminated sheet of A3. You want an boulevardier? Coming right up. Fog cutter? Done. Fluffy duck? Heck yeah, we can do that. Here, have a grasshopper while you wait.

The Gresham (308 Queen Street, Brisbane)