“Baltimore is a bit slow on the upswing of cocktail trends and bourbon and rye are still on track to keep people happy,” says Brendan Dorr of B&O American Brasserie and the Baltimore Bartenders Guild. “However, there are some things that will become more popular as we lead the charge and help guide our guests to broaden their palates.”

So here are five trends to look out for as you peruse cocktail menus in the upcoming year:

Batched Cocktails: Whether it’s bottling, barrel aging, or putting cocktails on tap, the idea of pre-batched cocktails is a carry-over from last year and still going strong. When we visited Le Garage recently, the staff was barrel aging a Brandy Manhattan and had three bottled cocktails on the menu—including a sharply spicy Family Mule served with candied ginger.

“Some people order it right away, while others remain skeptical,” says Le Garage head bartender Patrick Gartner. “I tell them that there is already vodka in the bottle, I promise.”

Places like Wit & Wisdom are bringing back barrel-aged and bottled cocktails for the spring and Bookmaker’s in Federal Hill barrel ages cocktails that end up on tap. Recently, Dooby’s showed off a batched cocktail at the Pratt Contemporaries’ Black and White Party called Dragonball, which was a mix of bourbon and cinnamon-cayenne syrup.

Lower Proof and Restorative: Contrary to popular belief, a good cocktail doesn’t always have to pack a punch and, sometimes, it can even be good for you. One testament is the rising popularity of the low-proof spirit sherry. (There is now even a sherry bar in D.C. called Mockingbird Hill). “I love this stuff,” says Dorr of B&O. “It’s not just a sweet wine that grandmothers drink. Actually, over 90 percent of sherry produced is dry.”

Another idea that is trending is the restorative cocktail, which includes healthful ingredients. Take the Corpse Reviver Zero at Le Garage with energy-boosting yerba mate tea and lime-pastis and mint, which are good for the stomach. Bookmaker’s crafts its own tonic from cinchona tree bark, which can be used to fight Malaria.

“People here are still really blue collar and they like their liquor,” says Dooby’s head bartender Chelsea Gregoire. “So we are a little ways from becoming totally holistic and proof-conscious, but it’s something bartenders are starting to think about.”

Bitter is Better: Overwhelmingly, every bartender we spoke with emphasized that bitter will be a popular flavor profile for 2015. “Amaros, Fernets, Campari, and many other bitter liqueurs are making their way into our cocktails,” Dorr says. “They add balance and depth, and can turn an otherwise blah cocktail into something extraordinary.”

Ryan Sparks of Bookmaker’s Cocktail Club attributes the rise of bitter food like kale and arugula to the expansion of people’s palates. Gregoire of Dooby’s says places like Idle Hour were on the forefront by campaigning Chartreuse years ago. In fact, Dooby’s currently has a version of a Sazerac on its menu with a Fernet Branca float. “Everybody is like, yes, bitter, give it to me,” Gregoire says. “Makes it more fun for us.”

While not bitter, another predicted popular flavor this year will be smoke, as evidenced by the rising popularity of mezcal.

Culinary Approach: In the works for a while, the techniques and ideas employed by the kitchen and bar staffs are overlapping more than ever. “I find myself going to the chef and asking for advice about what is seasonal,” says Le Garage’s Gartner, who explained that the chef taught him how to use the water circulator. “In most restaurants, the kitchen is not as patient with the bar staff. They give me a lot of room to brainstorm.”

Similarly, at Dooby’s, Gregoire is constantly working with the kitchen to pair cocktails with its unique Asian flavors, like a Korean gochujang sauce. The staffs at Wit & Wisdom are also always collaborating and some of the techniques used by head bartender Aaron Joseph sound more like kitchen talk than bar talk. Think carbonating citrus for a Pimm’s Cup or straining a mixture through a cheese-cloth for a milk punch.

All Housemade, All The Time: And speaking of whacky approaches, lately bartenders have been blowing our minds with their creative approaches to housemade ingredients.

Gartner at Le Garage is making sous-vide liqueurs. (Yes, that’s right, the technique usually reserved for tenderizing meat.) Once example is he vacuum seals fresh ginger, molasses, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, and a neutral spirit for about 45 minutes. The result is a gingersnap-flavored liqueur he uses in hot toddies.

Like many places around town, Bookmaker’s creates its own bitters and its also big into shrubs instead of simple syrups, like one that head bartender Ryan Sparks creates with smoked apples and cardamom. “I’m seeing a lot of smaller places embracing housemade ingredients,” he says. “They allow you to determine how your cocktail will taste, and you can achieve that exact desired flavor.”

Get a first-hand look at these innovative techniques, as nearly 20 bartenders will be crafting rye cocktails for Rye’s Up, a benefit for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Maryland at B&O American Brasserie on March 1.

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Spring: In the beginning of the year, we spent a lot of time at Dylan’s Oyster Cellar, which was then located adjacent to Dooby’s in Mt. Vernon (now you can find Dylan shucking down the street at the newest Ryleigh’s Oyster location). While we went for the oysters, we stayed for the cocktails, including the Cellar Sour (vodka, egg whites, orange bitters, simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice) which was an ideal, citrusy accompaniment to salty, briny oysters.

A bit later in the season, Blue Pit BBQ opened. Well sort of. The Woodberry spot made an ingenious move: Before it could officially open its kitchen (thanks, BGE!), Blue Pit opened its bar by hanging a “Whiskey Open” sign out front. Soon, the buzz around its awesome drink program started and the very first cocktail we tried was a strawberry-rhubarb Old Fashioned, pictured. Perfectly sweet, tart, and boozy. Now Blue Pit features rotating Old Fashioned recipes, depending on what’s in season.

Summer: The “summer of Anthem” became a running joke amongst our friends, as Union Craft Brewing released its creamy, golden ale to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the penning of the National Anthem. We enjoyed Anthem at Orioles games, while picking crabs, and—most especially—during the Star-Spangled Spectacular fireworks show, pictured.

Another summer favorite was the watermelon crush at The Food Market. We found this one while fighting the crowds at HonFest and stopping at Food Market’s truck parked outside the restaurant. The combination of Green Mountain lemon vodka, watermelon purée, kiwi syrup, and crushed ice was a refreshing way to beat the heat and just a definitively beautiful cocktail.

Fall: When the chill of fall rolled in, so did the highly anticipated opening of Bookmaker’s Cocktail Club in Federal Hill. Though the spot has experienced some chef changes since opening, the bar program has remained strong under the helm of Ryan Sparks. One of the first cocktails we got to enjoy was The Federale with Espolon Blanco tequila, Becherovka (herbal liqueur), cinnamon, lemon, grapefruit, and a mint sprig. Enjoying spicy, aromatic flavors in the plush Bookmaker’s space was fitting for many fall evenings. We also recommend the bar’s cocktails on tap or anything combined with its house-made tonic.

This fall, we also got to explore some local wineries and distilleries in the area, including Millstone Cellars in Monkton and Lyon Distilling in St. Michael’s. Both outfits are producing spirits for the love of the craft and, in particular, we like Millstone’s Bonfire—a spicy mead with wildflower honey—and Lyon’s white rum, pictured, which has some sugar cane notes and a hint of molasses sweetness.

Winter: Hot cocktails can be sort of tricky. A lot of them are just boozy teas that we associate with getting over that nasty winter cold. But we think we discovered the ultimate exception in Wit & Wisdom‘s hot buttered rum cocktail, pictured, right, with Pyrat rum and a concoction of brown sugar, butter, honey, vanilla, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon—that is all topped with house-made maple whipped cream. We find it hard to imagine anything more decadent this time of year.

Of course, we can’t forget that Flying Dog Brewery had one of the most inspired holiday collaborations by teaming up with Otterbein’s Bakery to make cookie-beer pairings. Our favorite of the lot was the Roasted Peanut Brown Ale, which pairs with, admittedly, one of the best cookies on the planet. Washing down the Otterbein chocolate chip cookie with a sip of this 5-percent-ABV brown ale with nutty characteristics is like one giant candy bar experience.

Cheers to a happy (and boozy) 2015!

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