What My College "Faderade" Taught Me About the Future of Alcohol

Why flavor a spirit when you can "spirit" a favorite flavor?

Instead of traditional brands trying to mask the taste of harsh spirits with artificial flavors, the most successful new entrants are starting with beloved, nostalgic flavor profiles and adding the alcohol in.

And it reminded me of the Beverage Forum conversation I had with Adam Kost (CEO of Dirty Shirley), where we broke down this reverse innovation trend, which has been more recently this massive shift driving the spirits-based RTDs market.

But unknowingly, I’ve been ahead of this innovation curve for two decades. In fact, back in college, I was mixing up what I called "Faderade" (a vodka-based sports drink) for house party guests. My logic? Use the electrolytes in sports drinks like Gatorade to playfully combat alcohol’s dehydrating effects.

Key Insight: Consumers aren't simply looking for "flavored vodka." Instead, they're looking for their favorite non-alcoholic experiences, elevated. This is the engine behind the explosive growth of canned cocktails to even hard seltzers and nostalgic flavored malt beverages.

Pivotal Takeaways:

• Nostalgia is Currency: Brands that tap into "core memories" (like Shirley Temples or sports drinks) are winning the spirits-based RTD wars.

• Functional Crossovers: The "better-for-you" (and functional) alcohol movement is evolving. And even if many of the benefits from ingredients included into "hybrid" alcoholic beverages can’t legally be touted, we're still seeing a blurring of lines between functionality and social lubricants.

• Flavor-First Architecture: The modern palate prioritizes the beverage experience over the spirit base.

👉 Is "Faderade" the next big category?