July 31–NEW ORLEANS — What happens with 15,000 bartenders, spirits-brand ambassadors and booze enthusiasts converge on a city for the world's largest cocktail festival?

For one, there's no shortage of free drinks morning, noon and night. But Tales of the Cocktail, which just marked its 15th anniversary, is more than a marathon party. The annual convocation that draws the world's biggest names in the hooch business is, for the most part, a serious affair with 300 events aimed at boosting knowledge and appreciation not just for the finished product (cocktails) but for the science, history, flavors and ingredients in liquors and liqueurs, vermouth, sherry, cordials, aperitifs, bitters and even the cherries that bob in a good Old Fashioned.

It's also where spirits stars are born and cocktail trends are set. Here are some of the directions and trends from the 2017 Tales of the Cocktail.

The daiquiri rules

National Daiquiri Day fell during the festival, perfect timing for the rum-based drink that for many people falls into two camps: classic (think Cuba) and crazy (the frozen concoctions synonymous with partying, especially on Bourbon Street). But the daiquiri can be interpreted in hundreds of ways; a dozen were offered at a Bacardi-hosted party where bartenders from across the country put their own spin on the Big D. Bonus: Ordering a daquiri at the bar can be a conversation starter because it evokes Caribbean history, travel and romance. "It has such a rich, unique backstory," said Areina Thomas, a Bacardi spokeswoman. "The daiquiri doesn't have to be that cloyingly sweet frozen strawberry kind."

Hot drinks are cool

Hot drinks go back to ancient times when Romans drank spiced wine. And their ancestry includes wassail, glogg, eggnog and hot buttered rum. Today, hot drinks such as Irish Coffee or spiced mulled wine with rum or brandy are gaining strength. Hot drinks are especially enjoyable because the nose detects more with hot liquids — sweet and bitter flavors are suppressed in cold liquids, said Tim Herlihy, a brand ambassador for Tullamore Dew whiskey. There's a case for drinking them year round, too. Witness the popularity of bars such as the Buena Vista in San Francisco, which began serving Irish Coffee in 1952 and continues to sell thousands each day.

Low and slow

Increased demand for lower-alcohol (low ABV) cocktails has opened a window of opportunity for American bartenders. "Bringing it down and adding other flavor elements is what's happening now," said Duane Fernandez, a Houston-based portfolio manager for Bacardi USA. "In Texas, it's so darn hot. If you want to imbibe, this is the way to go." Low ABV doesn't mean simply watering down drinks with extra sodas and juices — instead, bartenders might incorporate wine, beer, vermouth, sherry, sake and aperitifs such as Aperol and Campari. One trendy example: 50/50 cocktails with half vermouth and half gin.

Going green

It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the heady green spirit, Chartreuse, enjoys a cult following among the spirits-world elite. There is something both mystical and mysterious about the herbal liqueur from the French Alps. Made by Carthusian Monks — only a handful of whom know the recipe — from 130 herbs, spices and flowers, it works as both straight sipper and formidable ingredient. Chartreuse also is one of the few spirits that ages in the bottle, which makes collecting it a hobby. "Chartreuse is artisanal. It can change and evolve," said Tim Master, Chartreuse brand ambassador for Frederick Wildman and Sons. "That's what's cool about it."

The world we live in

The convention hosted a sustainability summit as part of its ongoing interest in promoting sustainability behind the bar — that means recycling liquor bottles and using leftover bar fruit for fermented sodas, shrubs, cordials and syrups. "People in the industry are asking, 'What is my bar's carbon footprint?' " said Dan Long, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the United States Bartenders' Guild. "People are being mindful of the ingredients they're using and thinking about sustainability and responsible bartending."

A star is born

The Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards are the Oscars of the cocktail world, recognizing American and international bars, new products and more. This year's Best New Spirit/Cocktail Ingredient honor went to a citrus newcomer based on an 1800s rosolio aperitivo recipe. Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto is an Italian liqueur made with Calabrian bergamot oranges and Sicilian citrons flavored with lavender, roses and chamomile. It is at once fresh, slightly bitter and floral, meaning it works as an aperitivo or in a cocktail.

Pisco power

Pisco, the distilled grape spirit native to Peru and Chile, continues to grow in the U.S. market thanks to savvy marketing and a rising number of pisco bars, including one at the Catahoula Hotel in New Orleans. The Trade Commission of Peru hosted a party where two global bartending superstars, Tony Abou-Ganim and Dale DeGroff, mixed up classic and newfangled pisco cocktails. The international focus on Peruvian cuisine should only increase pisco's fortunes, Inside F&B editor Francine Cohen suggested.

Aquafaba, actually

Chickpea water — the liquid you drain from a can of chickpeas, which can be whipped to stiff peaks — has become a vegan replacement for egg whites in the food realm. And now it's making its way into cocktails as a similar substitute in drinks such as Ramos Gin Fizz, eggnog and Pisco Sour. "It does the same thing as an egg white, but it doesn't make people turn up their nose," said Jennifer Contraveos, a brand ambassador for Bacardi USA. "It emulsifies and provides viscosity. And it's vegan." In Houston, new restaurant Roka Akor's Dreams in Green cocktail features vodka, sake, lemon juice, Thai basil, lemongrass-infused safflower oil and a foamy head of aquafaba.

Into Thin Air

Courtesy Lucinda Sterling, Middle Branch bar, New York

1 ounce Slane Irish Whiskey

1/2 ounce Italicus Rosolio

1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

Tonic water

Instructions: Combine whiskey, Italicus and fresh lemon juice in a Collins glass with ice.

Top with tonic water. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Alliance

2 ounces pisco

1/2 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce ginger syrup

1 ounce strawberry/lychee pur?e

Champagne

Instructions: In a mixing glass add pisco, fresh lime juice, ginger syrup and fruit pur?e. Shake with ice until well blended. Strain into a glass filled with ice and top with chilled champagne. Garnish with sliced strawberries and limes.

A TASTE OF THE TALES TRENDS