The margarita remains the undisputed king of cocktails, projected to be the world’s top-selling drink in 2025 and beyond. Creative takes on this iconic cocktail are flourishing from Mexico City to Melbourne, and in every leading bar around the globe. We’ve seen everything from spicy jalapeño margaritas to refreshing watermelon twists and even bold, street-food inspired versions like the Margarita Al Pastor.
The “skinny margarita” rose to popularity largely thanks to figures like Bethenny Frankel, with her Skinnygirl Margarita, a ready-to-pour cocktail sweetened with agave nectar. While it’s significantly less sweet than traditional margaritas and omits some key ingredients like orange liqueur, it’s still not sugar-free. This less sweet profile is a compromise many guests don’t want. They want their skinny margarita to taste just like the real deal, not simply tequila and lime. In large part, this is the reason the skinny margarita has struggled to become a mainstay at bars, until now.
Bottled or canned skinny margaritas typically combine tequila with lime juice and agave syrup, and mostly taste like a watered-down version of a margarita.
In the cocktail world, consumers know that ordering a skinny cocktail usually means sacrificing essential ingredients. Traditional skinny margaritas often omit triple sec or orange liqueur which can contain up to 12 grams (three teaspoons) of sugar per serve, and replace it with orange juice or even strip it down to just tequila, lime and agave syrup. While these versions are lighter in calories, they lose the distinctive citrus depth and complexity that make the classic margarita so beloved. Many bartenders and mixologists don’t love making skinnies because they lose the key elements critical to both the cocktail experience and the premiumisation trend.
But what if it were possible to offer a skinny margarita and all its creative riffs with all the rich, vibrant flavour of the original without cutting out the best parts? Enter Barlei Sugar-Free Orange Liqueur, and for those who prefer sweeter cocktails, Barlei Sugar-Free Simple Syrup. This innovative Australian range of premium, sugar-free and low-calorie liqueurs, aperitivos and syrups allows venues to serve authentic, premium margaritas bursting with bright citrus notes, without sugar or unwanted calories. Perfectly aligned with today’s health-conscious consumers!
Endless Creative Riffs and Elevated Guest Experiences
Using Barlei sugar-free orange liqueur, with or without the sugar-free simple syrup, unleashes a wide range of clean-label margarita variations that don’t rely on sugary, calorie-heavy ingredients. Here are some standout ideas to inspire venues:
- Margarita Al Pastor: Tequila, Barlei sugar-free orange liqueur, lime juice, Barlei simple syrup, taco seasoning, a smoky chili salt rim and a pineapple garnish (tastes like a street taco in a glass!)
- Citrone Paloma: Tequila, Barlei orange liqueur, grapefruit juice, and lime for a refreshing, well-balanced spritz.
- Spicy Skinny Margarita: Tequila, Barlei orange liqueur, lime juice, muddled jalapeño, and Barlei simple syrup deliver bold heat without heaviness.
- Sparkling Citrus Margarita: Tequila, Barlei orange liqueur, lime juice and a good splash of soda for refreshing effervescence.
- Seasonal Fruit Margarita(s): Tequila, Barlei orange liqueur, lime juice and pureed strawberry, mango, peach, watermelon or pear for authentic sugar-free variations using seasonal fruit.
Why this Matters for Venues
Elevating margaritas with Barlei taps into powerful global trends including premiumisation, health-conscious choices and customers willing to pay more for authenticity and innovation. Venues can now “skinny” their menus without limitations, and premium cocktails crafted with sugar-free liqueurs, aperitivos and syrups can generate additional revenue. These drinks attract guests, break down ordering barriers and become visually share-worthy social media hits.
Menu Language that Sparks Curiosity
As we’ve introduced the Barlei range across venues Australia-wide, it’s been positioned on menus with appealing labels like Sugar-Free Cocktails, Low-Calorie Cocktails and Better-For-You Cocktails. These terms are effective in introducing healthier options, but recent studies show they can also create a “health halo” effect. This means consumers often perceive these drinks not only as sugar-free and low-calorie, but sometimes mistakenly believe they are less sweet, not sweet at all, or even zero-alcohol or low-ABV options, which is not the case. This insight is valuable as we continue to bring healthier cocktails into the mainstream alongside other better-for-you beverage categories like sugar-free RTDs, low sugar ciders, beers, and wines that face the same health-halo effect.
To fully unlock the potential of these innovative drinks, how they’re presented matters just as much as the recipe. Clear menu positioning ensures guests find and choose these better-for-you cocktails. While the above descriptors have helped to establish better-for-you beverage categories, there is an important menu design and labelling consideration for venues.
Adding a sugar-free or low-calorie cocktail by name (e.g. Sugar Free Spritz or Low Calorie Spritz) can possibly be misinterpreted as not sweet or lacking ABV. Furthermore, it can easily get lost or overlooked when mixed within a large, diverse cocktail list. Their subtle distinction may fail to catch guest attention amid numerous choices. Feedback and experience suggest that creating a dedicated Skinny Cocktails section on the menu can be the best way to showcase these distinctive offerings. A separate section not only makes these cocktails visible and accessible but also clearly communicates their appeal to health-conscious customers.
Skinny has already become a globally acceptable and mainstream way to label a healthier alternative. Perhaps it’s time to revive the true Skinny Cocktail, whether it’s a Skinny Margarita, Skinny Espresso Martini, or Skinny Spritz as they were always intended: better-for-you versions of classic favourites with no compromise on taste, sweetness, mouthfeel or the cocktail experience.
With Barlei, venues no longer have to choose between flavour and a skinny profile. Guests enjoy the best of both worlds, while bartenders unlock endless creativity, repeat sales, and premium margins.
