This November our own Kimberly Charles was invited to speak on the top trends in dining, design and drinks for 2009 at the San Francisco Trends Think Tank. In case you missed this event, we wanted to be sure you had access to this great resource. Some of the top trends to watch for in beverages next year include "old is new again" and being green (as in eco-friendly AND budget-friendly). Here are some highlights:

• Going Green "Organic, Biodynamic, Fair Trade and Sustainable offerings are continuing their upswing. It’s becoming more of a standard than a specialty..."

• Alternative Packaging "Tasty affordable wines are showing up in trendy, modern designed boxes, tetra paks, aluminum bottles and light weight glass..."

• Raise the Wine Bar "It has been said that 'Wine Bars are the Coffee Bars of the 2000s.'  Wine Bar concepts are exploding around the country..."

• Corpse Revival, "Obscure, once forgotten spirits are coming back due to high cocktailians mixing it up across the country. Spirits and liqueurs such as..."

• Here Come the Millennials "This of the most influential groups to affect the world of beverages... Many are price resistant, well-traveled, internet savvy..."

So get a glass of your favorite beverage, and sit back for a look into the crystal glass of 2009. Visit All The Swirl to read the full presentation, engage in conversation and watch some live video.  You can also download the trends here.

Cheers!  -Your Friends at Charles Communications