A Champagne Toast

It’s New Years Eve again. And what better way to celebrate than with a traditional glass of bubbly. But perhaps you are tired of the mundane, and looking to spice up your drink a bit. Well here a couple of drinks sure to make your New Years just that much better!

The Champagne Cocktail
1 Sugar Cube
Angostura Bitters
Champagne

Simple and effective, the addition of a bitters soaked sugar cube livens up the champagne, and the extra bubbles rising up your flute add that dramatic flourish.

The Kir Royale and other Twists
3/4 oz Creme de Cassis
Champagne

Simple adding a liqueur such as Cassis, St. Germain, Chartreuse, Aperol, or anything similar gives a nice flavor addition while still retaining that classic champagne cocktail feel.

The French 75
2 oz Gin
1 oz Lemon juice
1 tsp Simple Syrup
Champagne

Occasionally made with Cognac vs Gin, this champagne cocktail is strong and tasty. For those who aren’t big champagne fans, you can also substitute the bubbly with either a Belgian beer to keep the sweetness, or a nice IPA for a little more bitterness.

Soyer Au Champagne
2 dashes Maraschino
2 dashes Brandy
2 dashes Grand Marnier
2 dashes Pineapple Juice
1 scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
Champagne

This one is more of a dessert drink and it fits the bill perfectly. Sweet and creamy, this drink is masterfully blended to create a complex, flavorful cocktail that really hits the spot.

The Seelbach Cocktail
1 oz Bourbon
1/2 oz Cointreau
7 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
7 dashes Angostura Bitters
Champagne

This one is for the whiskey lovers out there. Paired with a very generous amount of bitters, this one is for those who would otherwise be drinking Old Fashioneds and Sazeracs.

So there you have it, several variations that are sure to please everyone’s palate. So go out, celebrate and enjoy responsibly. Cheers!

Vintage Cocktails #62: Soyer au Champagne

This next cocktail wins the award for most random combination of ingredients. It is billed as a dessert drink and it fits the bill perfectly. Sweet and creamy, this drink is masterfully blended to create a complex, flavorful cocktail that really hits the spot. Try it, and I think you’ll agree. Cheers!

Soyer au Champagne
2 dashes Maraschino
2 dashes Brandy
2 dashes Grand Marnier
2 dashes Pineapple Juice
1 scoop Vanilla Ice Cream
Champagne

Vintage Cocktails #53: The Seelbach Cocktail

Created in 1917 as the signature cocktail of the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, this cocktail lay forgotten to the world until the mid 1990’s when it was brought back to life by Adam Seger, restaurant manager at the Seelbach. I do not know why this drink ever faded into obscurity as it is a fantastic champagne based cocktail. The sweetness of the champagne and liquer is perfectly balanced by the extra large dose of bitters, and the bourbon creates a great backbone flavor. The higher proof the bourbon, the better this drink will be. A 100 proof rye works excellently as well. Cheers!

The Seelbach Cocktail
1 oz Bourbon
1/2 oz Cointreau
7 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
7 dashes Angostura Bitters
Champagne

Vintage Cocktails #22: Crimean Cup A La Marmora

Found within the pages of Jerry Thomas’s Bartender’s Guide (1862) this drink is named after the sixth prime minister of the Kingdom of Italy, who was also a hero of the Crimean War. The original drink was meant as a punch for around 30 people, but here is presented as a drink for two. The Crimean Cup is reminiscent of a Mai Tai, with some extra sparkle and funk provided by champagne and maraschino liquer. I would recommend this in its original quantity for a summer gathering.

Crimean Cup A La Marmora
2 broad slices of Lemon Peel
1 tsp Sugar
1/2 oz Dark Jamaican Rum
1 oz Brandy
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1/2 oz Jamaican Rum
2 oz Orgeat Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
4 oz Soda Water
3 oz Champagne

Vintage Cocktails #21: The French 75

Created during WWI and named after the 75-millimeter M1897, a French field artillery weapon, the French 75 packs a wallop.  Some controversy surrounds this drink as some would contend that it should be made with cognac rather than gin, as cognac would have been more readily available in France at that time. However, true cocktail aficionados will hold to the drink being made with gin. I agree completely. The cognac version tastes ok, but pairing gin with lemon and champagne really brings the drink alive. Also, don’t be skimpy with the gin or lemon. It should be the base of the drink, not the icing on the top. This is a delicious summer afternoon or brunch cocktail, but beware, as a couple of these will smack you in the face like an artillery shell.

The French 75
2 oz Gin
1 oz Lemon juice
1 tsp Simple Syrup
Champagne