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New Year, birthday, buying an apartment or car – there is something that unites these seemingly completely different events. I’m talking about champagne – a drink without which any event loses almost half of its festive atmosphere.
Over the years of its existence, champagne has become so commonplace that it is almost impossible to tell anything new about it. However, I am sure that I can surprise you by telling you about one of the most interesting cocktails based on it – Champagne drink.
It combines the sophistication of sparkling wine, refreshing citrus notes and the taste of exotic Angostura bitters. An elegant glass of Flute completes the picture, shading the magnificence of the “golden” drink.
Note: hereinafter, by the phrase “sparkling wine” I mean champagne and vice versa. This is so as not to bother with conventions in the process.
Historical background
The history of the Champagne cocktail is incredibly ancient, we can say that this is one of the oldest drinks that has not lost its popularity to this day. In 1862, the recipe was first published in the bartender’s handbook, Jerry Thomas. Original composition:
- dry sparkling wine;
- bitter Angostura;
- sugar.
The Champagne drink gained a second life relatively recently, when in 1989 at the bartending competition, one of the participants prepared his own version of the cocktail, calling it “Suspenders”.
Champagne has been on trend ever since, being one of the official drinks of the International Bartenders Association.
The strength of the Champagne cocktail
If you follow the classic recipe, the strength of the cocktail will be about 14-17 degrees. This “scatter” is due to different interpretations of the proportions of the ingredients used.
To understand the issue, let’s look at the alcoholic component of the drink and its alcohol content:
- champagne – 10,5-12,5%;
- Angostura (2-3 drops) – 45%;
- brandy (10 ml) – 37,5%.
Palatability
The taste of sparkling wine is known to everyone – sweet, with a bright grape aroma and pleasant, tongue-tingling, bubbles of carbon dioxide. The taste of brandy also does not raise questions – it is, in fact, moonshine from wine.
Everything changes after the addition of Angostura bitters. This is strong alcohol (45%), which includes 13 ingredients. It gives the drink notes of fragrant cloves, spices, a slight bitterness and a rich taste of herbs.
Cooking equipment
To prepare a Champagne drink, you will need a minimum set of bartenders:
- flute glass;
- bar spoon;
- cocktail glass (optional)
- measuring cup (jigger).
Let me remind you that drinks that include carbonated alcohol are never shaken in a shaker. You will simply lose all the carbon dioxide.
cocktail recipes
The Champagne cocktail has several variations, which I will discuss below.
Champagne
To prepare this drink, we need:
- dry champagne (any will do) – 90 ml;
- brandy – 10 ml;
- sugar – 1 cube;
- 2-3 drops of Angostura;
- lemon zest – to taste.
Preparation:
We put sugar in a chilled glass, pour Angostura bitters and brandy. Stir the contents until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour cold sparkling wine and stir a little. At the end, we decorate the wall of the glass with a ribbon of lemon zest.
Alternatives and recommendations:
- Instead of brandy, try Cognac Champagne.
- A ribbon of lemon peel can be dipped into the cocktail itself.
Champagne Cobbler
This is a rather interesting variation of the Champagne drink, which uses berries. Recipe and Ingredients:
- sparkling wine – 90 ml;
- cognac – 15 ml;
- liquor (cherry) – 15 ml;
- berries or fruits 70 g;
- a little lemon juice – 15-15 ml;
- ice.
Preparation:
In a separate glass, mix lemon juice, cognac and cherry liqueur. Put 2 ice cubes at the bottom of a Flute glass and fill them with crushed berries and fruits. Add a mixture of cognac, juice and liqueur and top up with champagne.
Alternatives and recommendations:
- Lemon juice can be replaced with orange or pineapple juice.
- I recommend adding a couple of mint leaves.
- The drink is ideal for raspberries and blueberries.
Bucks Phys
This drink has an alternative name – French Mimosa. The composition includes only 2 ingredients:
- champagne – 60%;
- orange juice – 40%.
Preparation:
Pour orange juice and cold champagne into a chilled glass. We mix a little. The cocktail is ready to serve.
Grenadine liqueur can be used instead of orange juice.
How to serve
Proper serving Champagne starts with the dishes. For the drink, as for almost all champagne-based cocktails, a Flute glass is used. This is an elegant vessel with thin walls and a long stem that allows the contents to remain cold for a long time.
The cocktail goes well with maraschino cherries. It can also be used to decorate a cocktail. Champagne is drunk without a straw, in small sips.
Conclusion
Few cocktails can be called “refined”, but this epithet fits Champagne perfectly. This is the drink that is equally pleasant to start and end a festive evening, to celebrate important dates and joyful events. I can safely recommend Champagne to those who love delicious and bright cocktails.
I’ll give you a little advice. Absolutely anyone can make a Champagne drink at home and not lose quality. Instead of Flute, an ordinary glass is suitable, absolutely any of your service, gathering dust on the mezzanine. The bartender’s spoon will be replaced by a teaspoon, and the jigger will give way to an ordinary measuring glass, which is in almost every kitchen.
Share this article with your friends if you want some variety for the New Year, instead of the boring “Soviet”.