While lavish parties and fancy clothes are standard components of a New Year’s Eve celebration, there are other just as traditional ways to ring in the new year that are much more mellow. — like watching the ball drop in New York City, from the warm comfort of your TV room.
If you’re planning to cheer 2020 from your sofa, make sure you have plenty of champagne in your wine storage cabinet and the ingredients needed for one of these delicious champagne cocktails.
#5. Vodka Champagne
Let’s start super simple. Everyone has a bottle of vodka behind one of their bar cabinet doors, right? Great. That means you have everything you need to whip up this two-ingredient champagne cocktail.
If you want to be a little more creative, swap traditional vodka for a flavored variety (lemon or vanilla works nicely). You can also add a little simple syrup or drop in a sugar cube to sweeten the deal.
#4. French 75
This classic drink has been around since World War I. Can you believe it? This champagne cocktail has really stood the test of time. Like most classics, the ingredients here are pretty straightforward.
A French 75 requires gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, brut champagne, and a lemon for garnish. Shake the ingredients over ice and then strain into your glass.
Like most champagne cocktails, a French 75 is best served cold, so make sure to keep your champagne bottles in a refrigerated wine storage cabinet and serve in a chilled glass. Don’t forget the twisted lemon garnish! Use a paring knife to slice a thin, spiral peel.
#3. Classic Champagne Cocktail
This is another great champagne cocktail that only needs a few key ingredients: bitters, champagne, sugar cubes, and lemon (again for a garnish).
The secret to the classic champagne cocktail is a sugar cube soaked in bitters. This tiny touch packs serious flavor and brings out the different notes in the champagne. Like a French 75, you can also garnish this cocktail with a slice of lemon.
#2. Champagne Punch
You might be spoiled by all of these easy champagne recipes. Fair warning, this one’s a bit more complex. But if you’re staying in, why not do something a little special?
To prepare a champagne punch, you’ll need a bottle of champagne, club soda, and slices of fresh fruits like oranges, pineapples, and strawberries. In many ways, a champagne punch is much like a sangria. You are just swapping the red wine for champagne.
The liquors you will need are likely in your bar cabinet: brandy and cointreau. Add 1 ½ ounce of each. Serve this colorful mixture in a large punch bowl or pitcher and enjoy all night long.
#1. Death in the Afternoon
Ernest Hemingway was not just a great writer. He also knew how to make a strong drink. His champagne cocktail creation mixes the bubbly treat with absinthe.
But if you do start drinking this cocktail in the afternoon, there’s a good chance you’ll fall asleep far too early to say, “Happy New Year!”
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