I'm a big fan of the bubbly. All summer long I drink sparkling rosé, and for Sunday Funday, it's mimosas all the way. So you'd think that on New Year's Eve I'd down glass after glass of Champagne.
But no. For NYE, I go one extra step and turn every flute of Champagne into a Champagne cocktail. It usually just takes one or two more ingredients (see below for several options), but the extra class it adds is immeasurable.
Champagne + Sugar + Bitters
For the easiest Champagne cocktail, make the classic: simply place a sugar cube at the bottom of a filled Champagne flute, add a dash of bitters and a lemon zest garnish, and you're set for a fancy toast.
Champagne + Gin + Lemon
For something a little stronger, go for the French 75. Here gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup mixes with Champagne for a sweet-tart tipple that's as easy to make as it is to drink.
Champagne +Grapefruit
The pretty pink Ruby Champagne cocktail gets its color from ruby grapefruit juice. Use brut Champagne for a dry drink, or a Moscato for a sweeter cocktail.
Champagne + Absinthe
There are two ways to make the herbal concoction Death in the Afternoon, a favorite of Ernest Hemingway: Pour the absinthe into the glasses first, then add chilled Champagne and stir until the mixture is milky, or fill the flutes with Champagne first, then pour absinthe on top, leaving it to float for a cool visual affect.
Champagne + Stout
Yes, stout. In this hearty drink, Irish stout melds with Champagne and lends the bubbly its creamy, malty sweetness.
