We’re now well into 2017. But before ringing in the New Year, you may have bought a few bottles of champagne in anticipation. Champagne originated among fifth century French royals and has had a reputation as a “celebratory extravagance” for centuries, according to an article in the Bloomberg Review. It should come as no surprise that the tradition to celebrate the New Year with a bottle of bubbly lives on.

In fact, 25 percent of champagne bottles sold in the U.S. are purchased in the week between Christmas and New Year’s, as reported by the International Business Times. That is a lot of Champagne.

This begs the question: Is all champagne purchased for New Year’s Eve actually consumed when the clock strikes midnight? If not, here’s a solution for all those leftover bottles.

Cocktail 1: Winter Champagne Cocktail

Esquire ranked this No. 1 out of The 13 Best Winter Cocktails to Get You Through The Cold.

It tastes like what I imagine living in the roaring ’20s was like — class in a glass. It’s slightly bitter with the characteristic dryness of a Brut, a hint of sweetness and a very light ending note of lemon. It’s refreshing, but not refreshing enough where you feel like you should be on a beach in the Bahamas.

Essentially, this is a way to elevate your Champagne to something you would serve at a fancy cocktail party — or a speakeasy.

You will need:

1 sugar cube or 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar

3-5 dashes of bitters

4 ounces of champagne

Long spiral of lemon zest

Place the sugar in the bottom of your champagne flute. Combine evenly with bitters. Add in a splash of champagne. Stir to combine. Finish off with remaining champagne, and garnish with lemon zest.

Cocktail 2: Winter Jack Mimosa

This one comes from Marie Claire’s list of 15 Champagne Cocktails Worth Throwing a Party For.

I’d place an emphasis on the “Winter” in the name of the drink because this cocktail warms you from the inside out. It has a similar effect to drinking your favorite warm apple cider next to a fireplace. It is not the prettiest drink on earth, I must admit. But what this cocktail lacks in looks, it makes up for in taste. Each time you take a sip, you get the spices from the Winter Jack, the slightly tart sweetness from the apple cider, and the sparkle from the champagne. This is a winter-y rendition of a slightly boozier mimosa.

You will need:

1 oz of Jack Daniels Winter Jack Tennessee Cider

1 oz of Apple Cider

2 oz of Champagne

Combine the Jack Daniels with the apple cider and top glass with champagne.

Published on January 18, 2017 at 10:59 pm

Contact Aline: amarti22@syr.edu