Champagne Cocktails – 8 Fantastic Drinks with Bubbles

Champagne is probably the world’s most prestigious beverage and the go-to drink for celebrations and toasts. But it can also be an ingredient in an excellent cocktail. In this article, we will discuss the best Champagne cocktails and how to make them:

• The St. Germain Royale
• Mimosa
• Blushing Mimosa
• Tiffany Mimosa
• Barbotage
• French 75
• Champagne Punch
• Ernest Hemingway’s Death in the Afternoon

But before we get into the recipes, let us briefly discuss making a great cocktail.

WHAT IS CHAMPAGNE?

Champagne is a sparkling wine from the Champagne region in France. It can be white or rosé and ranges from very dry to semi-sweet. Because it undergoes a sophisticated production process called “Méthode Champenoise” (English: Champagne Method) or “Traditional Method”, it is a high-quality and expensive beverage.

WHAT IS A COCKTAIL?

A cocktail is a mix of at least two ingredients. Typically, one of them is an alcoholic beverage like gin, whisky, or vodka. The others can be mixers such as lemonade, juice, or soda water. Fruits and herbs are common cocktail ingredients as well.

A Champagne cocktail might sound like an odd idea at first. Many sparkling wine lovers consider Champagne too good (and expensive) to dilute it with other ingredients. Nevertheless, numerous fantastic recipes exist and are worth trying.

HOW TO MAKE A GREAT CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

The quality of a Champagne cocktail depends on the ingredients, the preparation, and the proper glassware. Let us discuss these factors in more detail.

The Right Tools to Make Champagne Cocktails

Many cocktails require only a glass and a stirring spoon to make them. But for others, you need more equipment. With the following bar tools, you are ready to mix all the delicious Champagne cocktails we are about to discuss:

• Shaker With a Lid: A shaker with a leak-proof lid is a must-have for every cocktail lover. Models made from stainless steel are perfect because they are taste-neutral and easy to clean.
• Measuring Cups in Different Sizes: Measuring cups are essential to get the right amount of liquid ingredients. Additionally, a tablespoon is a valuable tool.
• Mesh Strainer: Especially when preparing cocktails with a shaker, you might need a mesh strainer to remove solids like ice cubes before serving the drinks. Make sure it is big enough to cover glasses with wide openings, such as coupe glasses.
• Knife and Cutting Board: For slicing and peeling fruits, you require a sharp knife and a clean cutting board.

The Right Glasses for Serving Champagne Cocktails

The Right Ingredients for Champagne Cocktails

Of course, you also need good ingredients for your Champagne cocktails. Keep these guidelines in mind:

• Do not use the most expensive Champagne for your cocktails. An entry-level bottle is fine (and still of high quality).
• The same rule goes for liqueurs. Better enjoy the best gin and brandy pure instead of mixing them into cocktails.
• Always use fresh fruits if possible. Also, squeeze the juices you need freshly instead of buying industrial products with added sugar or preservatives.
• Making ice from filtered spring water usually is better than ice from the supermarket or the gas station.

These Champagnes are just perfect for making a delicious Champagne cocktail:

THE BEST CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS

You now know what you need to make a great champagne cocktail. Now, let us get to the final pieces: the recipes.

The St. Germain Royale

The St. Germain Royale cocktail is an exquisite drink. Yet, it is easy to prepare. Its signature ingredient is St. Germain, a relatively light liqueur made from elderflower. It features subtle sweet and floral aromas that combine deliciously with dry Champagne.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ oz St. Germain liqueur
• dry Champagne
• 1 raspberry (or 1 blackberry)
• lemon peel for decoration

Instructions

An elegant drink like the St. Germain Royale should come in an elegant glass: the champagne flute. A tulip-shaped sparkling wine glass is fine, too. Here is how to make the cocktail:

1. Fill the liqueur into the flute.
2. Top it with Champagne.
3. Stir the mix gently with a spoon.
4. Add the berry and decorate the glass with the lemon peel.

Mimosa

The Mimosa is one of the most famous Champagne cocktails because it is both delicious and easy to make. It has a solid backbone, coming from Grand Marnier, a French orange liqueur. But you can alter its alcohol level by simply reducing the amount of Champagne while adding more juice. That makes the Mimosa an excellent Champagne cocktail for brunch, bridal showers, and other daytime celebrations.

Blushing Mimosa

The Blushing Mimosa is a variation of the Mimosa. You only have to replace the Grand Manier liqueur with pineapple juice and grenadine, a syrup with sweet and bitter notes. The result is a refreshing cocktail with a great tropical touch and an interesting look.

Ingredients

• dry Champagne
• 2 oz orange juice
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• 1 oz grenadine

Instructions

Again, a tall Champagne flute is the best glass, and again, you should chill it before serving the cocktail. This is how to make the Blushing Mimosa:

1. Mix the juices in a mixing glass.
2. Fill the mix into the flute.
3. Top it with Champagne. Make sure not to fill the glass completely.
4. Finally, slowly pour the grenadine into the drink. It might be easier to put a long spoon upside down into the glass and let the grenadine run down its handle. As it is denser than the other ingredients, it will sink to the ground, creating a fantastic visual effect.

Tiffany Mimosa

Another Mimosa variation is worth discussing because of its extraordinary color: The Tiffany Mimosa. Its light-blue color comes from Blue Curacao, a liqueur made from the Laraha fruit (also: Curacao orange). The spirit has a distinct citrus flavor; however, the blue color is not natural; it comes from a food color. Nevertheless, it gives the Tiffany Mimosa cocktail a unique look and a fascinating taste.

Barbotage

As you have saved some Grand Marnier by making the Blushing Mimosa, let us find another delicious way to use it: the Barbotage cocktail. You can create this drink by combining the orange liqueur, dry Champagne, and a splash of cognac. It is significantly bolder and stronger than both Mimosa variations, so it might not be the best choice for an afternoon party. But it is perfect for a cozy late-night sit-in.

Ingredients

• 4 oz dry Champagne
• ½ oz Grand Marnier Orange Liqueur
• ½ oz cognac
• 1 raspberry
• 2 blackcurrants

Instructions

While a Champagne flute is not necessarily a bad choice for the Barbotage cocktail, a tulip-shaped sparkling wine glass is better. Follow these guidelines to prepare the drink:

1. Pour the orange liqueur and the cognac into the glass.
2. Top the drink with Champagne.
3. Add the berries.

French 75

Many sparkling wine lovers also enjoy a good gin. So what could make more sense than combining the two? With a French 75 cocktail, you can do precisely that. The result is a fascinating mix of sweet, sour, bitter, herbal, and spicy aromas.

Ingredients

• 5 oz dry Champagne
• 2 oz gin
• ½ oz lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fine sugar
• crushed ice
• lemon peel for decoration

Instructions

To mix a French 75, you need a shaker and a mesh strainer. Serve it in a long drink glass. Here are the steps to make it:

1. Combine the gin, the juice, and the sugar in the shaker.
2. Add crushed ice and shake until you feel the shaker becoming frosty.
3. Strain the drink into the long drink glass.
4. Top it with Champagne.
5. Decorate the glass with lemon peel.

Champagne Punch

To serve a big party, you might prefer to prepare a large bowl instead of multiple glasses. The Champagne Punch is the perfect cocktail for this purpose. It requires plenty of ingredients and some work, but it will be enough to keep your guests happy for hours.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle of dry Champagne
• 1 ½ oz brandy
• 1 ½ oz Cointreau
• 1 bottle club soda
• ½ pineapple
• 1 orange
• 8-12 strawberries
• orange peels
• mint leaves
• ice cubes

Instructions

You need a large bowl and a muddler to prepare the Champagne Punch. To slice the fruits, you also require a knife and a cutting board. Do not forget a ladle and long drink glasses to serve your guests. This is how to mix the Champagne Punch:

1. First, put the strawberries into the bowl and crush them into small pieces with the muddler.
2. Add ices cubes.
3. Pour the Champagne, the liqueurs, and the soda into the bowl as well. Depending on the desired strength of the cocktail, you can use less Champagne than stated in the ingredients list.
4. Stir the mix properly.
5. Now, cut the orange and the pineapple into slices. Add the sliced fruits, the orange peel, and fresh mint leaves to the bowl.

Ernest Hemingway’s Death in the Afternoon

If you are looking for a powerful Champagne cocktail to end the day, you should try the Ernest Hemingway’s Death in the Afternoon. Its name might sound terrifying, but it is actually enjoyable. And making it is definitely less complicated than its name.

Ingredients

• 4 oz dry Champagne
• 1 ½ oz absinthe

Instructions

The Ernest Hemingway’s Death in the Afternoon cocktail should be served in a coupe glass. This is how to make it:

1. Pour the absinthe into the glass.
2. Slowly add the Champagne. As soon as the drink clouds up, it is ready to drink.

FINAL WORDS

Champagne cocktails are excellent alternatives to pure sparkling wine, especially on hot summer days. Besides, they offer a tasting experience that you should not miss. So, pick one of the recipes and try it yourself!