Champagne’s traditional at New Year’s, of course, but sometimes it’s nice to go a couple of levels further. This is an easy and inexpensive cocktail to make, and scaling it up for guests is simple, since you can easily fit at least eight servings in a mixing glass.
Kirsch (or Kirschwasser), a cherry-based liqueur, is reasonably cheap, and the raspberry syrup is inexpensive as well. It can be found in most grocery stores, usually near the maple syrup, and can also be ordered online. It’ll last a good long while after opening, too, but I recommend keeping it refrigerated.
The original recipe that I found on CocktailDB is called Champagne Fraise and calls for a strawberry to be dropped in rather than a lemon peel, but strawberries aren’t in season, so that didn’t seem to make much sense to me. I went with homemade Asian citrus bitters and a lemon twist instead, and it worked very well.
Oh, and as far as the sparkling wine goes … no need to bust out the Veuve, here. For mixing, I usually go with an inexpensive Prosecco or Cava, preferably something very dry like a brut. The other ingredients will bring plenty of sweetness.
This article is a modified and enhanced version of a post that ran on my nightly cocktail blog, DrinkShouts.
The Champagne Framboise Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- Bar spoon
- Cocktail Strainer
Ingredients
- .5 oz Kirsch Hiram Walker
- .25 oz. Raspberry syrup Maple Grove
- Dash citrus bitters Urban Moonshine
- Sparkling wine Jaume Serra Cristalino
- Lemon twist Garnish
Instructions
- Combine kirsch, syrup and bitters in a pint glass over ice and stir thoroughly. Strain into a chilled champagne coupe and top slowly with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.
