We spoke to mixologist Marson Strydom on making your bubbly cocktails at home this New Year’s Eve.
KISS
One of the most important rules when making drinks, in general, is KISS; Keep It Simple, Stupid. You don’t have to overcomplicate things and make your life a living hell when making cocktails. The Mimosa is a mix of two ingredients; orange juice and bubbles and it is utterly delicious and can be prepared in no time at all.
Add bubbles last
Always add the bubbles last, especially when preparing welcome drinks. This enables you to prep your drink without losing all that effervescence. Only add the bubbles once your guests start to arrive. The same when adding to a punch, add it when your guests arrive.
Picture: Supplied
Splash or top-up
If you are in the mood for shaking your drinks, never shake with the bubbles, unless you want your shaker to pop and your delicious concoction to spread everywhere except where it should be. Shake your drink without the bubbles, strain it in a glass over ice and top up or splash with your favorite bubbly.
Use Brut
Using a Brut bubbly is a lot easier than using a demi-sec or any of the sweeter style sparkling wines. The dryness and tartness of your bubble can help balance out your drink, especially if it is on the slightly sweet side.
Lift, don’t stir
After adding bubbles to your drink, you need to make sure that everything is mixed all the way through. A gentle lifting action with a spoon will move denser ingredients like fruit juices and purees to the top without agitating the drink too much and therefore preserving your carbonation.