Skip to main content

Strike a celebratory note with these New Year’s Champagne alternatives

Gray Whale Gin has suggestions for gin-based cocktails

gin cocktails nye new year s  cheers by gray whale
Gray Whale Gin

Prepping for New Year’s Eve celebrations doesn’t only have to mean Champagne — it can be a great excuse for cocktails too! The brand Gray Whale Gin, which we love to use for mixing cocktails, has come out with a couple of suggestions for celebratory gin-based drinks that are perfect for welcoming the new year in style.

The New Year’s, New Cheers combines some unusual ingredients including pear juice and fresh grapes for a drink which looks gorgeous and celebratory and promises delicious easy drinking as well. The large sprig of rosemary as a garnish also adds a lovely herbal and savory note to the proceedings, which matches well with some of the savory notes of the gin.

Recommended Videos

And of course there’s also one of my all-time favorite gin cocktails, the French 75. This combination of gin, lemon, and sparkling wine is dangerously delicious, and is a great way to fancy up your flute of Prosecco into something special for a New Year’s Eve party.

New Year’s, New Cheers

Gray Whale Gin

Ingredients:

  • 3 parts Prosecco
  • 1.5 parts Gray Whale Gin
  • 1 part Pear juice
  • 0.5 part Simple syrup
  • 0.5 part Fresh lemon juice
  • Garnish: Green grapes and rosemary sprig for garnish

Method:

Set aside 2 green grapes for garnish. Combine remaining ingredients except for Prosecco in cocktail shaker. Lightly muddle grapes, then shake vigorously. Double strain into champagne flute and top with Prosecco. Garnish with rosemary sprig skewered with grapes.

French 75

Gray Whale Gin

Ingredients:

  • 3 parts Prosecco
  • 1 part Gray Whale Gin
  • ½ part Fresh lemon juice
  • ½ part Simple syrup
  • Garnish: Lemon twist

Method:

Combine all ingredients except Prosecco in a shaker and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into coupe or flute and top with Prosecco. Garnish with lemon twist

Georgina Torbet
Georgina Torbet is a cocktail enthusiast based in Berlin, with an ever-growing gin collection and a love for trying out new…
What your daily cup of coffee is really doing to you, new study explores
How your coffee habits unknowingly affect your health
Long black coffee

Do you know what your morning cup of coffee does to you? As it turns out, researchers from Tufts University have been asking this same question. A recent study published in The Journal of Nutrition examined the coffee-drinking habits of over 45,000 Americans from 1998 to 2018.  This observational study analyzed data from the National Death Index Mortality Data, suggesting that individuals who consumed one to three cups of black coffee had a 14% lower risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality compared to those who did not.

In addition to this key finding, the recently published study also found that individuals who drank more coffee achieved even better results. Those who had 2 to 3 cups of coffee had a 17% lower risk of all-cause mortality. However, the findings suggest that this research only applies to those who drank their coffee black. Adding cream and sugar to your coffee, even in small amounts, could completely negate the potential benefits of drinking black coffee. This study's findings come at a time when black coffee is on the rise, as health-focused coffee drinkers have begun to find new ways to eliminate added sugar and cream from their morning coffee.
"The health benefits of coffee consumption may be diminished when sugar and saturated fat are added," the study researchers concluded. It's also worth noting that this observational study only examined individuals who drank regular caffeinated coffee and did not explore the benefits associated with drinking decaf coffee. While this study suggests a correlation between coffee consumption and lower all-cause mortality, it does not necessarily indicate a causal relationship.

Read more
Clase Azul is launching a new, smoky blanco tequila you won’t want to miss
Clase Azul Tequila Blanco Ahumado is the newest addition to the brand's portfolio
Clase Azul

There are very few tequila brands with more eye-catching bottles than Clase Azul. The popular brand’s newest expression is no exception. It’s called Clase Azul Tequila Blanco Ahumado. It’s the latest addition to the portfolio, joining the brand’s five tequilas and three mezcals.
Clase Azul Tequila Blanco Ahumado

This artisanal tequila begins with Blue Weber agave hearts that are baked in a traditional oven made by digging a pit in the ground and lighting wood and volcanic rocks. After baking, the agave is shredded, and the juice is fermented and combined with the brand’s proprietary yeast. It’s then double-distilled in copper pot stills, resulting in a memorable tequila that will make you rethink the depths of flavor that blanco tequila can contain.

Read more
From ancient brews to craft cans: the 9,000-year story of beer
The lengthy history of a well-known beverage
Beer on a wooden barrel

Beer has deep, deep roots. The stuff predates so many things, from actual religious figures and way-back eras like the Middle Kingdom of Egypt to fellow fermented beverages like wine. How beer is made has changed quite a bit over that long arc, but the amazing fact remains: it's one of the oldest beverages on earth.

Undoubtedly, the first versions of beer tasted very different than what we're accustomed to today. That's pretty much the case with most things we eat and drink (ancient Roman wine, anyone?). Regardless, humans were interested in fermenting grain several thousands of years ago and that's pretty cool to mull over.
When was beer invented?

Read more