5 Cocktails for the Perfect NYE

Countdown to midnight with a few of these deliciously festive cocktails.

1. Honey Sage Gin Fizz

INGREDIENTS:

3 ounces gin
1-ounce honey sage syrup, depending on your desired level of sweetness (recipe below)
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
5 ounces club soda
fresh sage leaves for garnish

PREPARATION:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low & stir until it appears that all of the honey has dissolved. Remove from heat & let sit until completely cooled to room temperature. Remove sage leaves before using.

2. Cranberry Gin Fizz Cocktail

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 heaping tablespoon cranberry sauce

- 1 ounce (30 ml) gin

- 1 ounce (30 ml) orange liqueur, such as triple sec

- Club soda or sparkling water

- Ice

- Orange slice, for garnish

Rosemary sprig, for garnish

PREPARATION:

Add the cranberry sauce, gin, triple sec, and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds. Pour into a tumbler class and top with club soda or sparkling water. Garnish with orange slice and rosemary sprig.

3. Sparkling Margaritas

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice

- 1 cup agave silver tequila

- 1 cup Triple Sec or Cointreau

- 1 bottle (750 mL) champagne (about 3 cups)

- lime wedges and coarse salt or sugar to rim the glasses

(optional: additional sweetener such as sugar, honey, agave, etc.)

PREPARATION:

Stir the lime juice, tequila, & Triple Sec together. Prepare your glasses by running a lime wedge around the rim of the serving glasses, & then dipping the glasses in coarse salt or sugar. Pour about 1/3 cup of margarita mixture into a champagne glass, & fill the rest of the glass up with champagne.

4. Zinfandel Grape, Rosemary + Gin Crush

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup purple-skinned grapes
1 loosely packed tablespoon of rosemary needles
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed, strained lemon juice
3 tablespoons gin
ice
sparkling water

PREPARATION:

In a jar or cocktail shaker, combine the grapes, rosemary, & sugar. Use a muddling stick to mash the grapes to a pulp. Work in the lemon juice, then the gin. Strain the mixture, pressing on the solids to extract all the good stuff. Stir in ice, then strain into a glass filled with ice, & top off with a splash of sparkling water.

5. Champagne Punch

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 cup Triple Sec

- 1 cup blackberry brandy

- 1/2 cup Chambord

- 2 cups pineapple juice

- 4 cups ginger ale

- 2 750ml bottles Pink Champagne

Raspberries for garnish

PREPARATION:

Combine the Triple Sec, blackberry brandy, Chambord, & pineapple juice in a large pitcher. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Just before serving, add the Triple Sec mixture, ginger ale, & the champagne together in a large punch bowl. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh raspberries if desired.