Tingling our Tastebuds again: Champagne at the Bar
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Bartenders like to refer to Champagne as “the wine of the bar”. And so it is. Who would want to do without those seductive bubbles? An occasion is quickly found and so we only have to follow the advice of fashion designer Coco Chanel, who declared: “I only drink Champagne on two occasions: When I’m in love and when I’m not.”
Record numbers around the world
And those occasions can be found, on a small and large scale. After a slump in 2020, sales then rose immensely exceeding the figures of the record year 2019 by another 14%, as the Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC) reports. An incredible 34 million bottles went to the main market, the USA, in 2021. Over a tenth of world consumption. Sales in the home country France increased by 25%, while in Germany even 28% more bottles were consumed.
And finally, the bar scene is allowed to join in again and serve guests a refreshing sip or prepare a sophisticated cocktail. In the words of British writer and actor Noël Coward, whose Champagne response is legendary: “Why I drink Champagne for breakfast? Doesn't everyone?”
View to Britain
The world is currently looking to Great Britain for the latest news. We are following this gaze with a glass of Champagne, even though sales figures there have only risen by 7%. After all, we recently became aware again that the Prince of Wales is both a person and a cocktail.
The English are probably also largely responsible for the success story of Champagne. Around 1700, the English were the biggest buyers of sparkling wines, which were shipped across the Channel in barrels. Champagne expert Gerhard Eichelmann explains in his book ‘Champagne Edition’: “In England, wine was bottled and often sugar was added because wine was drunk sweet at that time ... the addition of sugar started new fermentation, the carbonic acid that developed in the process remained in the bottle – voilà, sparkling wine was born.”
Always these princes
In December 1861, flags in the UK flew at half-mast. The beloved husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, had died. The mood at the honourable Brook’s Club in London was also gloomy and the barman decided that Champagne should also be in mourning that day. Without further ado, he poured black Guinness Stout into the Champagne and dyed it black. The legendary “Black Velvet” cocktail was born.
The then Prince of Wales, Crown Prince Albert Edward, had a long, patient wait before ascending to the throne after his mother in 1901, at the age of 60. He spent the time until then enjoying himself ‘royally’, as we know from a booklet published anonymously by a “member of the royal household” in 1901 about the life of the Crown Prince: ‘The Private Life of King Edward VII (Prince of Wales, 1841-1901)’. On his drinking habits, we learn that he was not a beer drinker (“Unlike his nephew, the Emperor of Germany”), but his travels to the USA probably brought him into contact with mixed drinks of that early period. Our anonymous author reports on a drink that the Crown Prince liked to make for himself. In the original it says: “He is also credited with having composed an excellent ‘cocktail.’ It consists of a little rye whisky, crushed ice, a small square of pineapple, a dash of Angostura bitters, a piece of lemon peel, a few drops of Maraschino, a little champagne, and powdered sugar to taste. This ‘short drink’ is often asked for at the clubs which he frequents.”
Tradition and innovation
The Prince of Wales cocktail we get in bars today is usually a kind of improved Champagne cocktail made with Cognac, Grand Marnier, sugar, Angostura and Champagne. But the link to the “original” above is obvious.
This Champagne cocktail, the forerunner of all Champagne drinks, first appeared in Jerry Thomas’ ‘Bartender’s Guide or How to mix a Cocktail’ in 1862. The drink is simple and ingenious at the same time: a piece of sugar cube is soaked with Angostura Bitters, infused with Champagne and garnished with lemon zest.
At Bar Convent Berlin this year, we can finally expect a number of ‘pearls’ from sparkling wine producers. In addition to our tried and tested Champagne friends from Pommery, Lallier from Campari has also announced its presence. Could this be the ideal sparkling wine for a perfect Negroni Sbagliato?
In any case, it’s time to compare the Air-Mail with the Pegu Club again, to celebrate the French 75 or to argue about the Seelbach. And if you now want to look beyond just the British royals, treat yourself to an Alfonso with sugar, Angostura, Dubonnet and Champagne, named after the deposed Spanish King Alfonso XIII and featuring his favourite concoction in French exile.
On that note: Cheers, Santé and Salud! The main thing is – it tingles your tastebuds.
Bar ohne Namen
Entschlossen verweigert sich Savage, der Bar einen Namen zu geben. Stattdessen sind drei klassische Design-Symbole das Logo der Trinkstätte in Dalston: ein gelbes Quadrat, ein rotes Viereck, ein blauer Kreis. Am meisten wurmt den sympathischen Franzosen dabei, dass es kein Gelbes-Dreieck-Emoji gibt. Das erschwert auf komische Weise die Kommunikation. Der Instagram Account lautet: a_bar_with_shapes-for_a_name und anderenorts tauchen die Begriffe ‘Savage Bar’ oder eben ‚Bauhaus Bar‘ auf.
Für den BCB bringt Savage nun sein Barkonzept mit und mixt für uns mit Unterstützung von Russian Standard Vodka an der perfekten Bar dazu.
