I am so tired of thinking and typing about this stupid year, but I’m still a little excited that it is finally ending (if only because that means I can quite thinking and typing about it). I don’t believe that 2021 will necessarily be any better—we will, as far as I can tell, still be living through a serious health crisis—but at least we’ll start it with a little bit of hope.
And even in 2020, New Year’s Eve is New Year’s Eve, and, as ever, deciding what to drink will be the major challenge of the evening. (Well, that and packing for a move, but is more my own personal NYE challenge.) As you may have guessed, I have many (three-ingredient) suggestions—most of which are sparkling in nature, but some of which are not.
A beautiful Kir Péttilant
This pretty lady is barely a three-ingredient libation. All you really need is a teaspoon of creme de cassis and some sort of sparkling wine, and you’ve got an elegant, colorful, slightly sweet, fruity libation. Use capital-c Champagne to make it a Kir Royale.
A frozen berry-infused apéritif
If you have Campari, sugar, and some freezer-burned berries, you can make this jewel-toned, fruit-infused aperitif. Throw the berries and bitter in a shaker with some simple syrup, shake it all up, and strain over cracked ice.
A celebratory Chartreuse spritz
Lifehacker turned 15 this year, but we obviously did not get to throw the party we wanted. I did get to make this Chartreuse drink, however, and it is pretty freaking good. To the intensely alcoholic and herbaceous Chartreuse, I added a little citrus and ginger—to highlight, not distract from, all that plant-y goodness. (If purchasing this pricey booze for one cocktail seems excessive, please note that it is also delicious when mixed with pineapple juice.)
The Gin & It
This is like a darker, more winter appropriate martini, though I would never fault you for consuming a classic martini, no matter the weather. The key to this cocktail’s success lies in the vermouth, so pick a good one, and make sure it’s Italian (that’s what the “It” in “Gin & It” stands for, after all).
A Fizzy Communist
This drink is just as unhinged as (and in the theme of) my Twitter presence. It combines gin, cherry liqueur, and Squirt, and it’s good. If you don’t have cherry liqueur, another fruit liqueur will work. Try peach. I always seem to have peach liqueur, for some reason.
The beautiful Elizabeth Taylor
This purple drink, named after the violet-eyed starlet, doesn’t usually have gin in it, but I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to add it. Gin makes everything better, and it helps to balance out the crème de violette’s syrupier qualities.
A fuzzy Bitter Peach
Oh look, it’s my best friends, Campari and peach liqueur, topped off with bubbles. I originally developed this drink to celebrate my birthday, but I think we can repurpose it for the birth of 2021. (I don’t mind sharing with a Capricorn.)
A lazy French 75
Most French 75 recipes call for lemon juice and sugar (and gin), but I often use lemonade, because squeezing lemons is sticky business. Use pink lemonade to make it pretty.
A Soviet Spritz
Сове́тское шампа́нское—the “Soviet Champagne” that is definitely not Champagne—is very cheap, very sweet, and mildly headache-inducing, but it is quite good when diluted with vodka and flavored with sour cherry syrup. If you cannot find sour cherry syrup, try unsweetened cranberry juice. The Сове́тское шампа́нское will provide plenty of sucrose.