Why You Should Start Topping Your Piña Colada With Champagne
We all love a classic cocktail. Whether you wind down with a sweet and syrupy daiquiri, a bubbly paloma, or a bold martini, a perfectly measured and soothing cocktail is always there for you when you need it most. However, in the world of mixology, classic cocktails always come with a twist.
Mixology is more than just adding a few colorful garnishes or creating color-changing liquids. Mixology walks a line between both art and science. The craft is about creating drinkable works of art, provoking thought, and creating experiences. Foxtrot bar writes, "Going beyond bartending, mixology is a craft, and those who practice it take enormous pride in delivering beautiful, thoughtful drinks that are anything but boring." And, of course, when there is a space that produces such daring drinks, a few are bound to go viral. And that's just what happened to the drink named Escape (If You Like Pina Coladas).
Escape is a piña colada and champagne hybrid that is perfectly balanced and bubbly. While this addition may seem simple, it's actually quite a bold statement.
Bold and bubbly
The piña colada and champagne cocktail was first developed in 2017 by London bartender Chris Moore, according to Wine Enthusiast. He developed the drink for the opening menu at Coupette, and it became a hit among bartenders across the globe.
One bartender, Jim Wrigley, became a fan as well, and he created his own version of the drink for the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, Grand Cayman, and named it the Escape (If You Like Piña Coladas). Wine Enthusiast describes the drink, writing, "[he] highlights fresh pineapple juice and the texture of the bubbles. Rather than blend the drink, as Moore did, Wrigley's Champagne Colada is served up in a flute."
Wrigley spoke to Food and Wine about the drink, stating, "It hits a remarkable zeitgeist that transcends previous social or regional boundaries....Piña Coladas are fun and delicious; Champagne is delicious and classy; cocktails are interesting....The massive popularity of the Champagne Piña Colada is a result of the adult drinker rediscovering their inner early drinker, without fear of stigma or derision." This is part of a wider trend of bars reclaiming classic drinks and making them their own. You can have both nostalgia and escapism in one bubbly sip, and that's the duality that mixology can magically curate.
You can make this at home by shaking rum, fresh pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, and Coco Lopez, topping with champagne, and adding toasted coconut flakes and sugar to garnish (via Wine Enthusiast).