Food - Drink
Opening Champagne The Right Way Means Less Pop And More Safety
By NATASHA BAILEY
Winter has come, the holiday season is upon us, and for better or worse, the year is almost over. To ring in the new year, there’s no better way to celebrate than by popping open a bottle of champagne to toast the past and welcome the future, but brush up on these champagne safety tips to avoid starting the year with an injury.
Champagne safety is no joke, and a champagne cork can reach speeds of up to 50 miles an hour; that’s fast enough to break glass, cause bleeding and abrasions, and even cause glaucoma if it hits someone in the eye. The best way to avoid this is to chill your champagne first as warm bubbly expands and builds up pressure, and never point the bottle at someone.
Unfortunately, the safest way to open a champagne bottle is to avoid making the classic “pop” noise. Instead of gripping the sides of the cork and twisting it off, you must always have your fingers firmly on top of the cork to prevent it from flying off and instead focus on twisting the bottle. When you open the bottle slowly, and carefully, there should be little to no noise.