Honey-Rimmed Bubbly: Our Little Celebration Ritual

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Steven and I aren't really drinkers. A bottle in our house is saved for the moments that matter: an anniversary, a big win, a new year, a quiet "we made it." And when one of those moments comes around, we have a little ritual: we run honey around the rim of our glasses before we pour.

It sounds a bit unusual, I know. But try it once and you'll understand. That first sip, sweet and floral with the bubbles right behind it, makes an ordinary toast feel like an occasion.

How It Started

For years, our celebration drink was champagne. Then someone gave us our very first bottle of mead, a cranberry mead, and it was delicious. Bright, a little tart, and of course made from honey. For two beekeepers, it felt like it was meant to be.

We still love champagne, but after that bottle, we might have to switch.

Why Honey on the Rim Works

A honey rim does a few lovely things at once:

• It adds sweetness right where your lips touch the glass, so the drink itself stays crisp.
• It softens dry or tart flavors, which is why it's so good with brut champagne and fruit meads.
• It's pretty. A slow golden drip down the side of a flute makes any table feel special.

Bartenders often use honey as the "glue" for sugar or salt rims. We've done honey plus sugar too, but honestly, we find the honey is enough on its own.

How to Rim a Glass with Honey

1. Pour a thin layer of honey onto a small plate. If it's thick, warm it for a few seconds so it spreads easily.
2. Turn your glass upside down and dip the rim, giving it a gentle twist so the edge is coated all the way around.
3. Lift and let it settle for a moment. A few drips down the side are part of the charm.
4. Optional: dip into sugar right away if you want a sparkly, crunchy rim.
5. Pour slowly so the bubbles don't wash the honey away.

Tip: If your honey has gone thick or crystallized, that's normal for raw honey (here's why it's a good thing). Set the jar in warm water for a few minutes and it loosens right up. A mini wooden honey dipper also makes it easy to drizzle the honey onto your plate without a sticky spoon.

Ways to Make It Your Own

• Honey + sugar: classic and sparkly, great for New Year's Eve.
• Honey + citrus zest: a little lemon or orange zest pressed into the honey brightens everything.
• Infused honey: lavender, citrus, or cinnamon honey turns each glass into something new.
• Edible flowers: a few dried petals pressed into the rim look beautiful in photos.

New to infused honey? Start with Infused Honey 101: Cinnamon, Lavender, Chili & More. And because our raw honey changes with the seasons (here's why), every celebration tastes a little different.

Champagne or Mead?

With champagne, the honey rounds out the dryness and brings out the fruity notes. With mead, it's honey on honey, and the rim makes those floral, fruity flavors even richer. Our cranberry mead was a perfect match.

And if you don't drink at all, this works just as well with sparkling cider, sparkling grape juice, or even sparkling water with a splash of fruit. The ritual is the point, not what's in the glass.

Non-Alcoholic Toast: Honey-Rimmed Sparkling Cranberry Cider

This one is a nod to that first cranberry mead. It's bright, a little tart, festive, and anyone can raise a glass.

Serves 2

• 1 tablespoon raw honey, for the rims (we use our Beeholden Farms raw honey)
• 1 cup chilled sparkling apple cider
• ½ cup chilled 100% cranberry juice (or cranberry-apple)
• A small squeeze of fresh lemon (optional)
• A handful of fresh or frozen cranberries
• Thin apple slices or cinnamon sticks, for garnish (optional)

1. Rim two flutes with honey using the steps above.
2. Drop a few cranberries into each glass. Frozen ones double as ice and keep the drink cold.
3. Pour ¼ cup cranberry juice into each glass, plus a squeeze of lemon if you like it brighter.
4. Slowly top with sparkling cider, about ½ cup per glass, tilting the glass so the bubbles stay lively.
5. Garnish with an apple slice on the rim or a cinnamon stick, and toast.

For a cozy fall version, skip the lemon and add a cinnamon stick to each glass. Prefer your cider warm? Try the apple cider recipe everyone asked for from my old shop.

Make It Your Tradition

Celebrations go by fast. A small ritual like this makes you slow down, look at each other, and mark the moment. That's what it's become for Steven and me, and I hope it becomes something special for you too.

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Want to try it with honey from our own hives? Our small-batch raw honey is perfect for rimming glasses, and every season tastes a little different. Planning a wedding, shower or party? Our mini honey jar favors let your guests take a little sweetness home.

Keep reading: 10 Ways to Use Raw Honey Beyond Your Morning Tea