English Fizz Cocktails to Celebrate Winnie the Pooh Day

Winnie the Pooh Day

Winnie the Pooh Day is on the 18th of January every year, it’s a day to celebrate the birth of Alan Alexander Milne (also known as A.A. Milne).

Here Are A Few Facts About A.A. Milne & How Winnie The Pooh Was Created

A.A. Milne was born on the 18th of January 1882 in London, he married his wife Dorothy “Daphne” de Sélincourt in 1913.

He served in the First World War as an officer, during the Battle of the Somme on July 7th 1916 he was injured and then sent back to England, but he wasn’t dismissed, he continued to help the English by writing propaganda articles for MI7 between 1916 and 1918, after the war had ended he was discharged on the 14th of February 1919.

On August 21st 1920, A.A Milne and Dorothy brought their son into the world, Christopher Robin Milne.

The first time Winnie the Pooh was shown to the world was in a story called The Wrong Sort Of Bees, it was published in the London Evening News, a newspaper, on Christmas Eve 1925.

The first time Winnie the Pooh was published in a book was only a year later in 1926, in the book called Winnie-the-Pooh.

Then when World War II started he served his country again, this time as the Captain of the British Home Guard in Hartfield & Forest Row.

A.A. Milne died on the 31st of January 1956 at the age of 74 in Hartfield.

During his life he made a name for himself as an author, he was a playwright and wrote various poems, but all this work was overshadowed by his most famous piece, Winnie the Pooh, a character you are still likely to show your children today, Winnie the Pooh has made appearances in Books, Films, TV Shows and even Video Games.

Milne got the idea for Winnie the Pooh after he bought a teddy bear for his son Christopher Robin Milne from the huge London based shop, Harrods.

His son named the bear Winnie after a Canadian black bear he saw at London Zoo and then added Pooh after he met a swan while he was on holiday.

English Sparkling Wine

Before we start thinking about the Cocktails, we need to pick a bottle of English Sparkling Wine, I’ve gone for a bottle of Woodchurch Blanc de Blancs Brut 2014, this English Sparkling Wine won a Silver Medal in the First Date Category in The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards 2019.

Established in 2009, Woodchurch is located in Kent, England, their vineyards are located on south looking hills, that oversee the ancient Romney marsh, all the way down to the English channel.

Woodchurch offer private tours and tastings, their vineyard shop is open on weekends from 11am until 5pm, click here to find out more.

Woodchurch Blanc de Blancs Brut 2014 Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Yellow and green fruits.”

Taste – “Green fruits and lime.”

Winnie The Pooh Inspired Cocktails

It is well known to most who have heard of Winnie the Pooh, that he loves Honey, so it would be crazy to create a Winnie the Pooh Inspired Cocktail without Honey.

As Winnie isn’t the only character A.A. Milne created, I have also come up with Cocktails inspired by Piglet and Tigger.

Before we start with the Cocktail’s there is one common ingredient that is used in all three, and that’s Simple Syrup, to make simple syrup all you need to do is get yourself a small saucepan, pour in water and add in some sugar, cook on medium heat, stir until the sugar is dissolved and then wait for it to cool.

Winnie The Pooh Cocktail

Ingredients

• English Sparkling Wine
• Honey
• Simple Syrup
• Lemon Juice
• Gin

How To Make A Winnie The Pooh Inspired Cocktail

1. Spread Honey around the inside of your glass and on the rim.
2. Pour in 1 shot glass of simple syrup.
3. Pour in half a glass of Gin.
4. Add in 1 tbsp of lemon juice.
5. Fill up the rest of your glass with English Sparkling Wine.

Winnie The Pooh Cocktail Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Honey and Lemon.”

Taste – “The honey from the rim of the glass hugs your lips, allowing you to lick it off during or after you’ve had your sip, fizzy honey, citrus and blossoming English garden flavours including nettles, this is a lovely sweet Honey Cocktail.”

Piglet Cocktail

Ingredients

• English Sparkling Wine
• Simple Syrup
• Belvoir Raspberry Lemonade

How To Make A Piglet Cocktail

1. Pour in 1 shot glass of simple syrup.
2. Fill to halfway with Raspberry Lemonade.
3. Fill up with English Sparkling Wine

Piglet Cocktail Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Raspberry.”

Taste – “Pink and sweet like Piglet, sweet fizzy raspberry flavours, this is a light and enjoyable little Cocktail to drink.”

Christopher Walkey – Founder of Glass of Bubbly – Tasting Notes on the Piglet Cocktail.

Aroma – “Candied blueberries.”

Taste – “Blackcurrant Chewits.”

Tigger Cocktail

Ingredients

• English Sparkling Wine
• Orange Juice
• Simple Syrup
• Brandy
• Orange peel for a garnish (optional)

How To Make A Tigger Cocktail

1. Pour in 1 shot glass of simple syrup.
2. Pour in half a shot glass of Brandy.
3. Pour in 1 – 2 shot glasses of Orange Juice.
4. Fill with English Sparkling Wine
5. Place in a twist of Orange Peel

1 shot of orange to taste more of the English Sparkling Wine / 2 shots for a stronger orange taste.

Tigger Cocktail Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Orange juice and orange peel.”

Taste – “Sweet fizzy orange flavours with a little Tigger bounce from the Brandy.”