The Real Reason Your Champagne Bottle Exploded
This year has been tough and for many the upcoming New Year's Eve holiday is even more exciting than usual, since we'll finally get ready to wave goodbye to 2020 forever. In the U.K. for instance, sales of champagne are up 16 percent by volume and 22 percent by value in the last 12 weeks, as citizens prepare to ring in the new year (via The Guardian). However, if you're planning on breaking out the bubbly yourself, be warned: your bottle could explode even if you employ the proper opening technique.
According to Bob Hemaeur, owner of Cork 'N Bottle in Madison, Wis., the most likely cause of champagne explosions is the temperature — if the bottle is too warm, it's more likely to explode when opened (via The Takeout). While Hemaeur prefers to live on the edge and open his champagne at between 50-55 degrees to get the most nuance of flavor, even that temperature could see champagne explosions. To be safe, chill your champagne to about 45 degrees before uncorking it.
How to avoid the other causes of exploding champagne
Chilling the champers is a good precaution, but it's not the only factor to consider — there's also the amount the bottle has been moved, jostled, and handled on its way to your party. We all know what shaking a bottle of carbonated liquid before opening it does, but if you're not being properly cautious about your champagne transportation, the end result could be the same. So try to treat the bottle like a newborn and avoid shaking it at all costs.
Finally, check your champagne-opening technique to make sure you aren't inviting issues. Once you've removed the foil and cage, grip the cork firmly with one hand, and the shoulder of the bottle with the other (via The Daily Meal). Slowly turn the bottle (not the cork) counter-clockwise until you feel the cork start to loosen, then slow down but continue turning the bottle until the cork emerges (via Chowhound). This should result in a slightly muffled pop with no champagne lost in the process, so you can cross "learn how to avoid champagne explosions" off your list of new year's resolutions.