How to Open a Bottle of Champagne Safely

You've probably seen someone shake a bottle of champagne and open it up. While a geyser of champagne might look cool, you might not want to nail your friends with a cork and soak the carpet. Here's how you open a bottle of champagne safely.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Champagne
• Kitchen towel

1. Get a kitchen towel and a bottle of champagne. If the bottle is wet, dry it off with the towel.
2. Take the foil off of the top of the bottle, uncovering the wire cage.
3. Loosen the wire cage from the top of the bottle while keeping your thumb over the cork. The cage will usually have a part which twists. You twist it and the cage will loosen. Leave the cage on the cork.
4. Cover the top of the bottle with the towel.
5. Hold the bottle in one hand and the towel covering the cork in the other hand.
6. Point the bottle upwards at a 45-degree angle away from you, your guests and anything that could break.
7. Twist the bottle gently while you hold onto the cork with the towel. Pull the bottle slightly down as you twist the bottle. Don't twist the cork.
8. Listen for the satisfying pop. You should get a quiet pop or woosh sound as the cork comes off. It shouldn't really spill much unless it's been shaken, but the towel with catch any drips while keeping the cork from flying off.
9. Remove the towel, the cork and cage and drink up.