Want to learn more about Golden Sparkler? Kally founders Katie & Scott are going deep on inspiration, ingredients and more.
The Golden Sparkler story
We were almost a year into creating Kally when we became obsessed with bubbles! We’d already figured out the secrets to making magical still drinks when it struck us: Kally would be great with bubbles too.
Our obvious first thoughts went to the granddaddy of bubbles…Champagne! Could we make something that tasted just like Champagne? If we were going to set a bar, why not set it high?
We dug in with passion and focus, deconstructing the profile of Champagne and rebuilding it using carefully selected ingredients. We quickly discovered the same framework we used to craft Kally’s still collection of drinks worked for bubbles: a base of verjus with layers of tannins, fruit, and botanicals.
Our verjus gave us an immediate jumpstart on the journey. Made from chardonnay grapes—the same varietal used in Champagne—verjus gave us similarly refined notes, as well as acidity and finish. Then we started layering in balanced flavors and aromas—mint, green tea, apple—all nuanced, refined elements that we’d tasted in sips of great Champagnes.
Next, we went to school to become masters of carbonation. Our countertop top Sodastream machine only got us so far (and had a bad habit of spraying Kally all over the kitchen). So soon, we were filling scuba tank-sized canisters of C02 and carefully measuring how many grams we infused into every bottle of Kally. Taking it to the next level, we tracked down French experts from the Champagne region to refine our bubbles and maximize their energy.
After a year, and hundreds of taste tests, Golden Sparkler achieved a quality we wanted to share—and bottling started!
What’s special about Golden Sparkler?
Clearly, Champagne is Champagne and Kally is Kally. But we’ve captured much of the Champagne ethos in the Golden Sparkler—the blend of art and science, the nuance of flavor notes, the attention to ingredients, and the obsession with bubbles.
For Champagne drinkers we want Golden Sparkler to be like meeting a relative you never knew you had. For everyone else, we hope Golden Sparkler is the most refined and sophisticated bubbly drink you’ve ever sipped.
What’s the hardest part of making Golden Sparkler?
The bubbles! We worked hard to get those bubbles just right. Turns out that determining the size and shape of the bubbles in a drink are the subject of more than one PhD thesis. Temperature, surface area, and the amount of sugar in a drink are all important drivers of how bubbles look in your glass. But the biggest factor is how much carbonation is in a bottle. The Golden Sparkler has about 5 atmospheres of C02 (roughly the same as many Champagnes), which means your of Kally will have nearly endless beautiful microbubbles as you sip your glass.
What do you taste in Golden Sparkler?
We taste bright, breezy California afternoons, apple orchards and fields of dandelions! Chardonnay grapes contribute acidity and a touch of sweetness. Green tea introduces tannins that dry the edge of our lips. Mint notes build crispness and add subtle complexity.
What’s your favorite pairing with Golden Sparkler?
We drink Golden Sparkler when we want to elevate the experience. It can be a special celebration, a foodie moment or a simple dinner featuring veggies from the garden. Take your pick: oysters or caviar, aged gouda or Comté, grilled halibut or scallops, sushi or cudité, lemon asparagus or fresh snap peas, apple pie a la mode or panna cotta with peach. Plus, a good group of friends.
