By Julie Lawrence Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Feb 04, 2009 at 12:19 PM

"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com is back for another round! The whole month of February, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun bars and club articles -- including guides, unique features, drink recipes and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in! 

Who says you can't enjoy a warm-weather drink in February?

The outside temps are still hovering around freezing, which means we're all cranking hot, dry heat into our homes. It's enough to make ya thirsty, isn't it?

When trying to hydrate, it really helps if our drinks can serve a dual purpose and be both intoxicating and refreshing. And for those who like to put a little pop in their cocktail, we've got an announcement: Champagne is the new mixer.

The wine experts have been touting Champagne's crisp versatility for a while now.

So there you have it. Champagne is not just for New Year's anymore -- it can be mixed into some delicious, summery drinks. Take a swig of this:

Champagne mojito: Like the original, but better.
2 oz. rum
2 oz. chilled Champagne (the sparkling Asti Spumante is also a favorite)
1 oz. Sugar in the Raw
5 mint leaves
Juice of half a lime

Add rum and Champagne to glass with ice. Muddle mint, sugar and lime (mortar and pestle works well). Add muddle to glass, stir.

Julie Lawrence Special to OnMilwaukee.com

OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.

As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”