This year, we're "tinging" in the new year with Colorado's own buzz button liqueur.

With 2020 looming, and the inevitable 1920s nostalgia that's sure to follow, we couldn't help but relish the fact that alcohol is in fact legal. Go to any big-name liquor store, and there are aisles upon aisles of good times just bottled up waiting to be set free.

The only problem is, how do you choose what to drink? How do you choose what to bring to a soiree? How do you impress that one guy or gal that knows several cocktails by heart? Well, here at OCN, we have some ideas. Here are 5 ways you can up your cocktail game.

1. Choose a Different Liquor

"Ting" in the new year with Colorado-based Tingala. Created by a local family business, Tingala is a new type of liqueur distilled with Spilanthes flowers—sometimes referred to as buzz buttons or electric daisies—and it leaves a euphoric tingling sensation in the mouth and lips. The technical term is "chemesthesis,” and it’s an “experience” that has both critics and the general public buzzing. 

2. Up Your Ice Game

Depending on what kind of cocktail you're making, pouring it over normal ice is so last decade. Why not have fun with it and get a unique ice mold, like this spherical ice tray on Amazon.

3. Remember, Cocktails Are an Experience

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That means having the correct glassware for the drink is essential. Do yourself a favor and get yourself some copper mugs. OCN Pro tip: float Tingala over your Moscow mule to make a Tingala mule. Simply hold a bar spoon over the drink's surface and pour a mere ½ ounce of the Tingala on top as a float.

4. Use Only Fresh Fruit and Garnish

Fresh squeezed lime, lemon, and orange juice is a must for great drinks, and whether you use fresh mint, an orange slice, or brandied cherries, your garnish can take a cocktail from average to excellent in no time.

5. Use Eggs

Find a cocktail recipe that requires raw egg whites, such as a whiskey sour, pisco sour, or traditional eggnog, and try it at home. Disclaimer: consume at your own risk, though many experts agree it's relatively safe. By incorporating egg whites you can balance flavors and create a nice velvety foam on top of your cocktail. 

Any other cocktail tips for us? Sound off in the comments below, and Happy New Year!