The Mimosa may reign supreme when it comes to the brunch bar, but you can only have so many bottomless pitchers before you start to crave something a little more...interesting. Next time your go-to brunch blend of Champagne and orange juice starts to feel a little tired, spice things up with one of these easy Mimosa-like alternatives. Some are more potent than the original, while others invoke the same dry, fruity flavorโbut don't worry: All of them are bubbly.
The Mimosa is easy to gulp down thanks to its low ABV, but for some the drink falls short just because it isnโt boozy enough. This variation from Meir Mualam of New Yorkโs The Green Room 42 and Green Fig is fortified with a healthy dose of vodka, creating a hybrid of the Mimosa and the Screwdriver. A few rounds are plenty to knock any man or woman off their feet.
The Essentials
This elegant, classic cocktail predates the Mimosa by a century, but it uses many of the same ingredients to capture a similar flavor. Orange and lemon wheels get muddled at the bottom of a wine glass beneath a topping of orange liqueur, chilled Champagne and a lemon twist. Itโs just as citrusy as a Mimosa, but it doesnโt rely on sugary juice, allowing the sparkling wine to take center stage.
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If you arenโt familiar with guavaโs sweet, exotic flavor, or the earthy, funky taste of rhum agricole, this is the perfect cocktail to get acquainted with both. Created by Dan McClary of The Cannibal LA, pink guava purรฉe gets shaken with rhum and fresh lime juice, then topped with brut Champagne in a coupe glass. Drier than youโd expect for such a vibrantly-hued cocktail, it tastes as if your Mimosa went on vacation to the tropics.
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The Bellini and the Aperol Spritz are obvious Mimosas alternatives for brunch-time, but you can go one step further by combining the two in one downright delightful brunch libation. This simple cocktail combines the sweet stone fruit flavors of Rothman and Winter peach liqueur with bitter, orange-twinged Aperol. Dry, crisp prosecco then tops the cocktail, marrying the flavors together seamlessly.
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Amp up the flavor and strength of your brunch tipple by ordering a Seelbach Cocktail with your next round of waffles. Bourbon and orange liqueur create a sweet, boozy base, while hefty dashes of both Angostura and Peychaudโs bitters give the cocktail complex herbaceous notes and a deep red hue. A topping of sparkling wine and a long lemon twist add levity, creating an easy-drinking brunch sipper thatโs a world away from a basic, boring Mimosa.
The Essentials
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