Mimosa Bar

Create Your Own Mimosa Bar

Perfect for weekend brunching, mimosas are a bubbly, boozy drink that can elevate any occasion. Making mimosas is as simple as combining your favorite sparkling wine with juice, and they’re incredibly easy to make for a crowd. While they’re especially refreshing in warmer weather, mimosas can be served any time of year. We especially love the idea of creating a “mom-osa” bar for Mother’s Day brunch, but you can put together a bottomless mimosa bar for any daytime gathering, or even for winter holidays.

How to Choose a Champagne or Sparkling Wine

You may be wondering what type of Champagne to use for mimosas. But when it comes to mimosas, you don’t need to be picky about your wine’s quality. That’s because some of the wine’s bouquet will be obscured by the sweetness of the juice, so you shouldn’t shop for anything that would be better enjoyed on its own. Instead, look for a mid-range, affordable sparkling wine. You’ll want something you like that pairs well with your juice of choice.

For example, if you’re using a sweeter juice like pineapple, choose a sparkling wine or brut that’s on the drier side so your mimosas aren’t overly sweet. However, if you’re using something sour like grapefruit juice or don’t plan to add much juice at all, you can experiment with a sweeter option.

Be Sure to Mix Carefully

There are a few ways to make mimosas: by the glass or by the pitcher. By the glass is the easiest method, since you simply pour equal parts sparkling wine and juice into a glass (or measure each ingredient to taste), starting with the wine. The motion of pouring the juice into the wine will mix the cocktail; there’s no need to stir with a spoon, since this could disrupt the carbonation and cause the drink to taste flat.

When making a pitcher of mimosas for a crowd, you’ll basically do the same thing on a larger scale. However, if you’re mixing the drinks in advance, leave out the sparkling wine until serving time so it doesn’t lose its bubbles. Once you do add the wine, it’s OK to give everything a very gentle stir before serving. Just be careful not to overmix.

When creating your mimosa bar, start with the basics: sparkling wine and juice. You may not need more than one type of sparkling wine, but if you’re up for it you can offer both a dry and sweet option.

Be sure to include a few juice options. Orange, grapefruit and pineapple juices are great selections to start with, or you can branch out and try cranberry, pomegranate, peach or mango juice. You can serve the juices right from their containers, but pouring them into separate carafes will create a fancier presentation.

Once you’ve nailed down the two key ingredients, have some fun with garnishes. Citrus wheels, cubed watermelon or frozen berries are great additions to any mimosa bar, and you can even add fresh herbs like basil, rosemary or thyme. Play around with flavors you like and get creative.

For a mimosa bar, we like to serve each element separately. Then each person can mix their drinks to taste using their preferred ratio of sparkling wine to juice, adding the garnishes that appeal to them. However, if you’re making mimosas to bring to another location, it may be easier to make pitchers of each juice/wine combination in advance.

Start with a Classic

Here are a few of our favorite recipes, starting with this spin on the classic combination of orange juice and Champagne. This recipe is a definite crowd pleaser, and it’s always a good idea to offer orange juice as part of any mimosa bar. This Fuzzy Navel Mimosa also includes a splash of peach schnapps, which adds an extra layer of flavor.

Mix it Up with Different Juices & Mixers

If you’re looking for a unique recipe to make your mimosa bar stand out, this Sparkling Pineapple Rosemary Mocktail is it. Instead of sparkling wine, this recipe uses lemon-lime seltzer water as a mixer, which can be a great way to include friends and family who may prefer a non-alcoholic drink. We also love the refreshing combination of pineapple juice and rosemary.

Ready to start brunching? We’ve got sparkling wine and Champagne for mimosas, all the best juices for mimosas and lots of mimosa ingredients available in-store or for pickup or delivery. Plus, you can check out more “mom-osa” inspiration and ideas for celebrating Mom by visiting our Mother’s Day shop.