Pomegranate Mimosa with Hard Cider

Orange juice and champagne are what you expect when you see Mimosa on a menu, but any combination of sparkling alcohol and fruit juice will still fall under that category.

For this recipe, I used hard cider and pomegranate juice. Hard cider gives off some of the yeasty, fruity aromas one would expect with prosecco or champagne, while pomegranate juice has that sharp acidity that comes with a citrus juice.

However, this unique flavor combo definitely has more apples present, and a deep tartness from the pomegranate.

This is the Mimosa you want when you’re craving something sparkling and unique but want to keep it super casual too.

What I love about this drink is that you can dress it up or down. Need a brunch drink? This beautifully hued Mimosa still has that fruity kick for sips between egg dishes and waffles. Need an afternoon sipper with a few bites of cheese and salami? This sweet-tart drink compliments all those salty snack notes. I love this drink because it works for so many occasions.

WHAT’S THE BEST HARD CIDER FOR MIMOSAS?

While a traditional mimosa features a sparkling wine like prosecco or cava (or even champagne), hard cider is an unexpected alternative that behaves in much the same way, and—being fermented—has those same bubbles you’re looking for.

Hard ciders come in many, many varieties from a simple dry apple style, to all sorts of crazy flavors and fruits. When you’re looking for a hard cider to try for this recipe, first, don’t go for any of the flavored varieties unless you’ve tried it before and know you’d like to pair it with pomegranate.

Second, opt for a dry or “brut” style, which means it is less sweet. If you’re not sure which cider style you’d like, and you have the opportunity to grab a few single cans, try a few to experiment with. You also need to keep the sweetness of your pomegranate juice in mind too (you don’t want a sweet cider plus a sweet juice!) Go for a dry brut hard cider if your pomegranate juice is on the sweeter side. And if it’s tart, opt for a semi-dry, which is sweeter (I know, it seems like it would be the opposite!). And if you’re still uncertain about which can to pick up, speak with a rep at your local brewery, or try one of these picks:

BEST GLASSWARE FOR HARD CIDER MIMOSAS

While flutes and the occasional wine glass are more traditional, if you are making a nontraditional Mimosa, feel free to change up the glassware!

Small mason jars, a low ball glass or a 10 ounce beer glass would work here as your nose will still get all of those fruity, yeasty, and spicy aromas in the glass. That said, you can always fall back on a classic champagne flute as well.

HOW TO POUR A HARD CIDER MIMOSA

The bubbles in hard cider are not as aggressive as those found in prosecco or cava, so I’ve found that order of pouring does not matter as much here.

A gentle stir will always help mix everything up if you find your pomegranate juice is staying at the bottom of your glass.

HOW TO MAKE A NON-ALCOHOLIC CIDER MIMOSA

To make a no-booze version of this Mimosa, substitute a nonalcoholic sparkling apple cider like Martinelli’s. However, be aware that the cider will be much sweeter than a hard cider.

You can cut back on the sweetness by adding in an ounce or two of club soda. Start with one ounce, and adjust to your preferred level of sweetness.

HOW TO GARNISH HARD CIDER MIMOSAS

I personally dislike pomegranate arils in drinks so I would not suggest you add any in regardless of how nice they might look. I also prefer this particular drink garnish-less, as it’s so aromatic from the cider and the pomegranate that I don’t want to detract from that.

But if you’d like to add a garnish, an apple wheel or some thinly sliced apples would be lovely. After cutting the apples, soak them in a mixture of one cup water with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice mixed in to prevent browning.

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