Here's How Many Champagne Bottles You Need For 20 Mimosas

Whether you've got an epic brunch planned for your next Sunday Funday, or are entertaining a crowd for some daytime tipples, chances are mimosas will be involved. Perhaps one of the easiest cocktails going, your classic mimosa recipe contains two simple ingredients: Champagne or sparkling wine and orange juice. Plus, it can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. This ease of preparation makes this drink a natural choice when entertaining (or simply making drinks for) a crowd. 

Planning on serving, say, 20 people? Let's make sure you've got a sufficient bubbly supply with a little wine math. A standard bottle of wine contains 750 milliliters of liquid or about 25.4 ounces. A typical mimosa is made from equal parts orange juice and sparkling wine. And, an everyday champagne flute that you would likely see at a bottomless mimosa brunch spot holds about 6 ounces, give or take. So, a few quick calculations suggests that, for 20 mimosas, you'll need about 60 ounces of bubbly total or a little more than two bottles. Since you never know who's going to want seconds (or thirds), or who's going to pour with a heavier hand, we suggest grabbing three for good measure.

Speaking of pouring with a heavier hand, here's where mimosas get fun! You've probably all seen the viral videos of people making their mimosa with a full glass of Champagne and a faint misting or a mere dropper-full of orange juice; or, as my best friend used to say, "I'll take a mimosa, hold the 'osa'," meaning she just wanted a glass of straight bubbly instead. Others love the sweetness the orange juice offers, and prefer a higher OJ to bubbly ratio, so it can be hard to take a one-size-fits-all approach unless you're preparing mimosas as a batched cocktail for a crowd.

Champagne flutes are also not created equal, and come in many shapes and sizes, including not being flute-shaped at all. Lastly, there are plenty of creative takes on this simple cocktail. Some adventurous tipplers love to add a small dose of a liqueur to their mimosas, like the orange-flavored Grand Marnier, or a little splash of grenadine for a gorgeous pop of color, or even some fresh fruit, which can certainly throw off the 50/50 ratio. With all of these variables, having three bottles of bubbly on-hand should allow for any overage. Plus, any leftover wine can of course be used to jumpstart another round. No bubbles left behind!

The final thing to think about is your choice of sparkling wine. While we tend to think of a classic mimosa as being "Champagne and orange juice," we would actually recommend saving your top shelf Champagne for sipping on its own. Instead, snag a bottle of the many other types of sparkling wine out there, plenty of which are far less expensive and better suited to being used in a cocktail. Many opt for the fun and easy-drinking Prosecco for whipping up mimosas. I prefer sourcing a bottle of the driest sparkling wine I can find — say, a Cava or Crémant labeled "Brut Nature" or "Zero Dosage," meaning very little to no sugar (0-3 g/L) is added in the final phase of winemaking — so that the resulting mimosa ends up more on the fresh and thirst-quenchingly tart side when balanced by the sweetness of the orange juice.

However you decide to make your mimosas, play around with stemware, different types of bubbly, and varying wine-to-juice proportions and rest assured that your new wine math and a few pro tips will make you the ultimate brunch hero.