Beverages
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Brunch Drinks Your Guests Will Love

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
February 21, 2020
Cameron Sadeghpour
Try our bright brunch drink recipes at your next gathering. We've got ideas for mimosas, bloody marys, non-alcoholic drinks and more.
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Gardener's Bloody Mary

Cameron Sadeghpour
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A few simple ingredient twists make for a fresher, veg-forward version of the classic.

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Overachiever's Mimosa

Cameron Sadeghpour
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We love a mimosa's two-ingredient simplicity—but oh, this ambrosial riff is good. The recipe scales up easily to serve from a pitcher.

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The House Soda

Cameron Sadeghpour
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This elegant beverage is a fizzy, slightly tangy nonalcoholic option for a brunch menu (or any spring or summer party).

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Rosy Stone Fruit Sangria

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We raided both the fruit bowl and the liquor cabinet for this sparkling make-ahead party drink, marrying citrus and stone fruits with brandy, orange liqueur and rose wine. (You can use either a sweet wine, such as White Zinfandel, or a more dry variety, like a French or Spanish import.

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Darling Clementine Mocktail

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No offense to the classic mimosa, but not everyone wants to booze with their brunch. Enter the Darling Clementine, a tart, fizzy, deliciously pink, nonalcoholic alternative to classic morning cocktails.

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Sparkling Vanilla Lemonade

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This lemonade calls for less sugar than most recipes and tastes just enough like cream soda to make you smile. The recipe comes from The Watkins Company, a 151-year-old spice and extract company in Minnesota.

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Frozen Strawberry-Mango Margarita

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The fastest way to downgrade a margarita (or any drink) isn't cheap tequila; it's bottled lime juice. Dig out that squeezer and pull up your sleeves. It's worth it.

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Paloma

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Mixology doesn't get any easier than this! Whip out this easy version of a classic Mexican cocktail for Cinco de Mayo or any festive occasion. The recipe comes from Kansas City's Mean Mule Distilling Co.

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Any-Fruit Agua Fresca

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Once you have the method of making an agua fresca down, you can improvise with almost any soft fruit. Be sure to use fresh lime juice; it adds the perfect zing. Also, temperature makes a big difference in how an agua fresca tastes, so if time permits, chill it before serving it over ice.

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Watermelon-Lime Sangria

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Sangria is usually made with red wine, but ours puts a white twist on it. Choose an affordable light and dry variety, such as Spanish Albariño, Portuguese Vinho Verde or Sauvignon Blanc.

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Honeyed Lemonade Tea Punch

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Using Darjeeling tea imparts floral notes beyond what you find in ordinary black tea, which makes it a more interesting base for this refreshing, honey-laced drink. Keep the punch virgin, or add a tablespoon of vodka, gin or bourbon to each glass.

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Radish Lemonade

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Radishes turn this tangy homemade lemonade a soft pink color, and they lend a faint, garden-fresh flavor--similar to the taste of cucumber slices in water. In fact, we added cucumber slices as well, as a perfect garnish.

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By The editors of MidwestLiving.com