Planning a mimosa bar for a party or event can seem like a daunting task if you’ve never done it before. How much champagne do you really need for 20 guests? Will you run out too soon or end up with a lot of leftover bubbly? Fear not – with a few quick calculations and tips, you’ll know exactly how much champagne to buy.
What is a Mimosa?
First things first – let’s cover the basics. A mimosa is a popular brunch cocktail made by mixing equal parts orange juice and champagne or other sparkling wine. Traditional mimosas are made with 3 parts sparkling wine to 1 part orange juice. The combination creates a light, refreshing drink that’s not too boozy or acidic.
Mimosas are often served at showers, brunches, and daytime weddings and parties. They’re easy to make in bulk and appeal to a wide range of palates. A build-your-own mimosa bar allows guests to customize their drink with different juices, garnishes, and amounts of bubbly.
How Much Champagne for 20 Guests?
Figuring out champagne quantities for a group can seem tricky. But if you make a few reasonable assumptions, you can easily calculate the amount needed.
Here are the factors to consider:
- Number of guests: For our example, let’s assume 20 guests.
- Drinks per guest: Plan for 3-4 drinks per person over a 2 hour period.
- Serving size: Standard mimosa serving size is 3-4 oz total.
- Champagne ratio: Traditional mimosas are 3 parts champagne to 1 part juice.
Let’s break it down:
- 20 guests x 3 drinks each = 60 total drinks
- 60 drinks x 4 oz per drink = 240 oz (1575 ml) total
- Using a 3:1 champagne to juice ratio:
- Champagne needed = 1200 ml
- Juice needed = 375 ml
So for 20 guests over a 2 hour period, you’ll need approximately:
- 1200 ml (40 oz) champagne
- 375 ml (12 oz) orange juice
Buy 2-3 Bottles of Champagne
Next we need to convert ml to standard bottle sizes:
- Standard champagne bottle = 750 ml
- Magnum bottle = 1.5 L (1500 ml)
For our 1200 ml needed, we recommend getting:
- 2 standard 750 ml bottles of champagne
- OR 1 magnum 1.5 L bottle
Getting an extra standard 750 ml bottle gives you some wiggle room for heavy pourers or guests who want more than 3 drinks. It’s better to have a little extra than run out!
Champagne Shopping Tips
Now that you know roughly how much champagne to get, here are some shopping tips:
- Read reviews and select a decent brut champagne. Save the really expensive stuff for sipping solo.
- Make sure it’s true Champagne from the Champagne region of France. Otherwise, it’s just sparkling wine.
- Ask the liquor store for a case discount if you buy 3+ bottles.
- Buy an extra bottle of juice as backup.
- Get backups of key mixers like OJ, grapefruit, cranberry juices.
- Pick up fun garnishes like berries, citrus slices, herbs.
- Add some nice flutes if you don’t already have champagne glasses.
Think about your guests’ tastes and go with crowd-pleasing juices and garnishes. With the right ingredients and these drink quantity estimates, your mimosa bar is sure to be a hit!
Mimosa Bar Setup Tips
Once you’ve bought your mimosa supplies, how do you actually set up the bar? Follow these steps:
- Chill bottles of champagne, juice, and garnishes overnight.
- Set up a long table with a tablecloth and use it as your drink station.
- Arrange supplies: chilled bottles, backups in coolers, juices, fruits, pitchers of water, glassware, signage.
- Make some sample mimosas with signage so guests can taste test.
- Recruit 1-2 helpers to man the bar and pour drinks.
- Use markers to label glassware to avoid mixups.
- Pour champagne first, then top up with juice.
- Monitor supply levels and restock as needed.
- Add festive touches like flowers, signage, balloons.
Having an organized, well-stocked bar ensures your mimosas will flow smoothly all event long. Now get ready to say “cheers” to mimosa success!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I do a champagne toast?
It’s optional, but a champagne toast is a nice touch for many events. Pour small pours of champagne for your toast in flutes or glasses. Figure about 4 oz per person for a toast pour. Buy a extra bottle or two if you’ll do a big celebratory toast.
Can I make pitchers ahead of time?
Pre-batched mimosas in pitchers are not recommended. The champagne will go flat. Best to mix them to order.
What about garnishes and additions?
sliced orange, lemon, lime, berries, pomegranate seeds, rosemary or mint sprigs. Let guests build their own! Vodka or liqueurs can be nice additions but are not necessary for basic mimosas.
Should it be a free-for-all or is there mimosa etiquette?
Some structure helps pace drinking. Consider drink tickets, limits per guest, or assigning a bartender. But don’t go overboard on rules for a fun daytime event.
Conclusion
Planning and preparing for champagne needs for a mimosa bar is easy when you follow a few guidelines. For a 2 hour event with around 20 guests, you’ll need approximately 40 oz of champagne and 12 oz of orange juice. Buying 2-3 standard bottles of brut champagne allows for wiggle room in pouring. Add juices, fruits, and other fun garnishes for a customizable DIY mimosa experience. With these tips, you’ll be sip-sip-hooraying your way to mimosa success in no time!