10 Classic Brunch Cocktails Ranked
Food & Drink

10 Classic Brunch Cocktails Ranked

From the classic peach bellini to espresso martinis, we ranked 10 of the most popular brunch cocktails on a scale of light to boozy. Recipes included!

April 30, 2021
People at a table with two mimosas in champagne glasses, glasses of water and a man holding an iced tea

Source: Gabriela Gurrola, Unsplash

Is your go-to brunch drink starting to feel a little boring? It’s time to shake things up and try something new! While no drink is really off limits during brunch, it is true that some boozy beverages just hit better than others. 

Popular cocktails like mimosas, Bloody Marys and screwdrivers are all good choices for a morning alcoholic drink, but the options are truly endless. With so many different brunch cocktails to choose from, how do you know which one to order? To help you decide, we put together a list of the most popular brunch cocktails and ranked them from lightly spiked to strong and boozy.  

Infographic of 10 popular classic cocktails ranked by ABV

Lightly Spiked Classic Brunch Cocktails

These brunch cocktails have a lower ABV (alcohol by volume) than others. Don’t let the numbers fool you, though—any of these delicious options are just enough to give you that laid-back Sunday morning brunch feeling.

Kahlua Iced Coffee 

Approx. 4% ABV

Kahlua is a coffee liqueur from Mexico made of rum, sugar and Arabica coffee. Mix it in an iced coffee and you get a spiked version of your morning caffeine fix. 

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  1. Fill a highball glass with ice.

  2. Pour in 2 oz of Kahlua.

  3. Add 4 oz of iced coffee.

  4. Top off with your milk of choice.

Michelada 

Approx. 4% ABV

A michelada is a beer/Bloody Mary hybrid. They might look the same, but a Bloody Mary calls for vodka while a michelada is made with Mexican beer. This is a great way for beer drinkers to give their go-to beverage of choice a nice brunch makeover. 

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  1. Serve in a beer mug.

  2. Run a lime or lemon wedge around the rim of the mug.

  3. Dip the rim of the mug in a bowl of salt.

  4. Fill the mug a quarter of the way with Clamato.

  5. Fill the rest of the mug with a Mexican beer of your choice.

  6. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

  7. Add a dash of Tabasco hot sauce.

  8. Stir.

  9. Garnish with a lemon or lime wedge.

Irish Coffee 

Approx. 6% ABV

What’s better than that fresh, warm cup of coffee you look forward to every morning? Adding a shot of whiskey to it, that’s what. Enjoy Irish coffee year-round, or make it a yearly St. Patrick’s Day cocktail tradition.

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  1. Fill a mug with fresh, hot coffee.

  2. Add in 1.5 oz Irish whiskey.

  3. Top with whipped cream.

Bloody Mary 

Approx. 6% ABV

A Bloody Mary in a highball glass garnished with bacon and cherry tomatoes

Source: Johann Trasch, Unsplash

Perhaps the most famous of all the brunch cocktails (or at least tied for first place with the mimosa), the Bloody Mary is a spicy, savory and filling drink perfect for curing a hangover from the night before. Depending on where you go for brunch, these drinks might be garnished with green olives and celery. 

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  1. Add 1.5 oz vodka to a highball glass.

  2. Fill the glass the rest of the way with 7 oz tomato juice or Bloody Mary mix.

  3. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce to taste.

  4. Add a dash of Tabasco hot sauce to taste.

  5. Stir.

  6. Garnish with green olives and celery.

Boozy Brunch Cocktails

These boozy brunch cocktails are a notch above the others. But don’t worry, the higher ABV doesn’t dilute the bold flavors of these drinks.  

Peach Bellini 

Approx. 8% ABV

If you’ve never ordered a Peach Bellini, you’re missing out. A Bellini cocktail is made with fruit puree, so it’s technically a health food (right?). Plus, it’s served in a Champagne flute—so you can feel fancy. 

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  1. Fill a Champagne flute with 2 oz peach puree.

  2. Top the rest of the glass with 4 oz chilled Prosecco. 

  3. Garnish with fruit. 

The Classic Mimosa

Approx. 8% ABV

A woman reading a book and sipping on a mimosa with a long straw

Source: Hanny Naibhao, Unsplash

The classic mimosa: everyone’s favorite bottomless brunch order. That mixture of orange juice and Champagne hits the spot every time. Just make sure you eat something between brushing your teeth and taking that first sip!

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  1. Fill a Champagne flute with 2 oz orange juice.

  2. Add 4 oz chilled Champagne or sparkling wine.

  3. Garnish with fruit.

Rosé Mimosa 

Approx. 8% ABV

Like the classic mimosa, but fancier. With this mimosa, you can spice things up by swapping orange juice for grapefruit juice. 

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  1. Fill a Champagne flute with 2 oz orange juice or grapefruit juice.

  2. Top off the rest of the glass with 4 oz of sparkling rosé.

Screwdriver 

Approx. 8% ABV

The screwdriver is kind of like the hardcore version of a classic mimosa. Instead of Champagne and sparkling wine, this drink calls for vodka. While it might not have the bubbles and fizz of a mimosa, it definitely still packs a boozy punch.

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  • Fill a highball glass with ice.

  • Pour in 2 oz vodka.

  • Top off the glass with 10 oz orange juice.

  • Garnish with your fruit of choice.

Tequila Sunrise 

Approx. 8.5% ABV

A great song and a delicious drink. If you like sweet and fruity brunch cocktails, you’ll love a tequila sunrise. 

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  1. Fill a highball glass with ice.

  2. Add 1 oz grenadine syrup.

  3. Pour in 2 oz blanco tequila. 

  4. Top off the glass with 7 oz orange juice.

  5. Garnish with cherries, strawberries and/or orange slices.

Espresso Martini 

Approx. 12.5% ABV

A bartender garnishing an espresso martini with coffee beans

Source: Kike Salazar N, Unsplash

Don’t choose between coffee or a cocktail at brunch. Order an espresso martini for an all-in-one drink! This high-class, boozy brunch cocktail will give you the energy you need for any post-brunch adventure. 

Ingredients:

Recipe:

  1. Fill a shaker with ice.

  2. Add 2 oz vodka.

  3. Add 1 oz coffee liqueur.

  4. Add 1 oz espresso.

  5. Shake for 10–15 seconds.

  6. Strain the liquid contents into a martini glass.

  7. Optional: Whisk half an egg white and pour on top of the drink if you like it frothy.

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