The Tropical Mimosa

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                                  The Tropical Mimosa

                                             INTRODUCTION

The Tropical Mimosa cocktail is an inviting and show stopping drink most often paired with celebrations, holidays, or brunch time festivities. Freshly squeezed pineapple juice and orange juice combined with pineapple rum and champagne enhance the cocktail’s flavor profile, providing a balanced mixture of sweet and tart. In addition, the use of pineapple rum not only adds to the festiveness surrounding the cocktail, but the spirit adds significant strength to the cocktail’s overall ABV (Alcohol By Volume).

                            MATERIALS & METHODS

                                           The Tropical Mimosa Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Pineapple Rum – 1.0 oz (30 mL)
  • Fresh Squeezed Pineapple Juice – 1.0 oz (30 mL)
  • Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice – 1.0 oz (30 mL)
  • Champagne – 4.0 oz (120 mL)
  • Glassware: Classic Champagne Flute
  • Garnish: Fresh Pineapple (optional)

Directions:

  1. First, add the champagne to the classic champagne flute. 
  2. Next add all ingredients directly to the champagne in the classic champagne flute. 
  3. Garnish with fresh pineapple is completely optional.
  4. Enjoy!

Note: Remember, always add champagne first, as the cocktail mixes together on its own and this way you will not make a sticky mess at the top of the glass.

                                     DISCUSSION

Historical Origin

Like many cocktails, the Mimosa’s origin is shrouded in mystery with multiple individuals laying claim as the inventor. Was it a bartender, Frank Meier, in 1925 at the Ritz Hotel in Paris who first mixed equal parts of Champagne and orange juice or was it Alfred Hitchcock who invented the cocktail in San Francisco in the 1940s (1)? The real inventor may never be known, as Champagne was invented in the 17th century, and orange juice has long been a popular mixer for cocktails. However, it was the British Royal Family that popularized the cocktail in the late 1960’s and it soon became a staple of the American brunch scene by the mid 1970’s (2).  As the craft cocktail scene has grown in recent years, additional ingredients have been added to the traditional Mimosa, and the Tropical Mimosa is but one example of this event occurring.  Just as the history of who invented the first Mimosa is a bit murky, so is the origin of who first named the cocktail. We do know the cocktail is named after the Mimosa plant, Acacia dealbata, which annually blossoms large yellow blooms from January to March. The plant is native to Australia but has been widely introduced throughout the Mediterranean (3).

Flavor Profile

Rum

Using pineapple rum in a Tropical Mimosa introduces an additional subtle, tangy, yet sweet spirit ingredient to the overall architecture of the cocktail. The pineapple rum which is used is a flavored rum. The rum used in flavored rums like pineapple rum, comes from molasses or sugarcane juice. Pineapple rum is traditionally made by infusing a light rum, a low congener rum, with fresh pineapple so that the aromatic properties of the pineapple present themselves. While high congener rums, which have a characteristically large number of esters, can be used they can make the spirit too complex and mask the natural esters found in the fruit being used to infuse them.

It is important to note that the Tropical Mimosa cocktail has an ABV close to 12% which is much lower than many traditional and classic rum drinks. The flavored pineapple rum traditionally used in a Tropical Mimosa cocktail is 35% ABV (70-proof) which strengthens the overall ABV properties of the drink. A traditional Mimosa without the presence of pineapple rum is normally 5-6% ABV. 

Additional Ingredients

Champagne

Champagne is a type of sparkling wine produced in the Champagne wine region of France. The Champagne industry has strict guidelines which leave very little room for variation. Champagne making is strictly controlled by the Appellation d’Origine Controlée (AOC) which dictate everything from how the grapes are grown, harvested, stored, and processed. The AOC will be quick to point out that all Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne. (4) Champagne undergoes two fermentation processes, one before bottling and one after it is bottled. The second fermentation event inside the bottle produces the carbon dioxide and ethanol that are vital for the final finished product (5). Carbon dioxide is the obvious chemical contributor that causes the bubbles to appear in Champagne.

Orange Juice

Orange juice is a very popular mixer in cocktails because it contains acids, sugars, and phenolic compounds. The pH of orange juice traditionally falls between 3 and 4, as it contains citric, malic, and ascorbic acids. Orange juice typically tastes sweet and delectable because of the natural sugars found in oranges which balances with the acids that are present.

Pineapple Juice

Pineapple juice comes from the fruit of the pineapple plant which is a tropical plant and is a member of the Bromeliaceae family. Pineapple Juice is considered acidic with an average pH of 3.5. The juice also contains a high concentration of bromelain, which is a mixture of enzymes that are responsible for the tenderization of the tongue often experienced when pineapples are consumed. It is the combination of bromelain, flavorful esters, and the fruit’s acidity which provides the characteristic tanginess for which pineapples are known for.

                                        NUTRITION

The Tropical Mimosa is lower in calories, lower in sugar, and lower in ABV when compared to many other rum cocktails. And while the drink has a higher ABV than a traditional Mimosa, it is not noticeable at first due to the presence of characteristic aromatic compounds which are commonly found in pineapples. The cocktail is also high in Vitamin C due to the presence of orange juice and pineapple juice.

                                  NUTRITION FACTS

                                             (Amount Per 1 Fl oz in a 7.0 Fl oz Cocktail)

  • Calories:                        28.6
  • Total Fat:                        0.0 g
  • Cholesterol:                   0 mg
  • Sodium:                         1.1 mg
  • Total Carbohydrates:     1.9 g
  • Dietary Fiber:                 0.1 g
  • Sugar:                            1.1 g
  • ABV:                            ~11.9 % (assumption: Pineapple Rum is 35% ABV, Champagne is 12% ABV)

                                    CONCLUSION

The flavorful notes of tropical citrus fruit combined with pineapple rum and Champagne will certainly send one’s taste buds to an island paradise when enjoying the Tropical Mimosa cocktail. Not only is it a delicious rum drink, but the cocktail is also a naturally low-calorie drink, deliciously balanced, and is a perfect companion for breakfast, brunch, and special occasions. Thus, the siren song of the Tropical Mimosa is strong, and it is easy to have more than one.

                                    REFERENCES

  1. DeVito, S. (2021). Drink in History: The Mimosa. Retrieved from: https://chilledmagazine.com/drink-in-history-mimosa 
  2. Moss, R. (2018). How the Mimosa Became the Official Drink of Brunch. Retrieved from: https://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/how-the-mimosa-became-the-official-drink-of-brunch 
  3. Sowrirajan, C. (2020). Why is a Mimosa called a Mimosa? Retrieved from: https://askinglot.com/why-is-a-mimosa-called-a-mimosa 
  4. Winecountry. (2020). The Difference Between Sparkling Wine and Champagne. Retrieved from: https://www.winecountry.com/blog/sparkling-wine-vs-champagne/ 
  5. Compound Interest. (2014). The Chemistry of Champagne. Retrieved from: https://www.compoundchem.com/2014/12/30/champagne/