DIY bubbly bars are the perfect crowd pleaser for a reason. It serves as an activity, decoration piece, conversation starter, and everyone gets a drink without waiting a bartender or host. (Plus, who doesn't love a little champagne?)
This bubble bar recipe can scale up or down from a small friend's brunch to a large family gathering. It can also easily incorporate non-alcoholic options (hello, healthy mocktails!) to keep everyone included, and it can be as glamorous or chic as you have space for.
Looking for further inspiration? Follow the recipes below to make a lovely winter herbal mimosa (or mock-mosa).
How to Set Up
The Perfect DIY Bubble Bar
Materials
-
Mixing Bowls
- Mugs
- Flatware
- Provisions Knife
Steps
-
The Bubble Base
Start with what your bubble bases will be. Pick one alcoholic bubbly option and one non-alcoholic option. This can be champagne, cava, or prosecco (no need to splurge on the expensive stuff since you’ll be adding so many other flavors). For the mocktail option, a nice bottle of sparkling water like San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water or Topo Chico Mineral Water works well. Depending on your crowd, one bottle will make 5-6 drinks, so you can plan according to how many you need to buy. Fill a bowl with ice and put one bottle of each bubble base out. Keep the rest in the fridge to swap out when needed. -
Juice | Pick 2-3
Next is the juice. You can get as many or as few options as you prefer, but we suggest keeping it simple with a traditional orange juice and then something a little more snazzy, like pink lemonade or mango peach, depending on the season. -
Flavor Enhancers (e.g. bitters, simple syrups, lemon juice)
We know that the best meals and drinks come from layering flavors, so this step is the best way to level up your bubble bar and get creative. Set out a few bitters options like Honest John’s Thyme Bitters or Lavender to add to flavor profiles. Simple syrups like hibiscus and raspberry from Sirop Co. are great for mocktails or getting a little extra sweet in the mimosas. Include some freshly squeezed lemon juice for those that like more tang to their drinks.
-
Garnishes | Pick 3-4
Garnishes are the finishing touch to your bubble bar. Again you can keep it simple or go all out here. Start with fruit. Pick your fruits based on the season.
Winter: citrus, cranberries, pomegranate
Spring: strawberry, rhubarb, pineapple
Summer: blueberry, raspberry, mango
Fall: apple, peach, pomegranate
- More Tips & Tricks -
- Leave out a Microplane grater for adding orange or cinnamon zest to drinks
- Keep an eye on the ice for the bubbles and replace as needed
- Put out a marker so people can mark their glasses instead of getting a new one every time
- Make labels for each element (so you don’t have to answer “what’s this?” a million times)
- Buy additional fruit beyond what you will be using in the drinks for decoration
How to Make a
Winter Herbal Mimosa
Serving: 1 | Prep Time: 5 min
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Broc Cellars Love Sparkling (or sparkling wine of choice)
- 2 ounces orange juice
- Splash of hibiscus simple syrup from Sirop Co. (or make your own)
- Dash of Honest John Thyme Bitters
- Cranberries, raspberries, and rosemary for garnish
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in order.
- Garnish & enjoy.
How to Make a
Winter Herbal Mocktail (Mock-Mosa)
Serving: 1 | Prep Time: 5 min
Ingredients
- Ice
- 4 ounces San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water (or sparkling water of choice)
- 4 ounces orange juice
- Splash of pomegranate juice
- Dash of orange bitters
- Zest of orange
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Cranberries, rosemary, and cinnamon stick for garish
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in order.
- Garnish & enjoy.
