London, United Kingdom · 1921

Buck's Fizz

Also known as Mimosa, Champagne Orange

A simple, fizzy mix of orange juice and Champagne that goes down easy and tastes like morning sunlight.

citrusorangesparklingbrunchlightfruitydrybubblesmorning

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is bright and juicy from the orange, cut immediately by the dry prickle of the bubbles. In the middle, the fruit sweetness mellows out as the wine's tartness comes through. It finishes clean and slightly dry with just a lingering citrus zest.

Who will like it

Great for people who like light, fruity drinks but want something with a crisp, dry edge instead of pure sweetness.

When to drink

This is a morning-to-early-afternoon drink — pour it at brunch or as a midday pick-me-up.

Ordering tip

Ask the bartender to use fresh-squeezed orange juice if they have it; the bottled stuff makes this drink taste flat and overly sweet.

Ice: NoneTemp: ColdCost: $2–$5Glass: FluteBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a bright, easy-drinking mix of fruit and fizz. The orange juice hits you right away with sweet citrus, but the dry Champagne keeps it from tasting like kids' juice by adding a tart, bubbly bite. It is light, crisp, and goes down fast, making it a classic morning starter. There is not much depth to it, but it does not need any — the appeal is in how simple and refreshing it is.

Finish: The finish is short and clean, leaving just a faint dry tartness and a little orange oil on the tongue.

Primary tastes

fruitysweet

Secondary

sourfloral

Aroma

fresh orange zestbready yeastgreen apple

Sweetnessmoderately sweet
The orange juice brings a good amount of sweetness, but the dry wine cuts it back from being cloying.
Sournessmild acidity
A mild tartness from both the citrus and the wine gives the drink a crisp edge.
Strengthlow alcohol
This is a low-alcohol drink, light enough to have a few without much impact.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Cold, fizzy, and citrusy, this is about as refreshing as a drink gets.
Complexityvery simple
It is a straightforward two-ingredient mix with no hidden layers or depth.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Flute · equal parts on Champagne. A dry Brut works best; save the really good vintage stuff for sipping solo.

Before you start

Make sure your sparkling wine and orange juice are both cold straight from the fridge. Have your flute ready on the counter.

Ingredients

ChampagneBase SpiritAny dry sparkling wine like Cava or Prosecco works fine too.90ml
Orange JuiceJuiceFresh-squeezed is vastly superior to store-bought.60ml

Garnish: Orange slice

Tools

Champagne Flute · Serving
Holds the drink and keeps the bubbles intact as you sip.
At home: A white wine glass works if you don't have flutes.
Jigger · Measuring
Measures the orange juice so the drink doesn't end up too sweet.
At home: A shot glass or measuring cup.
Bar Spoon · Mixing
Gently stirs the juice and wine together without killing the fizz.
At home: A long iced tea spoon or a chopstick.

Steps

1
Pour 60ml of cold orange juice into your champagne flute. Tilt the glass slightly as you pour so the juice runs down the side gently.
!Filling the glass more than a third full with juice, which makes the drink too sweet and heavy.
2
Slowly pour 90ml of cold Champagne into the flute, letting it run down the inside of the glass. The bubbles will rise and mix with the juice naturally, turning the drink a hazy gold.
!Pouring the Champagne too fast, which makes it foam up and spill over the rim.
3
Take your bar spoon and give the drink one slow, gentle stir from the bottom to blend the juice and wine. Stop as soon as they look mixed so you don't flatten the bubbles.
~5s
!Stirring too hard or too long, which knocks all the carbonation out of the drink.
4
Place an orange slice on the rim of the glass or drop it right in. Serve it right away while it's still cold and fizzy.
!Letting the drink sit on the counter, which makes it go warm and flat.

Serve

Serve it right after stirring while the bubbles are still active. A chilled flute keeps it colder longer, so stick the glass in the freezer for a few minutes beforehand if you think of it.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Champagne

ChampagneProsecco
Match
Common availability
Champagne → Prosecco: Makes the drink slightly sweeter and fruitier with less sharpness.
ChampagneCava
Match
Common availability
Champagne → Cava: Keeps the drink dry but adds a slightly earthier, more savory note.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Mimosa

The Mimosa uses equal parts juice and wine, making it heavier and sweeter than the drier Buck's Fizz.

Match

The Buck's Fizz tastes noticeably drier and more wine-forward because the Champagne dominates the mix, whereas the Mimosa is a sweeter, juicier sip.

In common: built in flute, low abv, brunch staple, citrus and bubbles

Ingredients

Both share

Champagne, Orange Juice

Both drinks use the exact same two ingredients, but the Buck's Fizz uses a 3:2 ratio of wine to juice, while the Mimosa is usually 1:1.

Flavor

Shared flavors

bright citrus, fizzy texture, light body

How Mimosa differs

drier, sharper, more wine-forward

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Bellini

The Bellini uses peach purée instead of orange juice, giving it a thicker texture and stone-fruit flavor.

Match

The Bellini is softer and rounder on the palate with a velvety peach texture, while the Buck's Fizz is sharper and more tart from the orange.

In common: built in flute, low abv, brunch staple, fruit and bubbles

Ingredients

Both share

Champagne

Only in Buck's Fizz

Orange Juice

Only in Bellini

Peach Purée

The Bellini swaps out the orange juice for peach purée, which makes the drink thicker and sweeter with a different fruit profile.

Flavor

Shared flavors

dry fizz, light alcohol, fruit sweetness

How Bellini differs

thicker body, stone fruit, less tart

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

Invented at Buck's Club in London in 1921 by the club's bartender. It was created as a morning pick-me-up for members, predating the more widely known French Mimosa by a few years.

Creator: Buck's Club
Era: 1920s
IBA: Contemporary Classics
Data version: IBA contemporary classic spec
Confidence

The Buck's Fizz is often conflated with the Mimosa, but the traditional ratio is 2:1 or 3:2 wine to juice, whereas the Mimosa is typically equal parts.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Always pour the juice first so the bubbles mix it naturally.
Use Brut Champagne or dry Cava to keep the drink from getting too sweet.
Squeeze your own oranges; the bottled stuff tastes flat.
Chill both ingredients in the fridge overnight before making.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Using sweet sparkling wine makes this drink cloying.
Stirring too hard kills the carbonation.
Adding ice to the flute waters it down and ruins the bubbles.