The Beermosa

The BeermosaIf you live in Milwaukee like I do the term “Beermosa” shouldn’t be anything new to you. In fact, you can regularly find this drink on brunch menus all over the city. It’s when I’ve talked to friends in other cities though that I’ve realized that most of them had never heard of this delicious beverage. Based on the name alone, this drink should be pretty self explanatory. Whereas a Mimosa consists of champagne and orange juice a Beermosa contains, as you can probably guess, beer and orange juice.

The ratio of beer to orange juice in a Beermosa isn’t set in stone, and if you’re making one for yourself you should definitely try out some different variations to see what you like best. I’ve seen a lot of people using half beer and half orange juice in theirs, but what I like to do is take a 16 ounce pint glass, fill it with a 12 ounce beer and then just fill the rest of the glass with orange juice.

The type of beer used in a Beermosa varies as well, although wheat beers like Blue Moon and Hoegaarden seem to be a pretty popular choices since they’re normally served with an orange slice garnish as it is. Miller High Life is another beer I see used quite a bit in this drink since you know, it’s the “champagne of beers” and all…

So now I ask you guys, are Beermosas popular where you live? Do you make your own? If so, what’s your favorite beer to use in them and what’s your preferred beer to orange juice ratio?

29 Comments on The Beermosa

  1. AJ
    December 19, 2011 at 11:06 am (12 years ago)

    Mmm… Especially good hangover helper!

    Maybe that should be a regular section of yours. I like the thought of ‘Hangover Helper’, you know, like Hamburger Helper! 🙂

    Reply
  2. John
    December 19, 2011 at 11:14 am (12 years ago)

    There’s a place out here in Washington D.C. that serves beermosas during brunch. That was the first time I’d ever heard of them though.

    Reply
  3. Mark
    December 19, 2011 at 11:18 am (12 years ago)

    I’ve had them while tailgating before and we’ve usually just done a 50/50 mixture of orange juice and whatever beer we’ve had on hand.

    Reply
  4. EatWisconsin
    December 19, 2011 at 11:24 am (12 years ago)

    We used to do something similar in college and called it a lunchbox. It was beer, oj, and a shot of amaretto. They were awesome.

    I saw a recipe the other day for a Brandy Old Fashioned cocktail that used beer in it too. I’ll have to find it.

    Reply
  5. Swagadelphia
    December 19, 2011 at 4:58 pm (12 years ago)

    We have them here in Philly called Monkey Julius
    not sure of the ratio but its Victory Golden Monkey and OJ. A very tasty treat.

    Reply
  6. Courtney
    December 20, 2011 at 2:59 am (12 years ago)

    The first time I heard of a beermosa was in the movie Four Christmases and it was the preferred cocktail at a supposedly super white trash household. I mocked it at first but at second thought figured that they would probably be pretty good. I think I would use a hoegaarden, blue moon, or any Saison beer since it would complement the citrus so well.

    Reply
    • Courtney
      December 20, 2011 at 4:59 pm (12 years ago)

      Oh, I should add that I am in San Francisco – a city apparently too far across the country to have embraced the intriguing beermosa.

      Reply
  7. Zachary Jacob Zblewski
    December 28, 2011 at 6:30 pm (12 years ago)

    A variation I enjoy: equal parts Red Dog and orange soda.

    Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!

    Reply
    • Armando
      September 17, 2017 at 2:29 pm (7 years ago)

      What’s red dog? Armando from north jersey

      Reply
  8. sfk
    January 4, 2012 at 4:11 pm (12 years ago)

    here in brooklyn we like to go with tecate or modelo or whatever is on sale, squeeze and orange and part of a lime in.

    Reply
  9. Alex
    January 6, 2012 at 1:09 pm (12 years ago)

    If you ever make it to Washington DC, Pizzaria Paradiso in Dupont Circle makes these with a twist. They do a bottle of Alagash White ale, shot of triple sec, and fresh squeeze a whole orange into it. Absolutely delicious – the white ale works so much better than a high life!

    Reply
    • Nick
      January 6, 2012 at 1:13 pm (12 years ago)

      That sounds really really really good. I might have to try that recipe at home!

      Reply
  10. Will
    January 7, 2012 at 2:10 am (12 years ago)

    Isn’t this just a Brass Monkey?

    Also good: cola and beer – in Germany I saw that you can buy this premade in a bottle in the grocery store

    Reply
  11. Cesar
    February 5, 2012 at 8:48 pm (12 years ago)

    I need to try one of these!

    Thanks for sharing Nick

    Reply
  12. Mark
    August 10, 2012 at 11:22 am (12 years ago)

    Where I live we call it a Manmosa:

    1 shot of Whiskey
    8 oz of IPA or your favorite ale
    8 oz OJ

    Reply
    • Nick
      August 10, 2012 at 11:29 am (12 years ago)

      I love the addition of whiskey! I’m making myself one of these (or two or three of these) this weekend!

      Reply
  13. Bree
    August 12, 2012 at 8:56 pm (12 years ago)

    peah schnapps+ blue moon + orange juice is how we do it in orange county CA

    Reply
  14. David
    March 16, 2013 at 6:50 pm (11 years ago)

    tried it for the first time ever..DAMN GOOD DRINK!!!!!!
    budlight platinum with Tropicana o.j with medium pulp.

    Reply
  15. Ron
    April 25, 2013 at 6:24 pm (11 years ago)

    Was thinking to myself an orange beer would taste really good, thanks guys for helping me put a label on it ! BEERMOSA !Do like the shot of Whiskey too !

    Reply
  16. Kyuss
    June 14, 2013 at 7:49 pm (11 years ago)

    I have been drinking beer and oj for about a decade now. No one ever believes me that it actually tastes good. It has become my signature drink and don’t think I will ever get tired of it.

    Reply
  17. beau
    July 15, 2013 at 10:19 pm (11 years ago)

    Nice! I just discover these last weekend. They are so not popular here in sacramento ca

    Reply
  18. adam
    December 16, 2013 at 9:18 am (10 years ago)

    @Will, simmilar, but a bras monkey is made with Old English Malt Liquer.

    Brass Monkey:
    Drink Old E to the top of the label, top off with OJ, cap with thumb, invert once.

    Reply
  19. Lillian @ My Recipe Journey
    February 16, 2014 at 4:30 pm (10 years ago)

    I made this today for the first time and loved it! I called it a ‘citrus Beer Cooler’…but I like the name BeerMosa better! I used Heineken light. I’ll try Hoegaarden next time!

    Reply
  20. butre
    September 23, 2014 at 12:16 am (9 years ago)

    I drink them, I do a 75/25 mix of steel reserve and whatever orange juice is on sale. I think steel reserve tastes like cat piss on it’s own but the orange juice really brings out the best in it

    Reply
  21. Jean
    November 16, 2014 at 10:50 am (9 years ago)

    I first heard of it while at Black Mountain, NC. They referred to it as a ManMosa.

    Reply
  22. Anirban Sen
    October 7, 2016 at 10:16 am (7 years ago)

    Here in New Delhi, India. Use a local lager (kingfisher) and OJ (Tropicana Naturals), 2 cubes of ice crushed. Great when the weather goes North of 40C.

    Reply
  23. Chris
    March 20, 2017 at 9:42 am (7 years ago)

    Hot weather camping breakfast of ex champions. Miller High Life or its not beermosa. Also, do y’all hate beer? Here in Indiana its about 10 percent oj and 90 percent beer to the top of a pint glass. Refreshing.

    Reply
  24. Richard
    May 9, 2017 at 12:01 am (7 years ago)

    It’s called a brass monkey here in So-Cal.
    Another variation of this is to switch out the juice for a 4loko/joose/bud light rita/mike’s harder lemonade for what is called a sidewalk slammer

    Reply
  25. troy
    May 21, 2020 at 3:31 pm (4 years ago)

    just about to try my first some 8+ years later,

    Reply

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