Improved Mendota Recipe

Think of this beer cocktail as a variation on the mimosa, but full of fresh and tangy flavor from grapefruit juice and hoppy IPA.

By
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a longtime food and drink expert whose recipes and cocktail-making tips can be found on her newsletters What to Drink and The Dinner Plan. She is the author of  The One-Bottle Cocktail and Batch Cocktails, both published by Ten Speed Press.
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Updated March 19, 2025
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Wes Rowe

"A bar down the street does a beer mimosa with cheap lager and grapefruit juice," said Edward Calhoun of Southpaw BBQ, and that inspired his quest to create "a great beer mimosa that doesn't deflate how wonderful the beer is on its own." At Southpaw, Calhoun's version starts with Ninkasi Tricerahops, an aggressive double IPA with 8.8% ABV, but you could use any intense IPA as your base. "The fresh grapefruit juice and the hops harmonize so nicely," says Calhoun as he stirs the two together. Plus, the grapefruit juice lowers the alcohol a bit so you can sip it all afternoon. If you cannot find Ninkasi Tricerahops for the beer base, feel free to experiment with any hoppy IPA or double IPA.

Recipe Details

Improved Mendota Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 10 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 1 serving
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces chilled IPA or Double IPA (such as Ninkasi Tricerahops)

  • 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) freshly squeezed juice from 1 to 2 grapefruits

  • Garnish: grapefruit twist

Directions

  1. Pour IPA into serving glass. Add grapefruit juice and stir very gently. Serve immediately, garnished with a grapefruit twist.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
234Calories
0gFat
15gCarbs
1gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories234
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 17mg1%
Total Carbohydrate 15g6%
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 38mg189%
Calcium 27mg2%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 238mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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