Mimosas Are for Nihilists. Drink This Instead.

Reverend Nat's New Moon Mandarin is a breakfast drink that might even make you excited about your day.

By Zach Middleton

The mimosa is a nihilist's drink. The measure of its bland, effervescent sweetness is the hung-over self-loathing it's meant to bubble away. The best-case scenario is that it leads to a nap—a reset button on a day gone wrong. But New Moon Mandarin ($6.99 for 500 milliliters), a new release from local cider-maker Reverend Nat's, shows there's a brunch drink good enough to make you excited for the rest of the day.

An apple cider fermented with champagne yeast and a splash of orange juice, New Moon Mandarin goes down as easy as any other hangover buster, but the aromatics are what make it really interesting.

Chamomile, fennel, cardamom and coriander strike a harmonious chord reminiscent of Chinese five-spice, while a touch of orange blossom honey adds complexity without making it too sweet. The Reverend has a soft touch here with the cardamom, and this drink is worth savoring.

Recommended.

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