Sunday brunch wouldn’t be complete without a Bloody Mary, one of the canon of classic cocktails and one of those rare drinks that is enjoyed by almost everyone. The basic Blood Mary recipe is simple, consisting of tomato juice, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Tabasco, and vodka. But there are a million variations on this basic formula that you can experiment with. From no-alcohol versions to swapping in different spirits, there’s really no end to the ways you can tweak the recipe to create something you’ll enjoy.
We’ve already covered the best vodkas to use in a Bloody Mary, but if you want to branch out further, then this is a great drink to play with. So next time you find yourself with a group ready to knock back some brunch, try out some of these Bloody Mary variations for a fun twist on a classic.
Use a different spirit
The best way to make a change to your Bloody Mary is to experiment with different kinds of spirits. While the traditional version is made with vodka, you can experiment within that category too: vodka can be made from wheat or potatoes, each of which tends to impart a slightly different flavor and texture, so you can play around with both and see what you like. I’d advise staying away from flavored vodkas, however. While in theory, something like a lemon-flavored vodka seems like it might work in a Bloody Mary because you can use lemon juice in the drink too, in practice, flavored vodkas are far too sweet. Anything with a lot of sugar or other sweeteners in it is going to taste very strange when mixed into the savory base of a Bloody Mary.
If you do want extra flavor in your vodka, this is a great excuse to do some home infusing. While infused vodka sounds fancy, it’s actually incredibly easy to do. You just need to chop up your ingredient, such as cucumber, into small slices and then pour vodka over the top of it. Seal it safely in a bottle and leave it for anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks, preferably somewhere dark and cool. Once it’s sat long enough for the flavors to meld, strain out the cucumber. And that’s it – now you have delicious vodka that tastes of cucumber (and, perhaps just as exciting, pieces of cucumber that taste of vodka). Some great options for a special Bloody Mary would be to infuse your vodka with black pepper, basil, chili, or my personal favorite, celery.
Plenty of other spirits work well in this drink, too. I love the addition of gin to a Bloody Mary, with sharp citrus notes and tangy juniper that go great with the tomato juice. It’s even better if you can find a savory or salty style of gin, like Rutte Celery Gin or Edinburgh Seaside Gin, both of which make magnificent Bloody Marys.
If you love your smoky agave flavors, then using mezcal in place of vodka is another delicious option, adding that dry, woody taste to the tomato juice, which makes a great addition. Some people enjoy using tequila in place of vodka, and while this isn’t my favorite combination personally, I can see that it works especially for tequilas, which are more spicy and smoky rather than sweet. Finally, some people even advocate for using rum in place of vodka, though frankly, the sugarcane base of rum seems like a very odd match to tomato juice to me. But if it calls to you, why not?
Basically, the spicy tomato base of Bloody Mary lends itself to endless variations, even if they may not be to everyone’s taste. So whatever your favorite spirit is, you can give it a go in a Bloody Mary. My only advice would be to not use your very best bottles for this, as the tomato mix is so strong that it’ll cover up a lot of the nuances of really fine spirits. But don’t go super cheap either, as the pungent taste of cheap booze will break through and give your Bloody Mary an unpleasantly harsh edge.
A cousin of the Bloody Mary, which you should also absolutely try, is the Michelada. This Mexican classic involves spiced tomato juice, lime juice, and beer, typically using a light Mexican lager like Corona or Modelo. If you’ve never tried it before, that combination sounds puzzling – but with a light, delicately flavored beer, the result is incredibly refreshing and delicious. It’s absolutely worth trying for hot summer days or when you’re craving the Bloody Mary flavor, but you don’t want to go too hard on the alcohol content.
Speaking of which, a Bloody Mary is one of the easiest cocktails to make non-alcoholic. If you’re after a non-boozy option or if you have guests who don’t drink, just leaving out the spirits and serving spiced tomato juice with citrus and hot sauce and plenty of fun garnishes still makes for a great drinking experience. I like to pre-mix my tomato juice beforehand but not add any spirits. Then, it’s ready to be served with or without the addition of alcohol, as your guests prefer.
Get experimental with your juices
The traditional Bloody Mary is made with tomato juice, but that needn’t be the only mixer you use. At the very least, you should add salt, pepper, a dash of hot sauce and a good squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice to your tomato juice. Beyond that, the sky is the limit for how to flavor it.
Some popular options are to go half and half with tomato juice and another juice such as carrot juice or vegetable juice. In some regions, the use of Clamato is popular too – with the clam broth providing a salty, savory note that fits with the drink perfectly. I’d stick with flavors that are vegetal and savory here – nothing like orange juice, which will be too sweet – but if you have a juicer, then you could juice practically any vegetable, from kale to beets, for a delicious addition to your tomato juice.
You can also add a wide range of hot sauces, herbs, and spices to the tomato juice. The only thing you need to be aware of is that some of these will settle at the bottom of the bottle, so you’ll want to shake your spiced tomato juice well before serving it. I discovered this the hard way making Bloody Marys with the addition of sambal oelek, a delicious Indonesian chili sauce that is sharp and zingy and goes great with tomato juice – but which unfortunately sunk to the bottom of the bottle, making the first few drinks served barely spiced and the ones at the end so spicy that people’s eyes were watering.
Some options to try adding to tomato juice are horseradish, shallots, ground caraway seeds or coriander seeds, or even a splash of vinegar or soy sauce. Some people enjoy the addition of some spicy, freshly grated ginger, and a few even swear by the addition of a splash of ginger beer for the same effect. There are really no rules here, and if you’re a hot sauce enthusiast then you can get out any of your sauces, powers, or dried chilis to use in this too. If you don’t have a huge array of hot sauces on hand, then a few drops of Tabasco are the traditional choice and will do perfectly, or a squeeze of Sriracha works great, too.
If you’re a cocktail enthusiast with a selection of bitters, they can be used here, too. I’d avoid anything floral or fruity, but options like celery bitters or Peychaud’s
I always prepare a large quantity of tomato juice in one go, as mixing individual portions for each drink gets tedious very quickly. Your spiced tomato juice can be stored in a bottle in the fridge, where it will last for several days or even a week—though it’s so good that you’ll find yourself reaching for it even without alcohol as a tasty and refreshing drink.
Go wild with garnishes
The place where you see real variation in Bloody Marys is garnishes. While the classic choice is a simple celery stick to stir and munch on as you enjoy your drink, other traditional options include various pickles like onions or cornichons, olives and other small savory items. If you’re going to serve these as your garnish, impale them on a small cocktail stick so they can be eaten easily.
Recent years have seen a proliferation of increasingly large and over the top garnishes like buffalo wings, burgers, or fries. But all of these are better suited as snacks than as garnishes, in my opinion, as they tend to flop into the drink and just get in the way when you actually try to drink it.
If you want to stretch your legs on the garnishes for your Bloody Mary, however, you absolutely can. You just need to find a way to incorporate these flavors without dumping half a burger bun into your drink. Rather than a bacon cheeseburger, for example, how about a tiny slice of crispy bacon added to the drink? Or if you love the taste of hot wings, then a few drops of hot sauce and the addition of a little bouillon to your tomato juice will carry a reminiscent taste.
Generally, you’ll want to lean toward something fresh and green as the garnish, as that makes a good contrast to the drink in terms of both color and flavor. Cucumber works, though I think pickled cucumber is even better, and a dill pickle spear is another classic choice. If you’re really into your spicy flavors, then you can go hard here and use kimchi in your garnish, as it has the spicy, vinegary taste that goes great with tomato juice and has a nice crunchy texture, too.
A final addition that makes a nice touch – and is practically essential on a Michelada – is a salt rim around the glass. This looks fancy but is very easy to do at home, and it gives two different ways to experience the drink: either as is via a straw or with added salt by drinking directly from the glass. To add a salt rim, start by getting a plate and pouring out a small pile of salt or other powdery additions, then leveling the pile off. Next, rub a wedge of citrus around the rim of the glass, going down about half an inch on the outside of the glass. Then take the glass and put it into the salt, turning the glass so each part of the rim comes into contact with the salt. The citrus juice makes the salt stick to just the top part of the glass, adding an attractive effect. Using garlic salt is popular for Bloody Marys or a chili salt mix is used for Micheladas.
Whatever garnishes you opt for, remember to prepare them at the last minute before you serve the drinks, as most will go limp if left out for too long. But you don’t need to follow any firm rules with a Bloody Mary—it’s a simple base to which you can make whatever additions you please, so be creative and have fun with it.
