Let's Talk About Bloody Marys

[Al_4_ISU 12447]

Inspired by the pickle thread, I felt this needed it's own thread.

Bloody Marys are my favorite mixed drink.  They have been for 20 years.  I love how you never get the same thing from one establishment to another.  I love how different parts of the country put different spins on them (lots of citrus fruit garnish in the western US, beer chasers in the upper Midwest, pickled okra garnish in Texas).  I love starting a football Saturday or Sunday with one is a harbinger of a day full of revelry.  I love how they compliment a weekend breakfast.  Hell, I love them so much that on week nights I'll make a virgin Mary and chase it with an NA beer because it's just fucking delicious even if you aren't consuming alcohol.

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is to hunt down the best local spot.  Sometimes your recommendation leads you to culinary mouthwatering bliss, somedays it's some chump pouring you tomato juice and well vodka.  It's all part of the game.

For years I was into trying different premade mixes, but have settled into a basic template that fluctuates the herbs/seasonings.

On ice:

-Vodka to taste

-Pickle/olive/pepper (sometimes all 3) juice to taste

-Splash of Campbell's tomato juice

-Splash of Clamato

-Splash of A1

-Squeeze of lime

-Hearty dash of worcestershire sauce

-Hearty dash of whatever hot sauce I'm jamming at the moment

-Hearty dash of horseradish

-Whatever dry herbs and seasonings you fancy.  I have an seasoning blend that a bar in Pella, Iowa creates for their Bloodies.  It by itself is enough to complete a great drink, but when I'm low on that I always like Cavender's, black pepper, and garlic powder.  My wife's bought various mixed Bloody Mary seasonings that are all pretty good.

-Shake ingredients back and forth between one glass and another, and then serve with whatever garnish you like (pickles, olives, meat/cheese are my standards) and (the most crucial part in my neck of the woods) a beer back/beer chaser.  Preferably a crisp lager, although sometimes a pale ale can hit the spot.

Cheers, fuckers.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

With the Clamato, you are approaching a Canadian Bloody Caesar.  Both are great.

For a change of pace, use Gin instead of Vodka.  And also, it is hard to beat Zing Zang as your base mixer.

[Al_4_ISU 12447]

43 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

With the Clamato, you are approaching a Canadian Bloody Caesar.  Both are great.

For a change of pace, use Gin instead of Vodka.  And also, it is hard to beat Zing Zang as your base mixer.

My mom's a Canadian citizen and I still have a lot of family up there that I visit every few years, so I'm very familiar with Casesars, and that's absolutely inspiring my decision.  Sometimes I will make a full-on Caesar with all Clamato.

Zing Zang was my original favorite mix, but I've burned out on over the years, and get a little disappointed when a bar uses it.  Not because I don't like it, but because I like to see their own creative spin.

I really want to get a good dry botanical gin for doing that.  I have a friend who swears by gin Marys.

Edited May 31 by Al_4_ISU

[millhouse 2603]

I like it when I tell people I don't like bloody Mary's, then they say "oh you just haven't had my bloody mary" and make me one. Happens every. single. time.

[ztejas 43411]

2 minutes ago, millhouse said:

I like it when I tell people I don't like bloody Mary's, then they say "oh you just haven't had my bloody mary" and make me one. Happens every. single. time.

I can be made all the bloody mary's in the world I'm not fucking drinking one. Just put ice in the glass, pour the vodka and hand it to me. 

[Al_4_ISU 12447]

Some people don’t like pussy either.

NTTAWWT.

[PilotsError 2286]

Of all the delicious drinks in the world, why would you choose a bloody mary?

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

1 hour ago, ztejas said:

I can be made all the bloody mary's in the world I'm not fucking drinking one. Just put ice in the glass, pour the vodka and hand it to me. 

The "I'm an Alcoholic" thread is over there. ---->

[ztejas 43411]

9 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

The "I'm an Alcoholic" thread is over there. ---->

You are posting this in a thread about a drink that is the quintessential excuse/loophole for getting drunk before noon. I figured we were in the trust tree here. 

Irish coffee? Mimosa? Screwdriver? All perfectly palatable entries. 

There's too much going on in a bloody mary for me. Like taking a nice Thai curry and pouring vodka all over it. Just not my jam. I can maybe do an occasional michelada but those are a chore for me to get through. 

Edited May 31 by ztejas

[CHIEF 5075]

I make these almost every saturday morning, before we take county roads over to a great place for menudo. The secret to a great Bloody Mary is to not make it too strong, you don't want to taste the vapors coming off the Vodka.

Mine is:

Usually Zing Zang, but will use other small batch mixes that I see at HEB to mix things up

Wine & Pepper Worcestershire sauce

Pickle brine from okra

Vodka

Coarse horseradish

Crystal hot sauce

Black pepper

a shake of garlic pepper

a shake of lime pepper

1/4 of a squeezed lime

shake it all up and poor it in a rimmed glass (One World Market makes a specialty rimmer for Bloody Marys) with ice

Add pickled okra, some pepperocinis, a couple of the grilled pickled asparagus spears they sell at HEB.

CHIEF

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

1 minute ago, CHIEF said:

I make these almost every saturday morning, before we take county roads over to a great place for menudo. The secret to a great Bloody Mary is to not make it too strong, you don't want to taste the vapors coming off the Vodka.

Mine is:

Usually Zing Zang, but will use other small batch mixes that I see at HEB to mix things up

Wine & Pepper Worcestershire sauce

Pickle brine from okra

Vodka

Coarse horseradish

Crystal hot sauce

Black pepper

a shake of garlic pepper

a shake of lime pepper

1/4 of a squeezed lime

shake it all up and poor it in a rimmed glass (One World Market makes a specialty rimmer for Bloody Marys) with ice

Add pickled okra, some pepperocinis, a couple of the grilled pickled asparagus spears they sell at HEB.

CHIEF

Saturday morning menudo!  Brother from another Mother?

[ztejas 43411]

8 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

I make these almost every saturday morning, before we take county roads over to a great place for menudo. The secret to a great Bloody Mary is to not make it too strong, you don't want to taste the vapors coming off the Vodka.

Mine is:

Usually Zing Zang, but will use other small batch mixes that I see at HEB to mix things up

Wine & Pepper Worcestershire sauce

Pickle brine from okra

Vodka

Coarse horseradish

Crystal hot sauce

Black pepper

a shake of garlic pepper

a shake of lime pepper

1/4 of a squeezed lime

shake it all up and poor it in a rimmed glass (One World Market makes a specialty rimmer for Bloody Marys) with ice

Add pickled okra, some pepperocinis, a couple of the grilled pickled asparagus spears they sell at HEB.

CHIEF

I will say - it appeals more to me in a glass like that. I would try that. I'm not fond of the tall glass with 20 oz of tomato juice and a stalk of celery hanging out of it.

[Jerry Callo 8695]

13 minutes ago, ztejas said:

You are posting this in a thread about a drink that is the quintessential excuse/loophole for getting drunk before noon. I figured we were in the trust tree here. 

Irish coffee? Mimosa? Screwdriver? All perfectly palatable entries. 

There's too much going on in a bloody mary for me. Like taking a nice Thai curry and pouring vodka all over it. Just not my jam. I can maybe do an occasional michelada but those are a chore for me to get through. 

I used to make Bloody Marias with tequila, or screwdrivers with tequila, or coffee with bourbon, . . . pretty easy to find something to justify drinking before noon.  

[CHIEF 5075]

7 minutes ago, ztejas said:

I will say - it appeals more to me in a glass like that. I would try that. I'm not fond of the tall glass with 20 oz of tomato juice and a stalk of celery hanging out of it.

Back in early college, there was no way I would have drank one. Was at a buddy's parents house, and that was his dad's specialty drink. He convinced me to drink one because it was "just like drinking a steak." It definitely didn't taste like tomato juice, not really "just like a steak" either. I will still have the tomatoes held on my hamburger occasionally. It was a good drink, and I started drinking them afterwards.

CHIEF

Edited May 31 by CHIEF

[billfromlaketravis 11447]

I definitely prefer the homemade Bloody Mary mixes. Anything on the shelf is going to pale in comparison.

Black Walnut in Houston makes their mix in house. It’s outstanding. 

[Deej 76752]

I prefer Bloody Maria's. I just like tequila too much. 

[Deej 76752]

1 hour ago, CHIEF said:

specialty rimmer

[Mitch Cumsteen 18547]

2 hours ago, ztejas said:

I will say - it appeals more to me in a glass like that. I would try that. I'm not fond of the tall glass with 20 oz of tomato juice and a stalk of celery hanging out of it.

  

[Covri 6244]

I like a good Bloody Mary, and like Al, I like when a place makes it their own. What I can’t stand was that stupid fad of build your own Bloody Mary bars and brunches. If I wanted to make it myself I’d have just stayed home.

[Al_4_ISU 12447]

3 hours ago, PilotsError said:

Of all the delicious drinks in the world, why would you choose a bloody mary?

Because it’s the most delicious?

[Al_4_ISU 12447]

1 hour ago, Deej said:

I prefer Bloody Maria's. I just like tequila too much. 

I’ve always intended to dabble with one.  What’s your go to tequila for it?

[Deej 76752]

Any Blanco

[Al_4_ISU 12447]

I figured it was blanco, but I’ve heard of people using whiskey (I have no interest in trying that) so I could see anejo being used as well.

[Deej 76752]

Anejo makes it taste a bit sweet. 

[closetojumping 62538]

I like to drink virgin bloody marys regularly. I generally mix pickle juice, lime juice, worcestershire, tapatio, spicy v8, and whatever else is striking my fancy and available in my bar area. It’s decent meal replacement for me when I’m slightly hungry. 

I order them out at brunches or whatever and most of the time the servers or bartenders will border on outright calling me a pussy. I just them better without the booze and to the original poster’s point, I like the variability of that drink all over the country. 

Also, bloody bulls are fucking delicious too, but harder to get. 

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

Pos rep for bloody Bloody Bulls.  Great flavor combo.

[CHIEF 5075]

9 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I like to drink virgin bloody marys regularly. I generally mix pickle juice, lime juice, worcestershire, tapatio, spicy v8, and whatever else is striking my fancy and available in my bar area. It’s decent meal replacement for me when I’m slightly hungry. 

I order them out at brunches or whatever and most of the time the servers or bartenders will border on outright calling me a pussy. I just them better without the booze and to the original poster’s point, I like the variability of that drink all over the country. 

Also, bloody bulls are fucking delicious too, but harder to get. 

Back in 1995-1997, when Mrs. CHIEF and I had only been married a few years, and before we had CHIEF Jr., we lived in an apartment. Terry, that lived right under us, worked at Hang'em High Saloon on 6th. We would go there at least three times to four times a week. We would give him a $20 handshake, and we basically drank Crown, all night, for less than what it would cost us to drink at home.

Afterwards, on the weekend, we would go to Katz's and eat the potato thing with cream cheese while sitting at the bar. We would start drinking their Bloody Marys. I have to say, that still may be the best homemade Bloody Mary mix I have had to this day. Even after "last call" we would drink them without vodka. They were still just as good. I can't remember the bartenders name, but I always looked forward to bullshitting with him. He was a great dude.

CHIEF

[Deej 76752]

That dude? You guessed it, Frank Stallone. 

[dcbc 14465]

I like 'em cheap and easy with a lime and a lot of ice.  Vodka and store-bought mix.

 

I've gotten to where I don't order them at bars because, 9/10 times, they're overly complicated with a bunch of shit floating in them, have a certain off-taste I can't put my finger on, and a triple-decker club sandwich with pickles and okra sticking out every which way.  Don't get me wrong, I'll eat the sandwich, and the occasional piece of bacon or celery to stir it is fine.  But give me the lime. 

 

I know which way the Unpopular Opinion thread is.  I'll show my way out.

Edited May 31 by dcbc

[dcbc 14465]

5 hours ago, ztejas said:

Like taking a nice Thai curry and pouring vodka all over it.

[dcbc 14465]

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

I

Also, bloody bulls are fucking delicious too, but harder to get. 

First I've heard of a Bloody Bull.  Beef stock, you say?  I must try one of these magical concoctions.

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

2 minutes ago, dcbc said:

First I've heard of a Bloody Bull.  Beef stock, you say?  I must try one of these magical concoctions.

https://www.foodandwine.com/drinks/heres-why-bloody-bull-better-bloody-mary

[dcbc 14465]

14 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

https://www.foodandwine.com/drinks/heres-why-bloody-bull-better-bloody-mary

Ha!  That's the exact same article I read before responding. 

[ohchaucer 1443]

https://www.foodandwine.com/drinks/heres-why-bloody-bull-better-bloody-mary

You can also go sans tomato juice and make a Bullshot. They are good but one or two is usually plenty.

[Deej 76752]

I fucking hate tomato juice, but a Bloody Mary or Bloody Maria, and I'll drink them until I pass out. 

Great, now Nicole knows how to get me into Town Lake.

Edited June 1 by Deej

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

1 minute ago, ohchaucer said:

You can also go sans tomato juice and make a Bullshot. They are good but one or two is usually plenty.

I've never tried, but it seems like a worthy endeavor.

[elfenix 34223]

8 hours ago, millhouse said:

I like it when I tell people I don't like bloody Mary's, then they say "oh you just haven't had my bloody mary" and make me one. Happens every. single. time.

life hack to get free bloody marys

 

 

 

don't think anyone has a pic of my trunk bloody mary bar that used to show up to houston shaggy events.  vodka, homemade jalapeno vodka, tomato juice, v8, clamato, lemons/limes, pickle spears, string beans, okra, worcester, crystal, horseradish, pepper, all the fixings

Edited June 1 by elfenix

[dcbc 14465]

18 minutes ago, ohchaucer said:

You can also go sans tomato juice and make a Bullshot. They are good but one or two is usually plenty.

 

Also, I now will refer to my cheap-ass preferred Bloody Mary as the Tree-Fiddy Bloody Mary.  As for mixes, I don't care much, as long as they don't have shit floating in them.  Zing Zang?  Cool.  Mr. & Mrs T?  Okay.  Let's make some drinks.

 

Edited June 1 by dcbc

[Al_4_ISU 12447]

4 hours ago, closetojumping said:

I like to drink virgin bloody marys regularly. I generally mix pickle juice, lime juice, worcestershire, tapatio, spicy v8, and whatever else is striking my fancy and available in my bar area. It’s decent meal replacement for me when I’m slightly hungry. 

I order them out at brunches or whatever and most of the time the servers or bartenders will border on outright calling me a pussy. I just them better without the booze and to the original poster’s point, I like the variability of that drink all over the country. 

Also, bloody bulls are fucking delicious too, but harder to get. 

I take regular alcohol sabbaticals and bloodies with an NA beer always scratch the post work drink itch and give you a nice snack 

[BRLA 106]

I've been using pickle vodka lately which I find fantastic.  And just recently I tried jalapeno flavored pickle vodka which is pretty banging as well.

[South Austin 52446]

32 minutes ago, BRLA said:

I've been using pickle vodka lately which I find fantastic.  And just recently I tried jalapeno flavored pickle vodka which is pretty banging as well.

[billfromlaketravis 11447]

Revolution makes a very solid mix. I don’t think it would beat any scratch, hand made mixes, but it’s quite close. One of my favorite brunch places in Houston uses it and this put on my radar. They have a variety of flavors. Appear to be based in Austin. Sold at Spec’s.

I don’t do anything fancy. Lemon juice + salt, pepper, and cayenne on the rim. 3 shakes of Tabasco. 3 ounces of vodka. 5 ounces of mix. Add 3 more shakes of Tabasco. Stir. Lime and lemon juice wedge, celery stalk, slice of bacon. Add 3 big ice cubes.

I usually cook the bacon the night before and throw it on the fridge to cut down on prep time. 
 

A 375 ml of vodka makes 4.