Bloody Caesar Cocktail Recipe

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The Bloody Caesar is the unofficial national drink of Canada, with over 250 million consumed each year.

They are available pre-mixed from stores.

However, if you live outside of Canada, or just want to have an authentic taste, it really is worth making the extra effort to make it from scratch.

Enjoy a Bloody Caesar cocktail

 

A cocktail in a mason jar with pepper on the edge and a piece of bacon sticking out. There's also a cocktail skewer with olives and a cocktail onion on it.
However you prefer to garnish your caesar is sure to be a winner. Some people enjoy cocktail onions and green olives. Our favorite is a slice of bacon.

 

So yes, this drink is extremely popular in Canada.

In fact, it’s perfect to serve on July 1st if you’re celebrating Canada day.

But it’s also great to enjoy for brunch or a picnic.

One of the things I love about a good Caesar cocktail is that they go with so many great foods.

And frankly, many of my favorite dishes like meatballs, grilled hamburgers, and steak taste great with one of these yummy cocktails.

Basically, if you list out the most popular dishes at a summer cookout, there’s a good chance a Caesar will taste really great with them.

What’s the difference between a Bloody Mary and a Bloody Caesar?

What’s the difference between a bloody mary and a bloody caesar?

That’s a great question because they sure look a lot alike.

And the answer is simple.

It comes down to the tomato juice that you’re using in the drink.

In a Bloody Mary, you use tomato juice.

But in a Caesar, you use Clamato juice.

So what’s in Clamato? 

In case you are unfamiliar with Clamato juice, it is a pre-mixed combination of tomato juice and powdered clams, flavored with herbs and spices.

So it’s kind of like they have been shipped together. Clam + Tomato = Clamato.

The most popular brand in Canada, where the Bloody Caesar is the most popular, is Mott’s.

Here in the States, I’ve always been able to easily find Clamato juice in the juice aisle at my local grocery store or with the beverage mixers.

A bloody caesar makes a great brunch cocktail

It’s always a good time to enjoy a bloody caesar, but we especially enjoy them at brunch.

You can have so much fun garnishing them in creative ways, and they really seem to be enjoyed by most people.

So basically, if there’s a time you would serve a bloody Mary, then feel free to serve a bloody caesar too!

People may want to taste test them side by side, and you may be surprised to learn which one is more popular.

So whip up some caesars for everything from New Year’s Day to Mother’s Day to Canada Day or any other time you want some yummy tomato flavor!

Ingredients:

The ingredients to a Bloody Caesar are relatively easy to find, although there are several of them.

You will need celery salt, Clamato juice, vodka, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, wedges of lemon and lime, and a stick of celery for each glass.

  • Lemon
  • Lime
  • Celery Salt
  • Black Pepper, course ground
  • Tabasco Sauce, or your favorite hot sauce
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 oz Vodka
  • 4-6 oz Clamato
  • Optional 1/4- 1/2 tsp Horseradish Sauce
  • Celery stick, for garnish
  • Slice of Bacon, for garnish

You will also need these items to make the drink: a cutting board, knife, small saucer, and a measuring cup or jigger.

Creative ways to garnish a bloody caesar 

There are several creative, savory garnishes you can make to add a little something extra to your cocktail.

You can add a tiger prawn, to keep in the seafood theme.

Some people enjoy adding a dill pickle, quartered lengthwise.

We also really like to add a slice of peppered bacon, a pickled asparagus stalk, a chili or jalapeno pepper, green olives, and cocktail onions.

Something to keep in mind is that if you’ve enjoyed a delicious garnish for a Bloody Mary, you’ll likely enjoy that garnish on a Bloody Caesar.

Can I make a spicy bloody caesar?

Yeah baby! 

Some Caesar drinkers like it really hot!

You can always add more Tabasco and / or Worcestershire sauce to start.

But some people even enjoy the taste of horseradish in their cocktail to kick it up a notch.

You can even add a dash or two of cayenne pepper or garnish the drink with a spicy pepper blend.

The important thing is that if you’re making it for someone else that you gauge how they like their spicy drinks. 

Think of it kind of like when the options you have when you’re ordering wings.

Someone else’s nuclear spice tolerance may be your mild and vice-versa.

Do I need to use a premium vodka in a bloody caesar?

When selecting a vodka, go for a solid mid-range brand.

A cheap, low quality vodka may taste a bit harsh in this recipe.

But getting an expensive high-end brand could be a waste of money.

You see, the vodka’s flavor will be well blended with so many other ingredients.

So go for medium range.

Something that won’t be bitter or hard tasting.

You want a vodka that will kind of disappear into the drink.

 

A mason jar filled with clamato juice with bacon slices, and a cocktail olive garnish with other beverages in the background.
A lot of people really love to garnish their Caesars or Bloody Marys with a celery stalk. We like that too. But if you haven’t tried garnishing the drink with a crisp slice of bacon, you’re missing out. That’s delicious!

 

Can I make the drink without alcohol?

Yes, you can make a Caesar without the alcohol.

Simply omit the vodka.

You’ll have a nice spiced Clamato to enjoy sipping.

And you can still have all kinds of fun garnishing the mocktail version too!

How to make a Bloody Caesar:

To begin, run a wedge of lemon or lime around the edge of the glass. 

Then run the edge in a saucer of celery salt so the entire edge is coated.

Add ice to almost the top of the glass.

Next, add two to three dashes of both the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce.

If you like it spicier, add more. If you don’t like your drinks spicy, add a little less.

Then spice the ice.

Optional step: If you are adding horseradish, add a quarter to a half a teaspoon here.

Now pour the vodka.

I like to drizzle it a bit down the sides of the glass so it doesn’t disturb the spices on the ice.

After the vodka, fill the glass with Clamato juice, again pouring it down the side.

You want to leave several millimeters between the juice and the celery salt.

Otherwise the salt could be washed away, and the cocktail will not be as visually striking.

How to spice the ice

It is important that you ‘spice the ice’, or simply, make sure that the spices are on the ice.

When you add them after the vodka and juice, the spices won’t mix in properly. 

You don’t want the spices to clump together and float around in the drink like a spice lump.

How to garnish the drink

To garnish your Bloody Caesar, add a wedge of lime, a wedge of lemon, fresh from the one you used to spice the glass.

Add a shake of salt and black pepper.

It is traditional to add a stick of celery.

And of course, you can use the celery stalk stir your drink so the vodka, juice, and flavors are properly mixed.

Remember those creative garnishes we mentioned above?

Now’s the time to have fun! If you have a cocktail pick, feel free to stick several garnishes on the pick.

Add a straw, and you are ready to serve, perfect for a lazy brunch, or sizzling barbeque.

You may enjoy these great vodka recipes too:

If you love our Caesar recipe, you may also enjoy some of these drinks that are also perfect for brunch!

Sparkling Apple Martini

Blackberry and Peach Vodka Cooler

Ginger Apple Maple Mule

Frozen Pineapple Mango Vodka Slush

Pink Strawberry and Peach Cocktail

Peach Vodka Bellini

Cranberry Vodka Tonic

Black Raspberry Martini

try it and share!

Please let us know how you enjoy our Bloody Caesar recipe.

If you make it yourself, please let us know on Pinterest that you tried it and tag us with #champagneandcoconuts on your Instagram photo.

If you haven’t had a chance to make it yet, be sure to save the recipe on Pinterest so you’ll remember where you found it.

 

Mason jars filled with tomato cocktail garnished with bacon on a table.
Enjoy a Bloody Caesar whenever you serve brunch. It’s a crowd favorite, and it’s so much fun to set up a bar with lots of garnish options.

 

A mason jar filled with clamato juice with bacon slices, and a cocktail olive garnish with other beverages in the background.

Bloody Caesar Cocktail Recipe

Jennifer Quisenberry
If you love a good Bloody Mary, you'll love a Bloody Caesar too! Made with Clamato, it's absolutely delicious garnished with a slice of crisp bacon. Made with vodka and spiced with Tabasco Sauce, Worcestershire, and maybe even some horseradish, it's a spicy Canadian treat that's sure to please.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Canadian, Italian
Servings 1
Calories 205 kcal

Equipment

  • Tall Beverage Glass
  • Plate
  • Measuring cup or jigger
  • Cutting Board
  • Bar Knife

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Lemon or Lime
  • 1 T Celery Salt
  • 1 T Black Pepper course ground
  • 2-3 dashes Tabasco Sauce
  • 2-3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
  • ¼ tsp Horseradish Sauce optional
  • 2 oz Vodka
  • 4 oz Clamato
  • 1 Celery Stick for garnish
  • 1 slice Peppered Bacon for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

  • Run a lemon or lime wedge around the edge of your beverage glass.
  • Pour celery salt on a small saucer. Turn the glass upside down and dip the glass in the celery salt.
  • Fill the glass with ice.
  • Add 2-3 dashes of Tabasco sauce and another 2-3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce to the ice to "spice" the ice.
  • Optional: If you're including horseradish in your drink, add it to the ice.
  • Pour the vodka into the glass along the edge so as not to disturb the spices on the ice.
  • Fill the glass with Clamato juice, leaving room at the top.
  • Add the celery stick and any other garnishes and serve.

Notes

Please note that nutrition facts are subject to change based on your choice of ingredients. 

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcal
Keyword Bloody Caesar Cocktail Recipe, Bloody Mary with Clamato, Clamato
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2 thoughts on “Bloody Caesar Cocktail Recipe”

  1. 5 stars
    I had actually never heard of a bloody caesar cocktail before but your recipe inspired me to try making one at home! It turned out to be so good!

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