Bloody Mary Cocktail Recipe
Vodka and tomato juice spiked with spice, citrus and umami. The classic brunch cure.
- Category: Contemporary Classics
- Glass: Highball glass
- ABV: 12%
- Difficulty: Medium
- Prep time: ~3 min
Ingredients
- Vodka45 ml (1.5 oz)
- Tomato juice90 ml (3 oz)
- Fresh lemon juice15 ml (0.5 oz)
- Worcestershire sauce2 dash
- Tabasco, salt, pepper1 pinch
How to Make It
- Add all ingredients to a glass with ice.
- Roll between two glasses to mix gently (do not shake hard).
- Season to taste.
- Garnish with celery and lemon.
Garnish
Celery stalk and lemon
What it tastes like
There is a spiced warmth to it.
The technique
Shaking. Anything with juice, syrup, egg white or cream gets shaken: the shaker chills the drink and adds roughly 20% water, and that water is what takes the edge off. Twelve to fifteen seconds, until the tin frosts over. Under-shaking leaves the drink harsh because it never got enough dilution.
Glass and ice
A tall, narrow highball. The narrowness does real work — less surface area means the carbonation lasts longer and the ice melts more slowly.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Vodka
- Vodka brings body and alcohol rather than flavour; its job is to get out of the way of everything else. Which is why, in a vodka drink, how fresh the juice is matters far more than the brand.
- Fresh lemon juice
- Freshly squeezed lemon; one lemon gives 30-40 ml. It can swap with lime, but lemon is softer and less aromatic, so use a touch more.
The Story
Popularised at Harry's New York Bar in 1920s Paris by bartender Fernand Petiot.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Bloody Mary mixed?
- It is shaken and served in a highball glass.
- How strong is a Bloody Mary?
- Roughly 12% ABV as served — right around a glass of wine — an aperitif or an early-evening drink.
- Can a Bloody Mary be made without alcohol?
- Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
- Is a Bloody Mary hard to make?
- Moderate. A shaker or mixing glass plus a strainer covers it.
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.