Bloody Caesar

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/26/21
Tested by
Sean Michael Johnson
Photo of Sean Michael Johnson
Tested by Sean Michael Johnson
Sean is an award-winning bartender with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the head bartender at the two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gabriel Kreuther, crafting cocktail menus that have caught international attention. To date, he has made over 1 million cocktails, and counting.
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Bloody Caesar

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The bloody Caesar (or simply caesar) is a slight variation of the bloody mary. It's a popular drink in Canada and has some very dedicated fans worldwide, but it may not be for everyone. It makes a great brunch cocktail.

This recipe replaces the tomato juice of the bloody mary with Clamato (tomato juice flavored with clam broth and spices). It includes all the same flavorings, including savory and hot sauces, and spices. And, just like the bloody mary, you can customize it to perfectly suit your taste. Add more hot sauce or choose an alternative to Tabasco; garnish it with a pickle or stick with the celery. There are endless options with this savory cocktail.

"In all my years of bartending I’ve never made a Bloody Caesar. In all my trips to Canada I’ve tried many. It is a tough cocktail to navigate. This can be a great savory cocktail, and this recipe is a great standard to hold. Fresh clams would make an amazing sidecar, if you are so lucky." —Sean Johnson

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Ingredients

  • Lime wedge, for rimming

  • Celery salt, for rimming

  • Kosher or sea salt, for rimming

  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka

  • 4 ounces Clamato juice

  • Black pepper, to taste

  • 2 to 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce, to taste

  • 1 to 2 dashes Tabasco sauce (or other hot sauce), to taste

  • Celery stalk, garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make a Bloody Caesar

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Rim a highball glass by running a lime wedge around the rim, then dipping it in a combination of celery salt and salt.

    A hand dipping the rim of a glass into celery salt and salt

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Fill the glass with ice and add the vodka and Clamato juice.

    A celery salt-rimmed glass with ice, vodka, and Clamato juice

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Season with pepper, Worcestershire, and Tabasco sauces to taste.

    Pepper, Worcestershire, and Tabasco added to the glass

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Stir well.

    A hand stirring a cocktail with a swizzle stick

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Garnish with a celery stick. Serve and enjoy.

    A Bloody Caesar cocktail garnished with a celery stick

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Since the flavors are so strong in this drink, it's not necessary to pour your best vodka. There are many budget-friendly vodkas available that work perfectly fine in cocktails like this.
  • If you're not sure that you'll enjoy the salty rim, only coat half of the glass. In this way, you can sample the taste and revert back to the unsalted side if needed without ruining the entire drink.

Recipe Variations

  • Use a combination of Clamato and tomato juices if you want to reduce the clam broth flavor. Splitting them evenly is a good option for someone who's new to Clamato's taste.
  • The reindeer Caesar is the exact same drink, but it gets that holiday connection by adding a sprinkle of nutmeg to the finished cocktail.
  • In the Forty Creek Caesar, the base liquor switches to Canadian whisky, the Clamato juice is split evenly with tomato juice, and Italian dressing is added. This recipe also has an interesting rim of apricot jam, Montreal steak seasoning, and celery salt.

How Strong Is a Bloody Caesar?

The bloody Caesar packs more punch on the flavor front than it does with the alcohol. It's a mild mixed drink that mixes up to about 10 percent ABV (20 proof). That's typical of highballs which are primarily made up of nonalcoholic mixers and similar in strength to a glass of wine.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
166 Calories
0g Fat
16g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 166
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 523mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 8mg 42%
Calcium 34mg 3%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 249mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)