Food

Bloody Caesar Recipe: How to Make a Bloody Caesar Cocktail

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Aug 2, 2024 • 1 min read

The Bloody Caesar is a flavorful twist on the classic Bloody Mary cocktail that packs an umami punch. Learn how to make this tomato-and-clam-juice cocktail with our simple recipe.

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What Is a Bloody Caesar?

A Caesar, or Bloody Caesar, is a Canadian riff on the classic Bloody Mary cocktail consisting of clam broth, vodka, tomato juice, hot sauce, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce, and a mix of herbs and spices. The cocktail is typically served over ice in a salt-rimmed highball glass with a wedge of lemon and celery stalk for garnish. The Caesar is one of the most popular mixed drinks in Canada, where it was purportedly invented in 1969 by bartender Walter Chell at the Calgary Inn in Alberta.

What Are the Origins of the Bloody Caesar Cocktail?

Like the Bloody Mary, there are a number of origin stories surrounding the invention of the Bloody Caesar. The earliest recording of a tomato-and-clam-juice cocktail dates back to 1953 when barkeep Paul Pawlowski debuted the Smirnoff Smiler at his Manhattan nightclub, The Polonaise. The Smiler also featured a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Restaurant manager Walter Chell claims to have invented the briny cocktail in 1969 at the Calgary Inn in Alberta, Canada, citing spaghetti alle vongole, a popular Italian dish made with clams and tomatoes, as his inspiration for the dish. The name “Caesar” is a nod to the country’s most famous leader.

Bloody Caesar Cocktail Recipe

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makes

1

prep time

10 min

total time

10 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Prepare the celery salt-rimmed glass. Pour some celery salt onto a small plate and select a pint or highball glass. Rub one lime wedge along the rim of the glass and invert the glass onto the plate.

  2. 2

    In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, tomato-clam juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, horseradish, salt, and black pepper. Add ice to fill the shaker ⅔ of the way up.

  3. 3

    Roll, rather than shake, the cocktail by passing the drink back and forth between two shakers, or the shaker and a pint glass, 3 times.

  4. 4

    Pour into the rimmed glass and garnish with a lime wedge and celery stick.

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