Bloody Caesar Cocktail
Similar to a Bloody Mary, the bloody Caesar cocktail – normally just called a Caesar – is a classic Canadian drink made with Clamato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. It’s rimmed with celery salt and traditionally garnished with celery and lime.
Maybe you already know this, but my husband is Canadian. He’s from British Columbia and we met when we was playing college hockey in my hometown. So naturally, I’ve spent a decent amount of time in Canada.
I even spent two summers working in the restaurant of a golf course just outside of Marc’s hometown. I waited tables, bartended a little and set up for events like golf outings, weddings and fundraisers.
During that time, I made plenty of drinks, but guess which one I made the most? That’s right. The bloody Caesar. Although they’re technically just called Caesars in Canada (I only included the full name for the my non-Canadian readers).
What is the difference between a Bloody Mary and a Caesar?
It’s made with Clamato juice.
The main difference between the Caesar and a bloody Mary is that a bloody Caesar is made with clamato juice. Yes, that’s part tomato, part clam juice. It’s the same stuff they use to make michelada.
It isn’t as thick.
Using clamato juice makes this drink thinner than a bloody Mary. it’s also adds more flavor to the drink itself, which is why we don’t add a ton of seasoning to the drink itself.
How do you make a Caesar?
Rim your glasses and fill with ice. Rub a lime or lemon wedge along the rim of your glass and dip it into a plate lined with celery salt. If you want to take things up a notch, try a mix of celery salt and steak seasoning.
The fill your glass about 3/4 full of ice. You can use a little less or a little more, it’s up to you.
Add vodka, Worcestershire and hot sauce. No need to bust out the cocktail shaker. Add it directly to the glass over your ice.
Top with Clamato juice. Fill the glass with Clamato juice and sprinkle a little bit of black pepper (freshly cracked if you have it). Some people add salt, but I figure there’s plenty of sodium in there already.
Garnish. I’ve seen all sorts of garnishes on Caesars, so anything goes, but traditionally there’s lime and celery. I like to add a pickled vegetable of some kind, too.
If you’re hosting a party and/or brunch, my friend Erin has some great tips for setting up a super simple Bloody Mary bar (including some fun topping suggestions) that you can easily adapt for a Caesar bar. You could even offer your guests both for a little extra variety!
FAQs and tips for making the best caesar cocktail
Vodka.
The drink was created in 1969 by Walter Chell of Calgary, Alberta
Sources say that the inventor of the drink was inspired by the Italian dish, spaghetti with red clam sauce, and named it after Caesar (the title given to Roman rulers and commonly associated with Julius Caesar) accordingly.
Serve this cocktail with:
- Homemade waffles
- Tater tot breakfast casserole
- Cranberry chicken salad
- Zucchini muffins
- Fluffy pancakes recipe
More cocktail recipes:
Ingredients
- Celery salt
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 3 dashes hot sauce
- 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 5 ounces Clamato juice
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Rim glass with celery salt and fill with ice.
- Add vodka, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
- Top with Clamato juice and black pepper.
Great recipe for a Caesar. And to our non Canadian friends, you can find these even at hockey games! I ran across a Craft Caesar mix when I was visiting my dad in Alberta. Melissa, check this out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvq89_Jec9k
And thank you for these, my son has severe milk allergies and this site is really helpful!!!
I love the ceasar drinks. 2 things I like to add. I find it has a heavy body, so I like having it with steak, burgers etc. Like you would with a red wine essentially. Second, I prefer mine shaken, not stirred. It just gets those diverse ingredients mixed and binding together that much better.