Bloody Caesar Recipe

The Bloody Caesar is what happens when you take a Bloody Mary and give it an ocean breeze. Same vodka. Same spice. But swap the tomato juice for Clamato, and suddenly you have something altogether different. Briny, savory, and unmistakably Canadian.

Canadians drink over 350 million Caesars every year. That's roughly ten per person, which says something about how seriously they take this cocktail. The rest of the world is just starting to catch on.

If you've never had one, think of it as a Bloody Mary with depth. The clam broth adds umami and minerality that straight tomato juice can't match. It's the same reason a good fish stock makes better risotto than water. You're building layers.

This guide covers the classic Bloody Caesar recipe, the history behind it, and how to customize it for your own tastes. Whether you call it a Caesar, a Clamato Bloody Mary, or just "that Canadian drink," by the end you'll know how to make one properly.

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What Is a Bloody Caesar?

A Bloody Caesar is a cocktail made with vodka, Clamato juice (a blend of tomato juice and clam broth), Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and spices. It's served over ice in a glass rimmed with celery salt and garnished with a celery stalk and lime wedge.

The drink was invented in 1969 in Calgary, Alberta, by a restaurateur named Walter Chell. He was creating a signature cocktail for a new Italian restaurant and drew inspiration from spaghetti alle vongole, the classic pasta with clams in tomato sauce. His logic: if clams and tomatoes work on a plate, they'll work in a glass.

He was right. The Bloody Caesar became Calgary's most popular cocktail within five years. Today it's considered Canada's unofficial national drink, and May 13th is celebrated as Caesar Day in Calgary.

Outside Canada, the drink is harder to find. Order a Caesar at most American bars and you'll get a confused look or a salad. But that's changing as more people discover what Canadians have known for decades: the Caesar is the superior brunch cocktail.

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Bloody Caesar vs Bloody Mary: What's the Difference?

The Bloody Caesar and Bloody Mary share the same DNA. Both are vodka-based, tomato-forward, savory cocktails served with similar spices and garnishes. At a glance, they look identical.

The difference is in the base.

A Bloody Mary uses straight tomato juice. A Bloody Caesar uses Clamato, which is tomato juice blended with clam broth. That clam component adds:

Umami depth. Clam broth is rich in glutamates, the same compounds that make parmesan and soy sauce taste so satisfying. It gives the Caesar a savory backbone that tomato juice alone can't provide.

Brininess. There's a subtle oceanic quality to a Caesar. Not fishy, but mineral and clean, like the smell of salt air.

Smoother texture. Clamato tends to be slightly thinner and silkier than thick tomato juice, which changes how the drink feels in your mouth.

If you've tried a Bloody Mary and found it one-dimensional, the Caesar might be your drink. The clam broth fills in the gaps.

For a deeper comparison of Clamato and tomato juice, including when to use each, see our Clamato juice guide.

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Classic Bloody Caesar Recipe

This is the foundational recipe. Once you have this down, you can adjust ratios and ingredients to match your preferences.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz vodka
• 4 to 6 oz Clamato juice
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 dashes hot sauce (Tabasco or similar)
• 1 pinch celery salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• Celery salt for rimming the glass
• Lime wedge
• Celery stalk for garnish

Instructions:

Rim a highball glass with celery salt. Fill the glass with ice.

Add vodka, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, and black pepper to the glass.

Top with Clamato juice. Stir gently to combine.

Squeeze the lime wedge over the drink and drop it in. Garnish with a celery stalk.

The Ratio to Remember

Use a 1:4 ratio of vodka to Clamato as your starting point. That means 1.5 oz vodka to 6 oz Clamato, or 2 oz vodka to 8 oz Clamato if you want something stronger.

Adjust based on how boozy you like your drinks. The Caesar is traditionally on the lighter side because it's meant to be sessionable. You're supposed to have a few.

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Bloody Caesar Recipe with Stu's Concentrate

If you want a Caesar with better spice balance and more complexity, skip the individual seasonings and use a cocktail concentrate.

Stu's Bloody Mary Concentrate already contains the Worcestershire, horseradish, spices, and citrus you'd normally add separately. You're getting a pre-balanced seasoning blend that took years to develop.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz vodka
• 1 oz Stu's Bloody Mary Concentrate
• 4 oz Clamato juice
• Celery salt for rimming
• Lime wedge
• Celery stalk

Instructions:

Rim a highball glass with celery salt. Fill with ice.

Add vodka and Stu's concentrate to the glass.

Top with Clamato juice. Stir to combine.

Garnish with lime and celery.

Why This Works

The concentrate adds layers that individual dashes of hot sauce and Worcestershire can't achieve. You're getting horseradish heat, citrus brightness, and a spice blend that's been calibrated to work with tomato-based drinks. When you add Clamato instead of straight tomato juice, the briny notes complement the concentrate's savory profile.

The result is a Caesar that tastes like it came from a cocktail bar, not a brunch buffet.

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Virgin Bloody Caesar (Non-Alcoholic)

A Caesar without vodka is still a Caesar. The Clamato, spices, and garnishes do most of the flavor work anyway.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Stu's Bloody Mary Concentrate (or Worcestershire, hot sauce, celery salt, and pepper to taste)
• 6 oz Clamato juice
• Lime wedge
• Celery stalk

Instructions:

Rim a glass with celery salt. Fill with ice.

Add concentrate and Clamato. Stir.

Garnish with lime and celery.

This is a solid option for anyone skipping alcohol but still wanting the ritual of a savory brunch cocktail. For more non-alcoholic options, see our Virgin Mary guide and mocktail recipes.

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Bloody Caesar Garnish Ideas

Canadians don't do subtle garnishes. A proper Caesar often looks more like a meal than a drink. Here are your options, from classic to absurd:

Classic:

• Celery stalk
• Lime wedge
• Pickled bean

Elevated:

• Bacon strip
• Cooked shrimp or prawn
• Pickle spear
• Pepperoncini

Over the Top:

• Slider on a skewer
• Fried chicken wing
• Entire lobster tail
• Mini grilled cheese sandwich

There's a reason Caesar garnishes became competitive in Canada. The drink is a canvas. If you want inspiration, our Bloody Mary garnish guide covers the full spectrum.

The celery salt rim is non-negotiable. It's the first thing you taste and sets up the savory notes that follow. Use coarse celery salt, not fine table salt.

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Tips for a Better Bloody Caesar

Use quality Clamato. Mott's is the standard. Store brands vary in clam-to-tomato ratio and can taste watered down.

Chill everything. Cold Clamato, cold vodka, plenty of ice. A warm Caesar is a sad Caesar.

Don't over-stir. You want to combine the ingredients, not aerate them. Gentle stirs, not aggressive shaking.

Taste before garnishing. Adjust salt, pepper, and hot sauce before you commit to a celery stalk blocking access to your glass.

Rim only half the glass. This lets you choose whether each sip gets the celery salt hit or not.

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Common Questions About the Bloody Caesar

What does a Bloody Caesar taste like?

Savory, briny, and lightly spicy. It tastes like a Bloody Mary with more depth and a subtle ocean undertone. The clam broth adds umami without making the drink taste fishy.

Is a Bloody Caesar the same as a Clamato Bloody Mary?

Functionally, yes. "Bloody Caesar" is the Canadian name. "Clamato Bloody Mary" is what Americans tend to call it when they encounter one. Same drink, different branding.

Can I make a Caesar without Clamato?

You can mix tomato juice with bottled clam juice, but the ratio is tricky and the texture won't be the same. Clamato is specifically formulated to balance the tomato and clam flavors. It's worth buying a bottle.

For more on using clam juice in drinks, see our clam juice drinks guide.

Why isn't the Caesar popular outside Canada?

Distribution and awareness. Clamato isn't as widely available in other countries, and most bartenders outside Canada haven't been trained on the recipe. That's changing as the drink gains a cult following among cocktail enthusiasts.

What vodka works best in a Caesar?

Something clean and neutral. The Caesar has enough going on that you don't need a characterful vodka competing with the Clamato and spices. Our best vodka for Bloody Mary guide covers options that work equally well here.

Is the Bloody Caesar healthy?

As cocktails go, it's not bad. Clamato provides lycopene, vitamin C, and some protein from the clam broth. It's lower in sugar than most mixed drinks. But it's still a cocktail, so "healthy" is relative.

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More Bloody Mary Variations

The Caesar is one of many ways to riff on the classic Bloody Mary. If you're exploring the category, here are related recipes:

• Michelada Recipe: Beer-based, Mexican style
• Red Beer: Simplified beer and tomato juice
• Virgin Mary: Non-alcoholic version
• Bloody Mary with Gin: The Red Snapper variation
• Bloody Mary Bar Setup: How to host a DIY bar

All of these work with Stu's concentrate as the flavor base. The format is designed for customization. You choose the mixer, the spirit (or none), and the garnishes. The concentrate handles the seasoning.

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Final Thoughts

The Bloody Caesar deserves its reputation. It takes everything good about a Bloody Mary and adds the depth that clam broth provides. If you've never tried one, you're missing what 38 million Canadians figured out decades ago.

Make it classic with individual seasonings, or simplify with Stu's concentrate. Either way, don't skip the celery salt rim. And if you're feeling ambitious, go full Canadian with a garnish that doubles as an appetizer.

For the savory drinks and Bloody Mary variations we cover, the Caesar sits near the top. It's earned its place.