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Feb. 23, 2022
For some, it’s just not brunch without a bloody mary. The next time you get together for a mid-day meal, consider providing a DIY bloody mary bar. It not only lets your guests make their cocktails exactly to their liking, but it also provides a fun activity to enjoy.
First things first: To build your own bloody mary bar, you have to have the basic ingredients. And quality matters. Make sure you provide premium items for your base so you can start from a solid foundation:
Organic tomato juice
Purified cubed ice
While every bloody mary recipe contains vodka and tomato juice, the cocktail ingredients beyond that are a little less standardized. But most recipes do include:
Fresh lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
Horseradish
Hot sauce
Salt
Pepper
You and your guests can also add some unexpected tastes to your concoction. This might include juices beyond tomato, as in the Water Mary, or substituting unflavored vodka for a lemon-flavored one, as in the Le Citron Bloody Mary.
Watermelon juice
Carrot juice
Clam juice
Olive brine
If there’s any drink known for its garnishes (beyond the martini cocktail, perhaps) it’s the bloody mary. Now is not the time for subtlety. Encourage your guests to pile on the garnishes as high as their highball glasses can take them.
Traditional garnishes:
Celery
Olives
Aromatic herbs
Black pepper
Extra credit:
Bacon
Shrimp
Cheese cubes
Pickles
Lime wedges
Watermelon jerky
Hamburger sliders
Set out all the ingredients, plus a bucket of ice, several highball or Boston glasses and some napkins on a table or bar right in a row. Et voilà — your bloody mary bar is beautiful, interactive and tasty.
P.S. If you want to make some bloody marys for your guests instead … you can always make a pitcher of the favorite brunch drink. For more brunch ideas, check out Grey Goose brunch cocktail and food pairings.
Expertly pre-blended with GREY GOOSE® Vodka, French vermouth and a dash of bitters, the new GREY GOOSE® Classic Martini Cocktail brings you the iconic drink in a ready to serve bottle.