Spicy Bloody Mary

About the Spicy Bloody Mary

Brunch calls for something with a little heat, and the Spicy Bloody Mary answers with Timber Creek’s Florida Vodka shaken into tomato juice, lemon juice, hot sauce, and celery salt. It is savory first, spicy second, and only faintly sweet, which is exactly what a Bloody Mary should be. The tomato base carries most of the weight, but the lemon juice keeps it from tasting flat, and the hot sauce builds slowly rather than hitting all at once, so the first sip is approachable and the last sip still has some kick left in it. Florida Vodka is the reason the drink stays clean under all that seasoning.

Because it comes from Timber Creek’s grain to glass process, distilled on the family’s Crestview farm rather than sourced and rebottled, the vodka has just enough grain character to give the cocktail some backbone without competing with the tomato and hot sauce. A rougher or overly neutral vodka either disappears into the mix or fights it; this one supports the savory profile instead. To make it, shake the vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, and hot sauce with ice until well combined, then strain into a tall glass rimmed or dusted with celery salt. A celery stalk garnish is traditional and functional, doubling as a stir stick if the seasoning needs adjusting mid drink.

Some people like to build theirs directly in the glass instead of shaking, which produces a slightly less integrated but still perfectly good result; either method works. This is a brunch cocktail through and through, meant for a table of fried foods, eggs, and lazy conversation. It also holds up well next to fried appetizers at a casual gathering, where the acidity and spice cut through richer, greasier bites. Because it reads as savory rather than sweet, it tends to work for people who normally skip cocktails at daytime events.

Spice it to your own taste, and remember that a Bloody Mary is still a full pour of vodka, so pace yourself and drink responsibly.

Brunch calls for something with a little heat, and the Spicy Bloody Mary answers with Timber Creek’s Florida Vodka shaken into tomato juice, lemon juice, hot sauce, and celery salt. It is savory first, spicy second, and only faintly sweet, which is exactly what a Bloody Mary should be. The tomato base carries most of the weight, but the lemon juice keeps it from tasting flat, and the hot sauce builds slowly rather than hitting all at once, so the first sip is approachable and the last sip still has some kick left in it. Florida Vodka is the reason the drink stays clean under all that seasoning.

Because it comes from Timber Creek’s grain to glass process, distilled on the family’s Crestview farm rather than sourced and rebottled, the vodka has just enough grain character to give the cocktail some backbone without competing with the tomato and hot sauce. A rougher or overly neutral vodka either disappears into the mix or fights it; this one supports the savory profile instead. To make it, shake the vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, and hot sauce with ice until well combined, then strain into a tall glass rimmed or dusted with celery salt. A celery stalk garnish is traditional and functional, doubling as a stir stick if the seasoning needs adjusting mid drink.

Some people like to build theirs directly in the glass instead of shaking, which produces a slightly less integrated but still perfectly good result; either method works. This is a brunch cocktail through and through, meant for a table of fried foods, eggs, and lazy conversation. It also holds up well next to fried appetizers at a casual gathering, where the acidity and spice cut through richer, greasier bites. Because it reads as savory rather than sweet, it tends to work for people who normally skip cocktails at daytime events.

Spice it to your own taste, and remember that a Bloody Mary is still a full pour of vodka, so pace yourself and drink responsibly.