Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Bloody Mary

Vodka, tomato juice and lemon, built over ice and seasoned to taste — brunch’s savory heavyweight. Add pepper, salt and hot sauce to your liking.

Preparation~2 minSuper easyStrengthMediumabout 12% ABVMethodStirred6 guided stepsIngredients3Tall (highball) glass

Highball

In the glassVodka · Tomato juice · Fresh lemon juice

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Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear highball glass with tall straight sides and a substantial base. — Serving glassHighball glass

Set up before you pour

Use a highball glass.

The tall, straight shape leaves room for plenty of ice and mixer while keeping a long drink lively.

Standard size: 350 ml11¾ oz
Ice & serve: Fill it with fresh ice cubes.
If you don’t own one: Use a Collins glass or any tall, straight-sided tumbler.

Tools to set out

jigger or measuring spoon

Compare all glass types

Scale to your tall (highball) glassWe’ll remember this glass size.

Vodka45 ml
Tomato juice90 ml
Fresh lemon juice15 ml

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From bottle to glass

Method

01
Ice the glass
Fill the glass with ice
02
Measure and pour
Pour 45 ml vodka
- Vodka
03
Measure and pour
Add 90 ml tomato juice
- Tomato juice
04
Measure and pour
Add 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- Fresh lemon juice
05
Stir around the ice
Stir gently to combine
06
Finish the drink
Finish it — add a lime wedge

Know your drink

About the Bloody Mary

A copper mug, Espresso Martini and clear vodka highball against evening city lights.

Paris invention, New York institution

Bartender Fernand "Pete" Petiot claimed he first mixed vodka and tomato juice at Harry’s New York Bar in 1920s Paris, then perfected the seasoned version at Manhattan’s St. Regis hotel — where propriety renamed it the "Red Snapper". The spice survived; the polite name didn’t.

Common questions

Bloody Mary FAQ

How spicy should a bloody mary be?

To taste — start with a few dashes of hot sauce and a pinch of black pepper, taste, and build. The best bloody marys layer flavor (Worcestershire’s umami, lemon’s acid, horseradish’s sinus heat) rather than just piling on capsaicin.

Should a bloody mary be shaken?

Never shake it — tomato juice froths into an unpleasant foam. "Roll" it instead: pour the drink back and forth between two tins a few times, gently, until mixed and chilled.

What are the classic bloody mary variations?

Tequila makes a Bloody Maria, no alcohol makes a Virgin Mary, beer chaser on the side is a classic diner move, and clam-fortified tomato juice makes the divisive-but-beloved Caesar, Canada’s national cocktail.

What ingredients are in a Bloody Mary?

A classic Bloody Mary calls for 45 ml (1.5 oz) Vodka, 90 ml (3 oz) Tomato juice, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Fresh lemon juice. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is a Bloody Mary?

A standard Bloody Mary is roughly 12% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it about as strong as a glass of wine.

What glass do you serve a Bloody Mary in?

Serve a Bloody Mary in a highball (tall) glass, over fresh ice cubes.

How many calories are in a Bloody Mary?

One Bloody Mary has approximately 120 calories, estimated from the standard spec above. Bigger pours, extra syrup or sweetened mixers raise that number quickly.

Sharpen the technique