“I feel bad for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning, that’s as good as they’re going to feel all day.” – Frank Sinatra

Recently we discussed the best tomato juices for your Bloody, but what about the other main ingredient in your favorite morning cocktail - the booze! We all know the classic variation calls for Vodka. A peppery, corn flavored distillation that was a gift from Poland to Russia and eventually disbursed to the new world in trade for spices, go figure. Vodka is a spirit that has analgesic properties, can be drank over ice by itself, and is well known for its incredible paring with tomato juice.  Which is why it reigns supreme in your mission to destroy the "Sunday Scaries." 

The original Bloody Mary only had a few components and one of them was ice, if that says anything about how much the drink has evolved.  There are so many Bloody Mary ingredients now that keeping it simple has become a thing of the past. Creativity has sparked a revolution giving rise to new Bottled Mixes, Seasonings, and even canned Mary mix. However, for decades, Vodka was thought to be the only spirit you could mix with your tomato juice. Fear of straying from the norm, most bartenders would look at you cross eyed if you asked for anything else. Well, times have changed and we made you a list of different Bloody Mary's complete with their names!

Drinks change, people change, bartenders change! 

As we mentioned and you may recall from reading in Devil Daves Recipe Book, that In 1921, a bartender named Fernand Petiot was working at the New York Bar in Paris at the time where he claimed to have invented a drink titled the Bloody Mary. “According to the bar’s own traditions, the original cocktail is said to have been created on the spur-of-the-moment, consisting only of vodka and tomato juice.” Taking Mr. Petiot’s recipe but with a twist, here are some suggestions on the best alternative spirits to use in your Bloody Mary.

1. Pineapple Jalapeno Tequila - “Bloody Maria” 

Think you can't make your Bloody any spicier? Think again. Infused with pineapple, jalapenos and pepper - this Tequila could be the flame throwing devilish demigod of spirits to try out in your next concoction. It will certainly add to your daily intake of spicy nutrients in the morning! When making a Bloody Maria, Blanco tequila should be used specifically so we suggest you look for the Dulce Vida Tequila Company. They are making some amazing agave infusions that can be used with so many different cocktails. But their Pineapple Jalapeno is what we are sipping on at the moment and we may have made around 7 or so Bloody Maria's with it.. 

Hey, Tequila goes great with tangy juices like Sacramento. Always start your day off with a well balanced "liquid" diet. They don't call it the Breakfast of Champions for nothing! Also we recommend lots of Salt on the rim or for an alternative you can try a Bacon Bloody Mary rimmer!

AUTHORS TASTING NOTE: Rating this an 8. I've tasted plenty of great Tequila in my life and this one would taste great on the rocks too! I'm all about Hot Bloodys and this is a great way to get that heat where you need it. Pepper, agave, pineapple, apple, astringent, depth, complexity. Sweet, smokey almost.

2. Amontillado Sherry “The Sherry Mary” 

Who says Bloodys can't be sweet? We actually have a ton of patrons who love adding a cordial to their Devil Daves - shoot, once you've had a couple, who cares right? Keep pouring bartender.. Sherry, the deep textured almond flavored liquor with the aged look can be found in many stores - You may think its an old persons drink but actually professional bartenders prefer Sherry in place of many syrups at the bar. 

 You want to use a little to start. Sherry is very aromatic and can overwhelm the other ingredients very quickly. But after it settles and all blends together - It is very enjoyable. Sherry goes great with olives and ham based cured meats so its only natural that you try it with your next Bloody - especially if you plan to skip breakfast and go right to brunch!  Load up the garnishes like ham cubes, sharp cheddar, cornichons, and garlic olives!

AUTHORS TASTING NOTE: Rating this a 7. This Sherry by itself is a winner and although I'm not a fan of sweet Bloodys myself, it does add a nice dry, salty finish.

3. Meade Bourbon “The Bloody Belle” 

If you’re looking for a way to take your Devil Daves Bloody Mary to the next level, we highly recommend making yourself a Bloody Belle by trying Meade Bourbon in your beverage instead of Vodka. We recommend a Single Barrel aged bourbon to bring about several layers of flavor. You will experience more depth of flavor from your tomato juice - Something that Vodka can’t do too well which is why a good Bloody needs to have those other 8 components. 

Our friends at greenbrierdistillery.com agree! According to Green Brier, when you add Bourbon to your Bloody “you bring another layer of flavor and depth to the experience." We couldn't agree more - There are several layers, and I plan to stop at each one and chase it with a sip of my Pilsner.

4. Gin “The Red Snapper” 

In 1904 a man named John Jacob Astor IV founded the now famous St. Regis Hotel in New York City. Today, the St. Regis New York is a Forbes 5 star and a AAA 5 star hotel overlooking Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan. The St. Regis is also famous for a signature drink titled The Red Snapper, which are served by the hundreds every weekend. We recommend a weekend visit there - They season their Bloodys after our own recipe - Very similar to our own Bloody Mary Seasoning.  So much that this is a perfect opportunity to make a Devil Daves Red Snapper right now - Below is the recipe for the perfect Devil Daves Gin Bloody!  

 1.5 ozs of your favorite Gin - Make it Bombay  
 11 oz Tomato Juice
 1 Devil Daves Stick Pack
 Squeeze of lemon, Blue Cheese Olives & Wedge for Garnish 
 Put first 3 ingredients in shaker with a little ice and shake gently. Pour over more ice and garnish with lemon, olives and celery. Use Devil Daves Spicy Dill Pickle Rimmer for that extra heat and zestfulness!

AUTHORS TASTING NOTE:  Gin and I go together like best friends who just got kicked out of the club for being too awesome!  I'm very fond of the juniper and the aromatics mixing with my tomato juice right now. Actually, right now, Bombay Sapphire is running a huge marketing campaign geared towards using their Gin in a Red Snapper. Pretty cool they are trying to branch out and reach us Bloody Mary drinkers- I highly Recommend you try it out! I guess this drink is huge in Iowa and Central states...

5. Cognac - “The Chum Bucket” 

Cognac is distilled from wine and wine goes great with seafood, right? Plus we all know that the number one high end garnish for Bloodys is Shrimp. So it’s only natural that this cordial is the best choice for any Bloody that is going to be rimmed with Old Bay or Devil Daves Burnt Bacon Rimmer. A good Cognac will give you an astringent flavor that will balance well with the sweetness from the seafood.

Because, I love both Seafood and Bloody Marys, I recommend something called the “Chum Bucket” If you’re in the mood for raw oysters and clams plus shrimp and lobster swing over to The Surfing Pig in Wildwood, NJ. They are doing some pretty amazing things with Bloody’s but this one takes the cake. Arghh Matey, hold on to you fishnet stockings and roll up your wool sweater because you may get queasy when you first lay eyes on this monstrosity. 

6. The Michelada - Chelada 

Oh good, we are talking beers now! Well, lagers and pilsners anyway. There isn't too much room in the Michelada world for IPA's, stouts, or porters.. We all know that making a Bloody Mary and topping it with beer isn't exactly a traditional Michelada; which is made from Hot sauce, lime juice, seasonings and beer..  But we like to pretend don't we? Besides - if you want to get technical you can call it a Red Beer or Bloody Beer. 

When making the alternative version of the Chelada you should use juices like Clamato or Picante tomato juice. Adding a stick pack of Devil Daves, some extra lime, a little hot sauce and topping with beer will definitely give you an amazing version! 

Making a Michelada or Bloody Beer is simple - We use Tecate, Dos Equis, or Modelo but you can use Bud Light and Michelob tastes pretty great too! When making a Michelada make sure to go only around 3/4 way up the glass so you have room for the beer! Garnish with limes, hot peppers, or rim with hot sauce and seasonings. Serve with some warm chips and Bloody mary salsa!