Bloody Mary Origin, Fun Facts, FAQs

Last updated Jan 22, 2024

The Bloody Mary is the go-to cocktail in the morning for many folks. Read on to learn more about this popular drink.

CONTENTS:

Bloody Mary at a glance

TYPE OF DRINK: Cocktail

ALCOHOL: Vodka

MAIN INGREDIENTS: Tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (Tabasco ®), celery salt, black pepper, lemon juice

GARNISHES: Celery, olives, pickle, peppers, beef stick, bacon, shrimp, lemon

HOW TO SERVE: Pour Bloody Mary mix over ice cubes in a highball glass with celery salt around the rim add garnishes on top and inside the glass

DATE INVENTED: 1921

NAMED AFTER: The Queen of England, known as Queen Mary or “Bloody Mary”

How to make a Bloody Mary (video)

Bloody Mary recipe

If you don’t have a convenient Bloody Mary mix handy, make up a batch from scratch. Here is a quick and easy recipe from Lisa Birnbach’s The Official Preppy Handbook:

“Bloodies are the centerpiece of the Sunday Brunch—they are also, perhaps, the #1 Prep mixed drink…

Place ice cubes in a large glass
Pour in two fingers of vodka
Fill glass almost to top with V-8
Season with: 2 drops Tabasco, 4 drops Worcestershire, 1/2 tsp. horseradish, 1 tsp. lime juice
Add wedge of lime, stir and drink
Repeat as needed”

Bloody Mary jokes

Use these funny jokes to entertain your friends when you’re out for a drink at breakfast or brunch.

1.) Do you know what happens if you scream “Bloody Mary” 3 times in the mirror, at 3 am?
Answer: Your mom will tell you to shut up and go to bed.

2.) What does a vampire drink to get drunk?
Answer: A Bloody Mary.

3.) Three strings walk into a bar. The first string sits down at the counter and says, “Beer, please.” The bartender replies, “We don’t serve strings here, get out.” The second string goes up to the bartender and says, “Bloody Mary, please.” The bartender says, “Didn’t you hear what I told your friend? We don’t serve strings here. Get out.” Hearing this, the third-string goes into the bathroom, unravels his ends, and ties himself in a bow. He then goes out to the bar and says to the bartender, “I’d like a martini, please, straight up, with a twist.” The bartender looks at him suspiciously. “Are you a string?” The string replies, “No, I’m a frayed knot.”

4.) I got sunburned really badly yesterday and was in agony this morning. My mother advised using tomato juice to ease the pain. I was very skeptical at first, but she was right…
… I’m now on my seventh bloody mary, and I can barely feel a thing.

5.) It’s not drinking, it’s BRUNCH!

6.) You say tomato, I say Bloody Mary.

7.) For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry god, Bloody Mary, full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails, pray for me now, at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen.

Check out more funny drinking jokes.

Quotes

1.) When people ask me if Dean Martin drank, let me put it this way. If Dracula bit Dean in the neck, he’d get a Bloody Mary.
– Red Buttons

2.) Sometimes you need coffee, and sometimes you need a Bloody Mary.
– Mike Dirnt

3.) See, when you’re gone, I’ll still be Bloody Mary.
– Lady Gaga

4.) George Jessel’s newest pick-me-up which is receiving attention from the town’s paragraphers is called a Bloody Mary: half tomato juice, half vodka.
– Lucius Beebe

5.) Hey Bartender! Bloody Mary! O-positive!
– Mosquito, A Bug’s Life

VIDEO: Willie Nelson’s Bloody Mary Morning

6.) Well, it’s a Bloody Mary morning, my baby left without warning.
– Willie Nelson

7.) Thanksgiving is the day when you turn to another family member and say, ‘How long has Mom been drinking like this?’ My Mom, after six Bloody Marys looks at the turkey and goes, ‘Here, kitty, kitty.’
– David Letterman

8.) I just started making Bloody Marys. I always thought they looked gross, then I tasted one. There’s an art to it, from the Tabasco to the Worcestershire. Votes: 4
– Tara Reid

9.) My favorite thing is always a nice, inexpensive draft beer. Still, if someone wants something a little more complicated than that, then I’d like a Michelada, which is where I take beer and a little bit of either a spicy or not-so-spicy Bloody Mary, mix it like six to one [ratio], so it’s a red beer.
– Mario Batali

10.) I introduced this drink to Hong Kong in 1941 and believe it did more than any other single factor except perhaps the Japanese Army to precipitate the Fall of that Crown Colony.
– Ernest Hemingway

11.) I think getting drunk is the key to flying comfortably. A couple of Bloody Marys or several glasses of champagne, and suddenly it’s like you’re on a roller coaster.
– Amanda Peet

12.) Ted Kennedy is endorsing John Kerry and I’m wondering, do you really want the endorsement of a guy with a Bloody Mary mustache?
– David Letterman

Check out these Funny Drinking Quotes & Captions

Drinking toasts

A simple toast makes the most of enjoying Bloody Marys with friends. Try one of these or come up with your own:

To Bloody Marys & Hail Marys.
Eat, drink, and be Bloody.
Here’s to good friends and sippin’ with the best.
The more Bloody, the better.
Let there be Bloodys.
Cheers to many more years.
Here’s to Bloody Marys with good friends.
Keep calm and drink a Bloody Mary.
To Bloodys with buddies!
I used to know a clever toast. But now I cannot think it. So fill your glass with Bloody Marys. And damn your souls, let’s drink it.
Let’s drink to Bloody Marys!
May we live to be 100 with an extra year to repent.
A toast to good friends and even better Bloody Marys!
To Bloody Marys, how else will our friends know we love them at 11 am?
May your heart always be full and your glass never be empty.
Cheers girls!
May you always have love in your heart and a Bloody in your belly.
Pain makes you stronger. Tears make you braver. Heartbreak makes you wiser. And vodka makes you not remember any of that crap. Cheers!

You’ll enjoy these margarita quotes and captions.

Top 10 vodka brands for your cocktail

1. Absolut – A Swedish favorite.

2. Belvedere – Noted for it’s smoothness.

3. Grey Goose – A French super-premium vodka.

4. Ciroc – A vodka made from grapes and filtered with charcoal.

5. Smirnoff – The original from Russia since 1864.

6. Ketel One – A Dutch wheat vodka.

7. Svedka – Value pricing makes this an excellent choice.

8. Skyy – Made with U.S.-sourced grains and water.

9. Tito’s – A handmade vodka from Austin, Texas.

10. Pairie – Organically-made vodka from Minnesota.

Did you know? Life magazine’s name for the new cocktail in 1942 was the “Red Hammer.”

Captions for Instagram

Use these funny and clever captions when you post pictures on Instagram or other social media sites of you and your friends enjoying Bloody Marys.

Make mine a Bloody Mary.
Make it a Bloody.
Have a bloody-great birthday!
Taste the blood!
Weekend forecast: 100% chance of Bloody Marys.
My aesthetic: sunglasses and Boody Marys.
This calls for a Bloody Mary.
On Sundays, we Bloody.
Best. Bloody. Mary. Drinker. Ever.
Empty glass? That means it’s time for more Bloody Marys.
Bloody Mary queen.
Why limit happy to an hour?
Why be moody when there are Bloody Marys around?

Breakfast & brunch captions

One Bloody breakfast, coming up!
Brunch without a Bloody is just a late breakfast.
Bloody Marys for breakfast.
It’s 9 am somewhere.
Bloody Mary – Breakfast of Champions.
Brunch: the socially acceptable excuse for day drinking.
It’s a Bloody Mary kind of morning.
Bloody Mary – my morning health drink.
I only brunch with the best.
Brunch so hard Bloody Marys want to find me.
This is my resting brunch face.
You can’t brunch with us.
Brunch, because Bloody Marys.
Bloody Mary – because a martini before noon is frowned upon.
Brunch without a Bloody is just a sad, late breakfast.
It’s never too early for Bloody Mary o’clock.
You can find us brunching.
A Bloody good breakfast.
On Sundays, we brunch.

Captions about garnishes & toppings

I’ll take olives with a side of Bloody Mary.
Drinking Bloody Marys is as close to a juice cleanse as I’ll ever get.
Let’s celery-brate!
Do Bloody Marys count as a vegetable?
Getting my fill of tomatoes.
You say tomato, I say Bloody Mary.
If life gives you tomatoes, add vodka.
I’m a Bloody Mary kind of vegetarian.

Funny Instagram captions

You can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning.
You had me at Bloody Mary.
I make Bloody Marys disappear. What’s your superpower?
Unless you’re vodka or family, the answer is yes, I can live without you.
It’s all fun and games until the bloodies run out.
Mommy needs a Bloody Mary.
I’m a magician—I make Bloody Marys disappear.
OK, but first Bloody Mary.
This might have vodka in it.
Bloody Mary is a state of mind.
I bloody love Bloody Marys.
Eat, drink, and be Bloody Mary.

Check out these funny Oyster quotes and jokes.

Bloody Mary puns

Because who doesn’t love a pun!

Everyone needs some Bloody.
Sip happens.
Love you brunches.
Will you Bloody Mary me?
I love you from my head tomatoes.
Bloody Mary Christmas.
Let’s celery-brate a good life.
Hakuna m’vodka.
Sip, sip, hooray.
Havin’ a Bloody good time.

Timeline:

• 1553-1558 – Queen Mary I of England becomes known as “Bloody Mary” for her efforts to undo Protestant Reformation.

• 1921 – Fernand Petiot mixes together a cocktail of tomato juice and vodka at the New York Bar in Paris.

• 1933 – Petiot gets hired at the St. Regis Hotel bar in New York, improving his creation by adding additional ingredients.

• 1941 – Ernest Hemingway introduces (as legend has it) the red cocktail to Hong Kong.

• TODAY – Pre-made mixes make Bloody Mary preparation easier than ever. The right amount of ingredients come pre-mixed with tomato juice—all you have to do is add the vodka.

FAQs

1. Who invented the Bloody Mary?

The Bloody Mary as we know it today likely evolved from its earliest iterations. It began in the 1920s simply as a cocktail of tomato juice and vodka. French bartender Fernand “Pete” Petiot claimed to be its inventor from his time at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1921. There he served famous American patrons like Ernest Hemingway. He originally conceived the drink using only vodka and tomato juice, referring to it as a “Bucket of Blood.”

By the 1930s mixologists at New York’s 21 Club were serving a creation similar to the Petiot’s Bloody Mary, possibly inspired by comedian George Jessel.

After prohibition, Petiot brought the recipe to Manhattan where he worked at the fancy King Cole Bar in the St. Regis Hotel.

2. What is the origin of the Bloody Mary?

Fernand Petiot told The New Yorker magazine in 1964 his recollection of the origin of the Bloody Mary:

“I initiated the Bloody Mary of today. Jessel said he created it, but it was really nothing but vodka and tomato juice when I took it over. I cover the bottom of the shaker with four large dashes of salt, two dashes of black pepper, two dashes of cayenne pepper, and a layer of Worcestershire sauce; I then add a dash of lemon juice and some cracked ice, put in two ounces of vodka and two ounces of thick tomato juice, shake, strain, and pour.”

3. Who is Bloody Mary named after?

The tomato and vodka cocktail is named after Queen Mary I of England. Protestant opponents dubbed her “Bloody Mary” for her attempts to re-establish the Catholic Church in England.

Other people believed to be the inspiration for the name include Hollywood’s Mary Pickford and a waitress (Mary) at the Bucket of Blood bar in Chicago.

4. What do you call a Bloody Mary without the vodka?

A Bloody Mary without alcohol is called a Virgin Mary. Other names for the non-alcoholic mix are Bloody Virgin or jestfully, a Bloody Shame.

5. What are the common ingredients in a Bloody Mary?

The seven main ingredients in a Bloody Mary are tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (Tabasco), celery salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Additionally, some recipes call for garlic, herbs, horseradish, and lemon or lime juice.

Common garnishes used in a Bloody Mary include a celery stalk, olives, a pickle spear, hot peppers, a beef stick, a strip of bacon, skewered shrimp, and a lemon wedge.

6. What garnishes are added to a Bloody Mary?

Bloody Mary garnishes are sometimes known as “the meal on top.” They can range from the traditional celery stalk and lemon wedge to the unimaginable pizza slice and hot wings.

Here is a list of some common and not-so-common Bloody Mary garnishes:

Pickle
Celery stalk
Parsley sprig
Olives
Lime or lemon wedge
Bacon
Peppers
Fruit
Cheese
Ribs
Shrimp
Sashimi
Lobster tail
Kebabs
Mini cheeseburgers / sliders
Pepperoni pizza
Sandwich wedges
Fried chicken
Hot wings
Steak
Tater Tots
Hard-boiled egg

7. Why do you put celery in a Bloody Mary?

Celery is an astringent and has aromatic properties, both of which clear the tomato juice from the palate. It also counters the saltiness and spiciness of the cocktail. The added crunch stands in pleasing contrast to the smooth vegetable drink.

It’s believed the first use of celery in a Bloody Mary was accidental. At the Ambassador East Hotel in Chicago, a customer didn’t have a straw, so they used celery stick to stir drink instead.

8. Are you supposed to shake a Bloody Mary?

Shaking a Bloody Mary is not recommended since it reduces the viscosity of the tomato juice. Instead, turn the shaker (or container) with the ingredients over gently several times.

9. What are some other variations of Bloody Marys?

These drinks are similar to a traditional Bloody Mary, but with their own unique twist:

Red Snapper – A UK variant of the Bloody Mary made with gin.
Virgin Mary – A Bloody Mary without alcohol.
Bloody Fairy – A Bloody Mary made with absinthe.
The Caesar – Popular in Canada, this drink is made with caesar mix and Clamato juice.
The Michelada – A Mexican favorite made with beer, lime, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and tomato juice, served over ice with a salted rim on the glass.
Red Eye – A beer-based cocktail made with tomato juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and ice.
Bloody Maria – A Bloody Mary made with tequila.
Red Snapper – A Bloody Mary cocktail spiked with gin.

10. What do you drink with a Bloody Mary?

In the Upper Midwest (particularly in Wisconsin), a Bloody Mary is traditionally paired with a small beer chaser.

11. Are Bloody Marys healthy?

The tomato juice used in a Bloody Mary contains the antioxidant lycopene, electrolytes, and high water content which is good for hydration. Also, tomato juice is loaded with beneficial vitamins like vitamin C, B6, potassium, and iron.

Other ingredients are good for you too. Horseradish has glucosinolates that detoxify the body. And the tomato pulp and celery fiber aid in digestion.

12. Does a Bloody Mary cure hangovers?

The Bloody Mary is a hangover reliever because it includes many healthy ingredients compared to other cocktails. But if you want the most beneficial effect, skip the alcohol. Although it may provide an artificial boost—known as the “hair of the dog” effect—a Virgin Mary would be much better for your recovery.

Celebrate Bloody Mary Day!

Bloody Mary day falls on January 1 each year. It’s a great excuse to celebrate with a Bloody Mary (and possibly take care of your post-New Year’s Eve hangover). Mix up your favorite Bloody recipe and post a photo on social media with the hashtag #NationalBloodyMaryDay.

Thank you for reading about the Bloody Mary cocktail. Also, check out these lists of great drinking toasts:

Short Toasts & Cheers

Funny Toasts & Cheers

Also, you might be interested in All About The Old Fashioned

By Greg Johnson | Published 2/15/2021