The Ultimate Wisconsin Bloody Mary Recipe
Look, if you've been to Camp Lola Whiskey, you know our Bloody Mary Bar isn't just a beverage station—it's basically an entire buffet masquerading as a cocktail. People have been sliding into our DMs asking for the recipe ever since our first camp, so here it is: the blueprint for a Wisconsin-style Bloody Mary that'll make you question every sad, garnish-free version you've ever been served.
What Makes a Wisconsin Bloody Mary Different?
Let's get something straight: A Wisconsin Bloody Mary is not just tomato juice and vodka. It's a meal. It's an experience. It's a vegetable serving (we're counting that celery) paired with protein (hello, beef stick) and enough pickled things to make your cardiologist schedule a follow-up.
While the rest of the country is out here serving Bloody Marys with a lonely celery stick, we're building architectural marvels of garnishes that require engineering degrees to balance.
The Camp Lola Whiskey Bloody Mary Recipe
Ingredients for the Base:
2 oz vodka (we like Driftless Glen) or dill aquavit (we prefer 45th Parallel)
1/2 cup Clamato juice
1/2 cup bloody mary mix or tomato juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp pickle juice
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp Tajin
1/4 tsp fresh horseradish
Tabasco as desired
Optional Garnishes (Though Really, Are They Optional?):
Pickle spears (we love Yeehaw)
Celery stalks
Cubed cheese (EC Cheese & Deli is our fave)
Olives
Pickled green beens
Pickled carrots
Beef sticks
Pickled eggs
For the Salted Rim:
½ tsp each of celery salt, tajin, and lemon pepper
Juice from half a lemon (or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice)
Put salt and juice on 2 separate small plates
How to Make It:
Step 1: Prep Your Rim Mix your celery salt, Tajin, and lemon pepper on a small plate. Pour lemon juice on another small plate. Dip your glass rim first in the lemon juice, then in the salt blend. Don't skip this step—the rim is important.
Step 2: Build Your Bloody Throw all your liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. You want everything well incorporated, not just layered like some kind of science experiment.
Step 3: Assemble Pour over fresh ice into your rimmed glass, leaving at least 2-3 inches of space at the top.
Step 4: Go Wild With Garnishes This is where Wisconsin Bloody Marys separate themselves from the amateurs. Start with the basics (pickle, celery, cheese cube) and build from there. Pro tip: use a skewer to create garnish towers that would make architectural firms jealous.
The Wisconsin Bloody Mary Philosophy
At Camp Lola Whiskey, our Bloody Mary Bar embodies everything we love about Wisconsin drinking culture: go big, use local ingredients, and never apologize for putting an entire charcuterie board on top of your cocktail.
Is it excessive? Absolutely. Will you need to eat it with a fork? Probably. Will you Instagram it before taking a single sip? Obviously.
Pro Tips From Our Camp Bar:
Use Clamato, not just tomato juice. Trust us on this one. It's a Wisconsin thing.
Fresh horseradish > prepared horseradish every single time. Your eyes might water, but your taste buds will thank you.
Make extra rim salt mixture. You'll want it for your second (and third) drink.
The pickle juice is non-negotiable. This is what separates good Bloody Marys from legendary ones.
Go heavy on the garnishes. If you can still see the liquid in your glass, you're doing it wrong.
Make It a Mocktail
Not drinking alcohol but still want the full Wisconsin Bloody Mary experience? Just skip the vodka, and follow everything else exactly as written. The garnish situation remains the same level of ridiculous, and honestly, that's the best part anyway.
Final Thoughts
The Bloody Mary is basically Wisconsin's state cocktail (sorry, Brandy Old Fashioned, you're a close second). Whether you're making these for Sunday brunch, recovering from a night you can't quite remember, or just because it's Tuesday and you're an adult who makes your own decisions—this recipe will deliver.
And if you want to experience the full Camp Lola Whiskey Bloody Mary Bar in person? Join us for camp where we'll have all the fixings ready to go, and you can spend your time building garnish masterpieces instead of shopping for ingredients.
Now get out there and build yourself a Bloody Mary that requires structural engineering.
Cheers!
