My Big Fat Bloody Mary Podcast: Day Drinking | Recipe Sharing | Product Reviews

INTRO:  Welcome to My Big Fat Bloody Mary podcast where you will never drink alone. We are coming to you from the studios of the Bloody Mary Concert Series. 

La Crosse Distillery-Field Notes

Whose corn-based vodka is just that, 100% Midwestern organic yellow dent corn. Besides the yeast and enzymes they use to break down the sugars in the corn, there’s nothing else used to make this spirit. It is double-distilled and filtered for an easy finish.

Bloody Mary Enthusiasts Partnership

“Worst Bloody Mary…?” 

Company We Review : Southside Alchemy Sweat & Tears Bloody Mary Mix & Dry Mix

Last Episode/ Review: Side Show Bloody Mary Mix – Fire Breather with the Krog 

The Company Story: St. Louis’ option for a Big, Bold, Low Sodium Bloody Mary Mix.

*Gold Medal at the Drunken Tomato awards

Todd Brutcher developed Southside Alchemy as a premier cocktail mixer business in 2019. His first release, Sweat & Tears is a big, bold mix intended to shift the paradigm of what a bloody Mary mix should and can be. Low Sodium, thick and with the perfect amount of heat, flavor and complete lack of weekend motivation. In addition to bloody mary mix, Southside Alchemy makes premium Sangria mixes.

Retail Cost:  $11.99 liquid $8.00 Dry Mix

Southern Alchemy Sweat and Tears Bloody Mary Mix Review

Summary: Would I Buy it? – Yes  !

Entertainment: Wisconsin based outlaw country band, Big Liquor performs a cover of Wanda Jackson’s Hard Headed Woman

Fire Breather Flavor

INTRO:  Welcome to My Big Fat Bloody Mary podcast where you will never drink alone. We are coming to you from the studios of the Bloody Mary Concert Series. 

Bloody Mary Concerts-La Crosse Distillery-Field Notes

Whose corn-based vodka is just that, 100% Midwestern organic yellow dent corn. Besides the yeast and enzymes they use to break down the sugars in the corn, there’s nothing else used to make this spirit. It is double-distilled and filtered for an easy finish.

Bloody Mary Enthusiasts Partnership

Company We Review : 

Last Episode – Wicks

The Company Story:

After a couple decades of life enjoying Bloody Mary’s and sampling different brands of ‘the world’s most variable drink’, we got to thinking. It was time to get serious about our passion for the perfect Bloody Mary and satisfy our entrepreneurial spirits at the same time. Time to research and develop a knock-out recipe with the flavor to please the wide-ranging palettes of Bloody Mary aficionados.Like you, we have tasted our share of too watery, too bland, too thin or too thick, too-tomato-ey, too ‘make–up-your-own-adjective’ Bloody Mary Mixes.Our goal was to find the perfect blend of ingredients matched with the perfect consistency. Sure, our Side Show secret recipes utilize some typical bloody mary ingredients, but several surprises as well. After experimenting with and testing over 75 different recipes, we found our winning formulas.The secret is in the blend of over 13 ingredients, used in each of three varieties—from Strongman to Fire Breather. There is a flavor for every taste. So go ahead and seize your Side Show! And always drink authentically.Company Website

Sideshow Bloody Mary Mix Review

Flavors:

Strongman (Original Mild), Fire Breather Jalapeno Garlic (Hot), Trick Rider Horseradish (Medium), and Ranch Dill Pickle (Medium)

What’s on the Outside?

Onto the ingredients:

INGREDIENTS: Water, Tomato Paste (tomatoes), Lemon Juice(water, concentrated lemon juice, and less than 2% of sodiumbenzoate, sodium metabisulfite and sodium sulfite(preservatives) and lemon oil), Worcestershire Sauce (vinegar,molasses, sugar, anchovies, water, onions, salt, garlic, tamarindconcentrate, cloves, natural flavorings and chili pepper extract),Vinegar, Steak Sauce (tomatoes, raisin paste, distilled vinegar,com syrup, salt, crushed orange purée, dried garlic and onions,herbs and spices, caramel color, and xanthan gum), BeefBouillon Powder (salt, sugar, com syrup solids, hydrolyzedvegetable protein (hydrolyzed soy and com protein, soybeanoil), modified com starch, dehydrated onion, spices, caramelcolor, silicon dioxide (less than 2% as an anti-caking agent),sunflower oil), Celery Salt (sea salt, celery seed, sunflower oil,silicon dioxide (less than 2% as an anti-caking agent), JalapenoPowder, Garlic Powder, Spices, Olive Brine (water, olive juice,salt lactic acid (preservative), natural flavor), Horseradish

The Taste:

Somewhat thick and homogeneous composition. Slightly sweet with a heat that comes to rest at the back of the tongue and throat. Hints of lemon, garlic, and peppers

The Chaser: Hop Rising Double IPA

Adding Vodka:

Thins the mix to a better consistency. it spreads the heat throughout the mouth. It’s much better with vodka.

Last Episode – Review: Remedy / Masterson’s and Whitmore Sisters Live  

Last week the Masterson’s and Whitmore Sisters Knocked it out of the park after I talked with Codey Rhude of Remedy Bloody Mary Mix. Take a listen. A few more in the works. Have a suggestion? Hit us up on the Bloody Mary Concert Series FB page or bloodymaryconcerts.com

La Crosse Distillery-Field Notes

Whose corn-based vodka is just that, 100% Midwestern organic yellow dent corn. Besides the yeast and enzymes they use to break down the sugars in the corn, there’s nothing else used to make this spirit. It is double-distilled and filtered for an easy finish.

Bloody Mary Enthusiasts Partnership- question about chewy mixes– Like em, love ’em, or hate em. Let us know!

Wick’s Bloody Mary Mix

The Company Story:

We took our original Bloody Mary Mix recipes which we have shared with friends and family and enhanced it with superfoods. Turmeric, Black Pepper and Cayenne Pepper. These potent vasodilators create an exhilarating experience, and will reinvigorate you after a long Saturday evening. We then reduced the sodium and caloric content by 40%… we enhanced the flavors with every sensory stimulus in mind. Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter and our favorite Umami.Wicks Bloody Mary Website

What’s on the Outside?

A fairly standard 32oz glass bottle with understated label. What really stands out is the composition of this mix. I’ve never seen so many chewy particulates. Wow!

Onto the ingredients:

Wick’s Bloody Mary Ingredients

The Taste:

On its own Wicks starts with a slight tartness and moves to a savory umami bomb I likened to French onion soup. Solid bits of all manner of ingredients are left behind to chew and enjoy- if you like that sort of thing.

The Chaser: Pearl Street Brewery’s Pale Ale. Crisp, clean, and refreshing, this pale ale is a nice palette cleanser to pair with a complex bloody Mary mix.

Adding Vodka:

Adding vodka seems to make the drink a bit more creamy and less chewy. If you don’t like chewy, add vodka.

Retail Cost: The website sells three bottles for $39.99

Summary:

If you like a little chew, you don’t want a ton of spice, and umami is your jam- Buy it. I would.

Remedy Bloody Mary Mix With Codey Rhude

I got to hang out and chat with Cody Rhude of Remedy Bloody Mary Mix. Take a listen as we talk about why and how he and his family started a bloody mary mix brand.

Remedy Bloody Mary Mix is a family-owned and operated company that started producing and selling Bloody Mary mix in 2012.  We started selling in our local market of La Crosse, WI and have grown in distribution all over the state of WI & MN.  John created Remedy when he couldn’t find a pre-mix Bloody Mary on the retail shelf that he liked, so he decided to make his own.  It became so popular with family and friends, that he decided to go into business and share his recipe with everyone.Company Website

The Mastersons and Whitmore Sisters LIVE!

While we all enjoyed Remedy Bloody Mary Mix, La Crosse Distillery’s Field Notes Organic Vodka, and icy cold Pearl Street beers, we were graced by the music of Chris Masterson and Eleanor and Bonnie Whitmore. They were kind enough to let us record a couple songs. Take a listen!

Entertainment: The Masterson’s and Whitmore Sisters Live!

The Mastersons are singer-songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore. When they’re not touring the world as valued longtime members of Steve Earle’s band the Dukes, the musical and marital twosome make inspired albums of their own emotionally vivid, deeply humanistic songs.

Lola’s Fine Hot Sauces

Lynn Miller Sings The Kinks!

This week!! Bloody Mary Concerts- The Mastersons and Whitmore Sisters!

Tickets Here

Todays’ episode is fueled by La Crosse Distillery’s Organic Field Notes Vodka, whose corn-based vodka is just that, 100% Midwestern organic yellow dent corn. Besides the yeast and enzymes they use to break down the sugars in the corn, there’s nothing else used to make this spirit. It is double-distilled and filtered for an easy finish.

La Crosse Distillery’s Field Notes Organic Vodka

Bloody Mary Enthusiasts Unite! HELLO NEW LISTENERS!

From the Group: Jim Tauscher shares his Bloody Mary recipe- invites us too!

Monthly Give Away in the works…. Demitri’s Bloody Mary Seasonings

Lola’s Southern Jalapeno Bloody Mary Mix – Lola’s Fine Hot Sauces

What happens when you fuse Lola’s generational family original fine hot sauce with a delicious house made southern style bloody Mary mix? An incredible flavor explosion that elevates your bloody Mary to the next level with a unique recipe created from the finest ingredients.100% All Natural – Made From Scratch – Gluten Free – Infused with Lola’s Original Fine Hot SauceFrom the Company Website Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce

What’s on the Outside?

Short glass bottle with round shoulders – Tan label with Green banner at bottom- Red Cartoon Pepper

Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce Southern Jalapeno Bloody Mary Mix Review

Onto the Ingredients:

Nothin but good stuff here!

Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce Southern Jalapeno Bloody Mary Mix Ingredients

The Taste: 

On its own the mix is dark and intense. The first impression is a sweet and savory blending. Then a tartness emerges, along with some interesting spice- among them: Tamarind. This may be a nod to the CEO’s Pakistani heritage. (Father’s side) There are lots of flavors packed in here and we like them all. This isn’t a light recipe that you’d drink all day on the golf course. It’s more like a meal. Our chaser really helped us enjoy the experience.

The Chaser: Potosi Czec style

Adding Vodka:

Adding vodka didn’t have a significant impact of the flavor except to bring the sweetness out a bit.

Retail Cost: $9.99

Summary:

We loved it. We recommend it!

Entertainment: Lynn sings a song that has nothing to do with Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce! LOL

Find us on Social!

Trucker Speed- Bloody Mary Enthusiasts Unite!

We are STOKED to be partnering with the Facebook page: Bloody Mary Enthusiasts Unite! Join the group for lots of bloody Mary fun and a monthly giveaway!

This episode is fueled by La Crosse Distillery and their amazing Field Notes Organic Vodka. Get some!

Sucker Punch Bloody Mary Mix- a Review https://suckerpunchgourmet.com/collections/bloody-mary-mix

What a great episode! Lynn and I really enjoyed this savory mix. Comforting like a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich! Interesting company. Here’s a snippet from their website:

Sometimes you need your beverage to pack a bit of a punch. Introducing the heavyweight champion of Bloody Mary Mixes…SuckerPunch Gourmet Bloody Mary Mix! This award-winning, vegan, bloody mary mix is bold in all the right ways. At SuckerPunch Gourmet, we use 7 simple ingredients to create a truly distinguished Bloody Mary flavor that is as delicious as it is distinctive. Whether you are creating a work of art in a glass, or simply making a batch for brunch, SuckerPunch Bloody Mary mix is the perfect canvas for you to work with. This ready to serve Bloody Mary mix is sold in a 32oz bottle, perfect for entertaining, or a three-pack of 12oz bottles, which are great for those who make the occasional Sunday bench beverage. Take your Bloody Mary game to the next level and get ready to hit your tastebuds with some serious flavor.

Price point at $7.99 per 32oz bottle makes this mix a pretty solid value.

We started with the Original Recipe. Smooth and savory on its own- No vodka. Hints of garlic, tomato, and cucumber with a smooth finish. We add vodka and the cucumber steps to the front of the palate. Light and quite drinkable!

The Bold and Spicy mix is infused with ghost pepper. I was a little nervous. On its own the texture is no different than the Original but there’s a distinct pepper flavor- not too hot- more like a chili aftertaste. Tasty! We add vodka and Wow! It get’s hotter! The cucumber steps forward and a little sweetness emerges. Nice!

We both like this mix- again, Lynn prefers the milder Original Recipe and I prefer the Bold and Spicy.

Well, Lynn was hounding me to do a song for a few weeks and today she got her wish. In a late-night Codiene, Prednisone, and Jagermiester infused moment I recorded this cover of a Fred Eaglesmith song, Trucker Speed.

Share this. Join next week for a review of Lola’s Bloody Mary Mix. I promise Lynn will sing next time!!

Featuring Lynn Miller

Big thanks to the La Crosse Distillery whose corn-based vodka is just that, 100% Midwestern organic yellow dent corn. Besides the yeast and enzymes they use to break down the sugars in the corn, there’s nothing else used to make this spirit. It is double-distilled and filtered for an easy finish.

Last Episode/ Review: Eastern Shore with Mike Scott– Lovely Lax

This week Lynn Miller returns, full of p*ss and vinegar! We review a unique and delicious product: Stu’s Bloody Mary Concentrate. A liquid concentrate, Stu’s stands apart from most mixes. The original and the smoked jalapeño both offer the convenience of compact storage and the flexibility to mix to your own taste and heat tolerance.

The Company Story:

In culinary school, while other students were setting bananas foster a flambé, Stu (yup he’s a real dude) was in the basement with a magnifying glass and a flashlight, transforming fresh food into fermented oddities. He had developed a passion for preserving foods, and he played with wine, beer, and cheese, and anything else he could get his hands on.

But it was pickles that took his heart.

After graduating culinary school, Stu started working at Alinea, rated the 7th best restaurant in the World. It was there that he fully developed his pickling obsession, and his talent proved superior. It seemed he had a gift for transforming fresh, crunchy cucumbers into slightly sweet, fiery sour pickles. But one of his challenges with making pickles was what to do with all that extra brine.

Over one day, one of his friends was complaining about the blandness of his Bloody Mary, when inspiration hit. What if you take that amazing pickle brine and add it to a Bloody Mary?

Stu immediately got to work hand-crafting the perfect Bloody Mary. Using his homemade pickle brine as the foundation, Stu perfected his recipe and built the most complex and consistently satisfying Bloody Mary he had ever tasted.

What’s on the Outside?

The liquid concentrate comes in a 16oz brown plastic bottle that will make 16 drinks. Old time typerwriter fonts adorn a medicine bottle shaped container.

Stu’s Bloody Mary Concentrate Review

Onto the ingredients:

As you can see, this mix is pickle forward!

Be Nice to your Mom!

The Taste

We first tried the original. Mixed with tomato juice without vodka, The taste is briney with a light back spice. A good balance of flavors. Worcestershire also stands out. Adding vodka somehow brings about a sweetness without upsetting the balance of flavors.

The Smoked Jalapeño starts with that same pickle brine flavor, but also brings a smokey heat. Adding vodka really brings the mix to life, animating a spicy but balanced medley of flavors. I decided to kick it up and added more concentrate. Lynn, who is more spice averse, reached for the tomato juice. I love the smoked jalapeño and prefer it to the original. Lynn was the opposite.

Take a listen to the show. Lynn sets the barn on fire with today’s song. Holy Cow!

Last Episode/ Review: Mike Caucutt and I.Cheewawa Mix

Check out our new partner: La Crosse Distillery!

Eastern Shore- The Company Story:

From the website:

BORN OF THE CHESAPEAKE

Not your average Bloody Mary

As young men our founders learned to crab the shores of the Chesapeake. Rising early in the morning when the air was crisp with the brackish waters of the bay and a cool fog being burned off by the sun we would walk to our favorite spots, bushel baskets and nets in hand to reap the Bay’s bounty. 

When we arrived home our baskets overflowing, it was time for a homemade breakfast. For decades our families handed down recipes, for steaming crabs, crab cakes, soft shells and the Eastern Shore Bloody Mary. 

Now we are sharing our family’s secret recipe with you. We hope our mix fills you with the warmth of sunsets and sunrises over the water, the laughter of families sharing meals on the back deck and the spice of life that can only be found in the land of pleasant living. 

What’s on the Outside?

Eastern Shore Bloody Mary Review

A traditional bottle with an understated label adorned with a watermark image of a crab. The mix itself is dark in color with lots of visible celery seed.

Onto the ingredients:

The Taste:

The first taste- without vodka, comes across sweet and a bit smokey with Worcestershire and a tangy aftertaste. Rich, hearty and a bit thick.

Adding Vodka:

Adding vodka affects the texture more than the flavor. The thickness thins to a more drinkable level. The intense flavors stand up to the introduction of a fine vodka without losing anything. Instead, each flavor becomes more independent, especially the celery seed. It’s better this way but not way, way better.

Summary:

This is a mix with a cool bottle and a nice back story. It’s hearty, sweet, a bit thicker, and somewhat tart. Purists may take issue with some of the ingredients but the end product is tasty while shelf stable.

of Mr. Blink

Mike and I had a blast reviewing this unique bloody Mary mix and some spicy seasonings.

Last week Lynn and I reviewed the Bloody Buddy- an intense Worcestershire forward bottled mix. Lynn sang a little Buddy Holly. Check it out!

I.Cheewawa Bloody Mary Mix Review

Well, a powdered mix has built-in challenges and advantages. It can be tricky to get nice fresh flavor with dried ingredients. I.Cheewawa seems to pull it off though. It’s got a nice mix of smoked paprika, Mexican oregano, garlic powder and a nice medley of other spices. What I love about dry mixes is the versatility. It’s stable, lightweight, and we can adjust the strength as we see fit. Take it on the go and animate those flavors when you’re ready.

For the review I mixed up two batches in the morning; one with tomato juice, the other with Clamato. Having experimented with the mix all week, I knew that cutting the mix from the recommended 1 TBSP per 16oz of juice to one tsp hot my sweet spot. Did it that way. You can always add more later, but ya can’t take it out!

We first tried the tomato juice version- no vodka. Listen to hear the rest….

Mike Caucutt of Mr. Blink broke out a live song paying homage to the recently deceased Howard Hesseman. (aka Johnny Fever of WKRP)

Here’s what the company has to say about their seasonings;

Our Story began from a desire to have a product that was delicious to enjoy on just about everything.  Having looked far and wide for such product to no avail, we set out to create our perfect seasoning.  Using our different backgrounds and experiences in cooking, we achieved our perfect seasoning.  It was an absolute must that we have Zero Salt and with that established, we proceeded to formulate.  Habanero instead of cayenne for the spice, because the heat connoisseur within us, was important to please.  The aromatic blend of smoked paprika, along with garlic, onion and parsley blend together so beautifully, they were an absolute must.  Thus, how Latin and Cajun became one!As you will hear, we loved the mix and we loved the Hurricane Dust seasonings. None have salt. All have big fat flavor. Take a look at the ingredients:

I.Cheewawa Ingredients

Here’s a link to the company website: I.Cheewawa Bloody Mary Mix

All three seasonings retail between $8 and $9. A damned good value in our opinion.

Lynn Miller Sings Buddy Holly

The bloody Mary mix industry continues to evolve. From the old days of a small handful of macro-produced mixes to the current industry of countless craft mixes all vying for shelf space. In order to stand out, a company has to offer something unique, new, or different. Maybe it’s a vegan recipe. Maybe it’s a cheeky marketing strategy. Perhaps a unique label.

Enter the Bloody Buddy of Dripping Springs Texas. In addition to unique packaging and a very unique flavor, The Bloody Buddy Bloody Mary comes pre-mixed with a chili infused vodka. That’s right- just shake and pour. A couple mixes have recently offered this iteration of bottled mix but they are the exception.

Lynn and I review this mix and you may pick up that she’s less enthusiastic than I am about it. It’s pretty intense and if you don’t like black pepper, chili, and Worcestershire, you won’t like it.

Take a listen as Lynn and I break down the mix and Lynn breaks out with a Buddy Holly tune. (I may have over-served her before and during this episode.)

Lynn Miller Sings Buddy Holly

Read more about the company or buy Bloody Buddy Here