If You Love A Bloody Mary But Want To Avoid Vodka, Order A Bloody Maria

Eggs, bacon, and pancakes are all classic selections when dining out on a Sunday morning for brunch. But for many, the main attractions are the cocktails. And one of the most beloved brunch cocktails is the vibrantly red Bloody Mary. The combination of seasoned tomato juice and vodka has been a savory, delicious main-stay on brunch menus for decades.

But if you're looking to switch things up at brunch this weekend, you may want to try a variation called the Bloody Maria. Understandably, since the Bloody Mary was invented 90 years ago, there have been many spin-offs created. There are multiple tomato-based cocktails you should try that aren't Bloody Marys. The Bloody Maria stands apart from the rest. Using a liquor base of tequila instead of vodka, and the addition of hot sauce and horseradish, the drink adds complex flavors to an already zesty drink. The perfect solution for tequila lovers or people who don't drink vodka.

Tequila has complex flavor profiles and melds well with the other ingredients in a Bloody Maria: Tomato juice, citrus, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and horseradish. A great thing about the Bloody Maria is that you can get creative. Adjust the spice level to your preferences, and try garnishes like cucumber, lime, or pickled jalapeños.

Mezcal is another agave-based spirit that has been trending in recent years. Its smoky and complex flavor profiles work beautifully in place of tequila in a Bloody Maria, or to replace vodka in a Bloody Mary. This easy swap for mezcal instead of tequila in the Bloody Maria is a great place to start if you've never tried mezcal. The director of brand education for Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal, Eva Pelczer, told Forbes magazine in 2022, "Cocktails are a great bridge [to drinking mezcal] and we just need (someone) to walk over and open the door so we can introduce them to the wonderful world of mezcal." 

Like many famous drinks, the history of the Bloody Mary cocktail has more than one version. One widely accepted backstory is that it originated in the 1920s at Harry's New York Bar, a prominent establishment in Paris, France that writers like Ernest Hemingway would frequent. (Hemingway even had his take on the Bloody Mary.) There are a few working theories on how the cocktail got its name.

Since its inception, the drink has had many variations apart from the Bloody Maria. In 1935, the vodka was swapped out for gin, and the drink became known as the Red Snapper, as some found the moniker Bloody Mary too provocative. The famous Canadian cocktail the Bloody Caesar incorporates clam juice into the tomato juice mix, while the Bloody Bull adds savory beef bouillon. Whatever tastes you hunger for, there will surely be a version of the Bloody Mary for you.