24 Bottled Bloody Mary Mixes Bartenders Love
While bars making their own syrups, bitters, tonics, etc. has become de rigeur in so many establishments, there's still one drink for which many bartenders use a pre-made mix... the Bloody Mary.
Why buy it bottled when it's really one of the easiest drinks to make? Chalk it up to consistency; that results in guest satisfaction as well as a cost savings on labor and ingredients. Seriously, why pay someone to come in a few hours early to prep the myriad ingredients needed for the Bloody Mary mix when the bartender on duty can just shake and open a well-chosen, pre-made mix, doctor it to house specs (and/or guest request,) roll it and present a fresh and tasty Bloody Mary every single time?
Of course there are as many styles of Bloody Mary mixes out there as there are opinions, coming to market with varying levels of heat, sweetness and tangines, and all with their own take on the "perfect" texture. For example, the Employee's Only brand was created by the bar's award winning bartending team to stand up to vodka.
Plenty of states have regionally inspired ones like those featuring Old Bay spices - a Mid-Atlantic delicacy - while the inclusion of bbq sauce and sourghum play a big role in a couple of south of the Mason Dixon line varieties. Some, like Ubon's and Huntsman developed from the Southern traditions of hospitality before a barbecue competition and the fox hunt (respectively), while others hail from as far away as New Mexico and Texas.
One, Zing Zang, seems to be so universally loved and reliable that New Orleans bartender Nicholas Jarrett claims, "It's solid enough that NO ONE in NOLA does a house mix. No one."
When not mixing up Bloody Marys in NOLA, here's what your friends are reaching for:
Huntsman Premium
Recommended by Allison Evanow, creator Square One Organic Spirits, "Huntsman Premium Bloody Mary mix is made in Virginia by friends who have been making it in the heart of Deep Run Hunt Country for years. So many friends wanted the recipe, they decided to turn it into a business. Not a Bloody Mary fan, but I LOVE this one!"
Biz Buzz: Goochland couple puts bloody mary mix on the market
While bars making their own syrups, bitters, tonics, etc. has become de rigeur in so many establishments, there's still one drink for which many bartenders use a pre-made mix... the Bloody Mary.
By RANDY HALLMAN Richmond Times-Dispatch
If you like the occasional bloody mary, Lewis and Sue Nash have a mix they’d like you to try.
The Nashes, of Goochland County, have taken their mix - based on a venerable family recipe - and are marketing it to the world at large as Huntsman Premium Bloody Mary Mix.
They found an award-winning Virginia Beach outfit - Ashburn Sauce Co., which has prior experience with bloody mary mixes - to brew and bottle Huntsman.
The first batch of 100 gallons - that's about 60 cases - was brewed in November, and the Nashes are ready to distribute a second batch.
So far, Huntsman is available in a few stores and restaurants in Goochland, Ashland and other parts of Hanover County, and in Virginia Beach.
Or you can email the Lewises at nashproductsllc@gmail.com for details about ordering directly from the source.
Lewis Nash said he is in conversation with Colonial Williamsburg to get the mix in stores there, and he's taking steps to have Huntsman included in the state's "Virginia's Finest" program and get it in state ABC stores.
"I plan to talk to owners of some shops in Virginia horse country," Nash said. "I think they'll be glad to carry it."
Nash said his vision is to have the product in stores nationwide eventually. He said he hopes to interest such grocery chains as Food Lion and Kroger.
However, he explained, "You can't just go to Kroger and say, 'I've got a bloody mary mix, and I want you to put it on your shelves.' You've got to have a track record."
In keeping with the family theme, the label on the 25-ounce bottles features a portrait of Nash's son-in-law in fox-hunt gear on horseback.
"We had been looking for the right label," Nash said, "and when I saw that portrait hanging on the wall in my daughter’s house, I said, 'That's it!'"
Nash, who also has a business removing in-ground fuel tanks in compliance with government regulations, said he is ready to turn that company over to his son, Reid Nash. "If Huntsman is successful enough," he said, "I'm ready to make that my full-time job."
