If you love a classic caesar cocktail, you need to try our Copycat Pickled Caesar Cocktail inspired by Beerhouse Public House – a satisfying, salty twist on a classic!

Pickled Caesar Cocktail Recipe

For those not in the loop, a Caesar Cocktail is similar to a Bloody Mary cocktail only it adds a splash of clamato juice for a briny, umami taste. It’s a vodka-based tomato cocktail that is equally perfect for brunch or late-night appetizers!

Recently, we were at Beertown Public House (a Southwestern Ontario chain of craft beer-focused restaurants) and I decided to treat myself to a drink. You’d think I’d go with the obvious choice and order a beer, but their caesars caught my eye – and you know I love a good caesar! They had three on offer – regular, spicy, and pickled. I probably would have gone for either the regular or the spicy, but the rockstar bartender made me a flight of all three to sample and I was shocked that the pickled caesar ended up being my favorite!

(Plus I love that play on words for a pickled caesar – it makes me think of a very intoxicated emperor.)

This cocktail is definitely not confined to the die-hard pickle eaters out there. (And I know they exist… they have whole festivals dedicated to pickles!) I probably have a pickle three or four times a year. I like them just fine, but they aren’t something I ever crave or seek out, but I found this cocktail absolutely delicious!

The addition of pickle juice to a classic caesar is a fun complement to the unique flavor profile of a caesar cocktail. The brininess of the clamato (which is a clam-tomato juice used in Italian cooking) works well with the brininess of the pickle juice – they bring different qualities to the cocktail without making it overly salty. (The clam juice has an umami-salty profile, while the pickles add a touch of sweetness with their brine, along with the dill flavor that works so well in this recipe.)

I often order my liquor from Drizly because they have a quick delivery time (sometimes within 40 minutes) and no expensive mark-ups. Purchasing from them supports local retailers, too. You can order the Vodka needed for this recipe from them.

Pickled Caesar Cocktail Ingredients

Dill Pickle Juice
Vodka
Clamato juice*
Lemon Juice
Worchestershire sauce
Hot sauce <– my all-time favorite hot sauce
Coarse salt and pepper
Celery stalks, cleaned and cut to glass size, optional garnish
Lemon slices, optional garnish
Mini gherkins, optional garnish
Cajun spice mix or celery salt <– grab our recipe for homemade cajun seasoning

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

*Tip: to make your own clamato juice, combine equal parts tomato juice and clam juice.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

Ice maker
Liquid measure
Hurricane glasses
Citrus juicer
Sharp kitchen knife

I really loved using my gorgeous Omishome Bartending Kit to make this recipe. The pretty bamboo holder contains all of the tools you need to make perfect cocktails, and those pretty gold tools add a touch of class to your home bar set-up.

How to Make a Pickled Caesar

To make your own clamato juice, combine equal parts tomato juice and clam juice. Set aside.

Place the cajun spice mix or celery salt in a shallow dish wide enough to fit the mouth of your glass in.

Wet the edge of your glasses with a bit of water and roll it in the cajun spice to create a spicy rim or celery salt for just a flavored rim.

Fill your glasses with ice and set aside.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, pickle juice, lemon juice, Worchestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Shake to combine.

Divide the cocktail mixture among the two glasses. Top with clamato juice.

Garnish as desired.

Serve immediately.

Beertown Public House Review

I would be remiss to share this Copycat Pickle Caesar cocktail without spending a couple minutes talking about the restaurant that inspired it!

Beertown Public House is a craft beer-focused restaurant with an inspired menu that elevates pub food to gastronome-worthy status. The vibe is hip yet family-friendly, with cool touches like beer taps installed right in your table (if you sit at a booth like we did) and brewery-inspired decor like barrels and exposed pipes that are playful nods to the restaurant’s roots.

We’ve eaten here a few times and the menu has changed quite a bit with each visit. The pork belly tacos I enjoyed on our first visit were nowhere to be found, but there were plenty of other delicious options in their place.

I invited my “sometimes” vegan brother to join us and we sampled some options from the gluten-free menu, the vegan menu, and the main menu.

We ordered both the regular fish tacos and the vegan faux tacos to compare, and I surprisingly liked the vegan tacos better – battered meatless chick’n, shredded cabbage, cilantro, pico de gallo, guacamole, chipotle aïoli, lime, scallions, and hot sauce. Everything was incredibly fresh and gorgeously plated, which makes it taste even better to me!

The kids ordered mac n’cheese and fish and chips, but I’ll give Ella some foodie props for asking to swap out the standard fries for their truffle parm fries. That girl loves her some stinky truffles!

Beertown is also known for their crazy root beer obsession. You can buy a pail of root beers all from different brands to see all the different ways root beer can be made – we ordered it the first time we visited and it was a fun thing to sample as we waited for the apps (although be prepared that the kids probably won’t like all of them).

We also sampled the Gluten-free Warm Artichoke and Spinach Pot which was totally addictive, and we shared the Sweet Board which offered the warm sticky toffee pudding topped with vanilla ice cream, a raspberry white chocolate cheesecake (which was the kids’ favourite), and a Beertown brownie. Sticky Toffee Pudding and Bread Pudding are my two favorite desserts, and this one did not disappoint! (The only disappointing thing was that I had to share it…)

Beertown has a few locations in Southwestern Ontario – Cambridge, Waterloo, London and Burlington – so definitely check it out if you find yourself near one! It’s a great option for a casual yet foodie supper, especially if you have mixed dietary needs in your group – no one has to compromise here!

Pin this fun Pickle Cocktail recipe:

Grab your free printable for our pickled caesar cocktail recipe:

Yield: 2 cocktails

Pickled Caesar Cocktail

Name: Pickled Caesar Cocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Cocktail recipe
Ingredients: 2-4 Tablespoons dill pickle juice; 4 oz vodka; 8 oz clamato juice*; 1 oz lemon juice; Dash Worchestershire sauce, to taste; Dash Hot sauce, to taste; Coarse salt and pepper, to taste; 2 celery stalks, cleaned and cut to glass size, optional garnish; Lemon slices, optional garnish; Mini gherkins, optional garnish; 1 teaspoon cajun spice mix or celery salt

Pickled Caesar Cocktail - a delicious Caesar Cocktail recipe with a pickle twist!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

2-4 Tablespoons dill pickle juice
4 oz vodka
8 oz clamato juice*
1 oz lemon juice
Dash Worchestershire sauce, to taste
Dash Hot sauce, to taste
Coarse salt and pepper, to taste
2 celery stalks, cleaned and cut to glass size, optional garnish
Lemon slices, optional garnish
Mini gherkins, optional garnish
1 teaspoon cajun spice mix or celery salt

Instructions

To make your own clamato juice, combine equal parts tomato juice and clam juice. Set aside.
Place the cajun spice mix or celery salt in a shallow dish wide enough to fit the mouth of your glass in.
Wet the edge of your glasses with a bit of water and roll it in the cajun spice to create a spicy rim or celery salt for just a flavored rim.
Fill your glasses with ice and set aside.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, pickle juice, lemon juice, Worchestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Shake to combine.
Divide the cocktail mixture among the two glasses. Top with clamato juice.
Garnish as desired.
Serve immediately.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 258Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2825mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 4gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g

Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.

This pickled caesar would be a delicious brunch cocktail or a fun conversation starter over apps.

For more of our delicious cocktail recipes, check out our Homemade Mai Tai and our Hot Buttered Rum Cocktail.

A pin for my American friends:

Pickled Caesar Cocktail