LIGHT IT UP: Perfecting Your Non-Alcoholic Caesar
/Generously sponsored by TABASCO® Sauce. All opinions are our own.
Non-alcoholic cocktails need to have the same four things in them that regular cocktails incorporate - sweet, heat, fat (or weight) and salt. The absolute best non-alcoholic cocktail to try this with is a Caesar. A perfect Caesar doesn’t need to have vodka or gin in it to really blow your taste buds out of the water, especially when it comes to heat. Read on for my tips on how to build your own perfect custom Caesar with things you can find in your grocery store including your favourite flavours of TABASCO® Sauce.
Choosing Your Base
A non-alcoholic Caesar is not a Caesar without tomato and clam juice - well, actually, it’s a virgin Bloody Mary! The concept of adding clam juice to a Bloody Mary cocktail is a uniquely Canadian thing, just like those 10 extra yards on our football fields and milk bags. There are lots of options at your grocery store for a premixed tomato and clam juice (Walter’s, Clamato, etc.). The biggest tip is to stay away from the “spicy” blends, because then you can’t control the amount of heat you want in your Caesar. Using TABASCO® Sauce in your non-alcoholic Caesar is the best way to control the flavour and heat. So stick to the regular tomato-clam juice at the grocery store.
Pickle Brine is Key
Pickle brine is not for everyone, but believe it or not, the salty tang of the brine is what brings your Caesar to another level. Whether you add other savoury options or not, a small amount of pickle brine will add some zing and mouthfeel to your non-alcoholic Caesar.
Non-alcoholic vodka (optional)
Well, that’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? The go-to non-alcoholic vodka that is hands down better than anything else is the antiquated Arkay brand of zero proof vodka. The bottle is ugly and the branding is terrible but it’s the best one out there. Other brands trying to emulate vodka and doing an okay job at it is Strykk from the UK. It’s not as strong as Arkay, but it has some heat to it. The latest ‘vodka’ release is from Dhos, but it’s made with potatoes and tastes like toothpaste and potatoes.
How To Customize Your Non-Alcoholic Caesar
Sometimes non-alcoholic cocktails can be missing something that really lights it up. In a non-alcoholic Caesar, you can truly add that flavour and heat using TABASCO® Sauce. There are several different levels of heat and types of savoury in the TABASCO® Sauce lineup, so you can play around and find the perfect combination for your tastebuds. I personally love a few dashes of the classic, and a few dashes of TABASCO® Jalapeno Green Pepper Sauce. You can find TABASCO® Sauce at most retailers across Canada or conveniently all flavours are also available on Amazon.ca if you can’t find the one you’re looking for near you.
Garnishing your Non-Alcoholic Caesar
I personally don’t like my drinks to eat like a meal, so I usually keep the garnish light. Bacon, olives, pickles or pickled beans and of course, celery.
Ingredients
1.5 oz non-alcoholic vodka
1 oz pickle brine
1 tsp of worcestershire
TABASCO® Sauce to taste (**our magic combo is 3-4 dashes Red Pepper Sauce, 3-4 Green Jalapeno Sauce, 2 extra dashes of Habanero Pepper Sauce at the end*)
4-5 oz tomato & clam juice
Bacon, olive, pickled bean for garnish
Celery salt (for rim)
Lemon wedge
Sea salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Preparation
Run a lemon around the rim of a highball or standard juice glass, and then dip it into celery salt.
Add the pickle brine, worcestershire sauce, and your choice of TABASCO® Sauce, and stir it with a spoon or swizzle stick. Add ice, then pour in tomato and clam juice. If you want to add extra hot sauce, add a few dashes on top, then season with sea salt and pepper. Stir again if desired.
Add bacon, olive and pickled bean onto a skewer for garnish.
Pair this mouthwatering mix with friends and family and lots of cheesy, bready, crunchy appetizers in front of the big game. Cheers friends! (And go Eagles!)
Non Alcoholic Caesar with TABASCO® Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 oz pickle brine
- ¼ tsp of worcestershire
- 3-4 dashes TABASCO® Sauce
- 4-5 oz tomato & clam juice
- Bacon, olive, pickled bean for garnish
- Celery salt (for rim)
- Lemon wedge
- Sea salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Run a lemon around the rim of a highball or standard juice glass, and then dip it into celery salt.
- In this order, add the pickle brine, worcestershire sauce, tomato & clam juice, TABASCO® Sauce, and then season with sea salt and pepper. Stir with a swizzle stick or spoon.
- Add bacon, olive and pickled bean onto a skewer for garnish.
