Always use compost.

Have you tried the spicy V-8? And someone said, but I haven't tried it, that Oceanspray makes a good bottled mixer.

have you tried Clamato?

I used to always make Bloody Marys with V8. I don't recall a recipe, just a few shakes of worcestershire sauce, a squeeze of lemon or lime and a dash of Crystal hot sauce, and maybe some fresh ground black pepper for each serving. Over ice of course.

Some people put horseradish in Bloody Marys - too chunky for me, tho.

Don't forget the celery seed and celery stalk.

I more often use Clamato, but that makes a Bloody Caesar instead of a Bloody Mary.

In either case, whether using Clamato or V-8, I add half a teaspoon of my own smoked chocolate Habanero sauce, which is very hot. I do not add anything else, although I might use a celery stalk.

You can use commercial Habanero sauce, and it works well also but has a less complex flavor than what I make and also has more sugar than I use.

I've been having trouble getting my chocolate Habanero chili seeds to sprout this year, and I'm beginning to think that they may be too old. I should have bought new ones instead of trying to use the seeds that I had saved.

You can also make a substitute using ground chile de arbol, which has a similarly complex flavor to the chocolate Habanero chili.

Would beet juice work for a Bloody Mary?

IMO, You don't have to add celery if you're using V8, since celery juice is already in there.

It isn't celery juice, but the celery seed and stalk that are a part of a Bloody Mary. Most recipes that do not use V-8 would not add celery juice.

I use v8, Wooster sauce and hot tabasco sauce for my BM mix ...

Bloody Mary's and/or Bloody Caesars are probably my favorite mixed drink!! If using V8, I prefer the spicy kind as well and add to it - a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of Worcestershire, freshly ground black pepper and a dollop of horseradish. If using the Clamato, I'll add some hot sauce. I like that kick :-)

In my world, garnishes are optional (although I do like them) but the vodka is not!!

If just for me....a short can of tomato juice, a big dash of worchestershire, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a generous pinch of chili powder....the kind that has both chilis and cumin.
If making for a crowd, I use half tomato and half Spicy V8 and skip the chili powder and add a couple of dashes of tobasco.
I don't use celery seed nor ground black pepper nor horseradish...I don't like things that sink to the bottom.

I actually thought you meant making a virgin/Bloody Mary from scratch. I make my own V8. From late summer/fall harvest. Before that and for house guests I like the Knudsen brand. During 2020 lockdown I started buying the baby tomato juices by the case of 24. I think we are about to finish our 5th case. Celery and carrot sticks, maybe a few olives with Worcestershire and horseradish in a juice glass for an afternoon snack was so welcome as we skipped prepared lunches. We did 'you are on your own' lunch meals. That has continued in wide mouth pint ball jars as a work snack. DH has a half dozen tiny cans in his office fridge.

We like spice. Not necessarily heat but what ginger and horseradish adds. I have lots of two inch horseradish bits in the freezer as it took over a section of my garden.

Virgin/bloody Mary seems to be personal choice. Need to experiment.

My juicer/blender. Breville. Blendtec. Cuisinart little pro plus.

My three favorite appliances that have prime real estate just under my main prep area.

We have always called the meals when you fend for yourself "yoyo" nights. You're on your own.

Whenever I say YOYO, DH has no idea what that means, 😂. ....so I just say 'snack day' ....'snack meal'. And "lots of various cheeses, meats, veg, pickles, salads, "....I still need to make a nibble platter. 🙄

I've never encountered celery seed in a Bloody Mary. Celery sticks, yes - but those just seem like a waste to me. Not crazy about little hard things in a drink either.

I do like olives on a skewer - and lemon.

I like Bloody Marys with or without alcohol and with a tall celery stick that has leaves, and a skewer with olives, lime and spicy steamed shrimp. We don't make them at home, so I don't know what the best mix is.

seagrass

Ttyler Florence uses celery seed in his Bloody Mary recipe. My father always made his own mix, I can remember it way back in the 50's, always with celery seed.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/pitcher-of-bloody-marys-recipe-1941361

Thanks for all the replies so far folks! Giving me things to think about.

I do sometimes use clamato, or even a splash of clam juice to my V-8 if I happen to have a bottle of clam juice open. I didn't know that version had it's own name.

I do often add some lemon or lime juice, dashes of Worcestershire and hot sauces... some celery salt and black pepper. Hadn't thought of adding brines to the mix- don't know why considering my love of olives and pickles.

Haven't tried horseradish or ginger yet, but love it so think I need to try it.

I make a smoked tomato juice that I like to add to sauces of various... thought maybe that might mix in well to a whole can of V-8? It's in 4 oz jars.

I have tried Old Bay, Cajun, and blackening seasonings. I've thought about steeping a batch with some dehydrated peach habaneros and aji limon peppers.

Then there's a Bloody Maria

Made with tequila bloody-maria

seagrass

Geesh, Seagrass, that looks like a whole meal... and I want one! YUM!!!

We use celery salt which adds a delicious touch.

And then there is the Bloody Bull. I’ve had them at Brennan’s and at Commander’s Palace.

This recipe is from Liquor dot com.

2 oz Vodka
2 oz Tomato juice
2 oz Prepared beef bouillon
1/2 oz Fresh lemon juice
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 pinch Kosher salt
1 pinch Coarsely ground black pepper
Garnish: Lemon wedge

Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and roll the shaker back and forth until everything is well-mixed.
Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice.
Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Or the Bullshot, also from Brennan’s

• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 3 ounces beef bouillon (or beef consommé; chilled)
• Dash lemon juice
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 dashes hot sauce (Tabasco)
• Optional: celery salt (optional)
• Ground pepper, to taste (fresh)
• Garnish: lemon wedge

Here in Canada, we dropped the Bloody and just order a ceasar

Louise, your comment led me to look it up. I did not know that was a Canadian creation:

https://greatcanadiancaesar.blogspot.com/p/history-of-caesar.html

V8, Vodka, a dash of hot sauce, a bit of white horseradish, a bit celery seed, some black pepper, a dash of worcestershire sauce, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt (optional) and a celery stalk.

Amounts differ based on your personal taste. But these ingredients make the absolute best Bloody Mary I think.

If you ordered a "Caesar" in California, you would probably get a salad, unless you were in a bar that did not serve food. Therefore, we keep the "Bloody" part of the name. I first had a Bloody Caesar in Vancouver in 1981 and was told that it was the national drink of Canada. I now always drink that instead of a Bloody Mary.