Kimchi Bloody Mary

I’ve been waking up to drink Bloody Marys ever since my college friends and I would gather to make big pitchers of them on weekend mornings to pregame brunch or a football game. The saltiness feels restorative while the spicy kick jolts me awake long enough to ease back into a nice little buzz. As the years have gone by, I’ve been perfecting my recipe—tweaking it just so to get the right amount of savory umami tartness. The kimchi brine is the secret hero here; just a splash of it brightens the cocktail while deepening it with a little funky je ne sais quoi. Don’t believe me? Ask the Bloody Mary GOAT trophy I won at the Food Network office party!
Recipe information
Total Time
5 minutes
Yield
Makes 1
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, combine 2 oz. soju, 4 oz. tomato juice, ¼ oz. fresh lime juice, ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice, ¼ oz. soy sauce, ½ oz. kimchi brine, and a few dashes of fish sauce and shake to blend. (Alternatively, use two pint glasses to pour it back and forth to mix.)
Step 2
If desired, mix equal amounts kosher salt and gochugaru on a small plate. Moisten the rim of the glass with a lime wedge or water, then dip the rim in the gochugaru salt and twist to coat.
Step 3
Pour the drink into an ice-filled pint glass. Garnish with some kimchi skewered on a toothpick (if using).