Sunday, October 22, was the day all Bloody Mary enthusiasts gathered to taste a multitude of boozy-soaked tomatoes, spices and outlandish garnishes. The Bloody Mary Festival is a traveling event that showcases local Bloody Mary recipes from some of Denver’s most popular brunch spots, pickle and bloody mix entrepreneurs.
With over 10 years of Bloody Mary appreciation, this year’s competitors came down to a handful of awards, including “Best Traditional Bloody Mary,” “Best Original Bloody Mary,” “Best Garnish,” “Best Bloody Maria” (made with tequila rather than vodka), “Best Packaged Bloody Mary Product,” and a couple People’s Choice awards.
The Lobby won Best Garnish with its signature bacon jalapeño bloody topped with a whimsical combination of fried chicken, andouille sausage, pickled radish and a sweet doughnut. While the garnish was “beefed up” for this competition, you can still find the bacon and jalapeño bloody on its brunch menu.
Owner Christian Batizy and his team are proud to have won Best Garnish as well as runner-up for the judges’ and people’s choice— Best Traditional Bloody Mary. “We enjoy competing each year, and it’s great recognition for our excellent bar program,” Batizy said.
As for the Best Packaged Bloody Mary Product, GJ’s Bloody Mary One Shot took home the prize. This Kansas company prides itself on its Bloody Mary mix and now has the People’s Choice Award to show for it. While this bottle isn’t sold in Denver quite yet, it can be purchased online.
“We had an awesome time in Denver and received a lot of love! It was an amazing experience to see the amount of great feedback on our product! We can’t wait to see what the future brings,” said Jaime Wright and Scott Clabaugh, owners of GJ’s Bloody Mary One Shot.
Below are the 2023 Winners in Each Category –
Judge’s Awards
Bar/Restaurant Category:
Best Bloody Mary – Traditional
Winner: Highland Tavern
2nd Place: The Lobby
Best Bloody Mary – Original
Winner: Cholon
2nd Place: Broadway Roxy
Best Garnish
Winner: The Lobby
2nd Place: Cholon
Best Bloody Maria
Winner: Broadway Roxy
Packaged Products:
Best Bloody Mary
Winner: The Real Dill Co.
2nd Place: Chief’s Bloody Mary
People’s Choice Awards
Bar/Restaurant Category:
Best Bloody Mary
Winner: Highland Tavern
2nd Place: The Lobby
Packaged Products:
Best Bloody Mary
Winner: GJ’s Bloody Mary 1 Shot
2nd Place: Chief’s Bloody Mary