In case beer has become humdrum, this beer and tomato juice recipe is a perfect switch to liven things up. It’s also a fitting accessory for International Beer & Pizza Day (October 9th) and National American Beer Day (October 27).
What Is Beer and Tomato Juice Called?
This cocktail is often called “red beer”, the Midwest’s cult-favorite morning beverage. Like the name indicates, this red drink is a mix of tomato juice and a bottle of your favorite beer.
There are many theories as to why this strange drink became a thing. Some say it’s a hangover killer, others claim this is nothing more than a marketing tool for some beer companies.
All we know is, people in Nebraska love it more than any other place and we don’t see why not. It’s absolutely delicious.
Is Beer and Tomato Juice Healthy?
Alcohol has been listed in the food-you-should-limit section of any diet ever since its creation. Many people still chug down a bottle or two… or more every Friday night though, so we’ll say this cocktail is a healthier option.
So what makes our recipe sort of “healthier”? It’s simple— not using a lot of beer.
The USDA does not encourage drinking, but they do recommend not exceeding certain amounts if you do drink. We went through the guidelines for you and recreated this kind-of-healthy beer and tomato juice recipe.
This recipe contains a healthy amount of vitamin C, thanks to the tomato juice. It is an immune-boosting antioxidant with a powerful range of benefits.
For more tomato juice recipes to make your diet more diverse, check out our other recipe using tomato juice and our homemade tomato juice recipes.
Calories of Our Red Beer
Compared to other cocktails, this beer and tomato juice only yields 60 calories per serving. More than half of the calories come from natural juices and added sugar (yes, the rest is from beer).
Afraid to put on pounds? Try to make drinking an occasional thing. Remember, 16 fl oz (one pint glass of straight beer) already gives 200 calories, what a chicken thigh provides.
Ingredients for Tomato Juice and Beer
1. Tomato Juice
As health enthusiasts, we encourage you to get fruit juices from a juicer instead of bottles or cartons. With many brands claiming their products are organic and all-natural, it’s difficult to tell which is certified and look over what else is added.
To get the juice, simply add quartered tomatoes to a juicer and collect what comes out. It only takes 3 minutes, yet you know for sure it’s 100% pure and natural.
We want our tomato juice clear, so we ran it through a cheesecloth to leave the white-ish sediment behind. It takes only another 2 minutes, but the result is a rewarding clear glass of cocktail.
2. Beer
Any beer would work for red beers, as long as it’s your favorite.
The beer we used for this beer and tomato juice recipe is 5% alcohol. If yours is 7.5% or higher, you might want to use a bit less than what’s called for.
3. Seasonings
Our beer and tomato juice recipe also includes:
Worcestershire sauce, which is a must-have. It adds a little tanginess and the savory fifth flavor, crucial for a red beer.
Then of course, hot sauce. Spicy cocktails have been a thing for centuries, and they come in an array of flavors.
Next in line are lime juice and sugar, to add a sharper tanginess backed by a sweet undertone.
Last comes celery juice, for flavor and additional vitamins. Now this is optional because you may like a hint of celery aroma or may not; skip it if you want.
You could alternatively turn this into a boozy cocktail; see our version of a simple bloody mary or this rum alcohol drink with tomato juice.
How to Make Tomato Juice and Beer
Juice the tomato and celery if you haven’t already. Then:
Step 1: Strain the juice
Place a large piece of cheesecloth onto a sieve over a bowl. Pour the juice into the cheesecloth and collect the clear juice (wring the cloth a little to speed this up).
Step 2: Season it
Add sugar to the bowl and stir until dissolved. Stir in other ingredients (except the beer).
Step 3: Add ice and juice into glasses
Top serving glasses halfway with ice and pour in the juice. Make sure to divide the portions evenly among the glasses.
Step 4: Top with beer
Get your beer and pour a healthy amount into each glass. Plunge stirring spoons in and get ready to enjoy.
Can You Freeze Beer Tomato Juice?
As far as we’re concerned, no one wants a reheated cocktail, so it’s a no. But just between us, there is a trick to recreate this beverage in less than 10 minutes.
As soon as you make the juice, divide it into one cup portions and freeze the juice in Ziploc bags.
To make any cocktail, defrost the juice for 5 minutes in the microwave (with the bag removed first). Meanwhile, measure and add other ingredients to a glass so when the juice is ready, you can just mix, add ice, and serve.
Within a month, you can make any tomato cocktail you want, whenever you feel like it.
If you would like to see more tomato juice options, see our collection of healthy tomato juice recipes.
How Long Does Beer and Tomato Juice Last in the Fridge?
Cocktails are not to be waited on because they can go flat in just 1 hour. This is the best timeframe to enjoy them, before they lose their characteristics.
But if you have the juices ready and something suddenly comes up, you can’t enjoy it right away, can you?
When this happens, refrigerate the juice mixture (covered with cling wrap) and put the beer bottle cap back on. Doing so allows you to keep the cocktail for up to 24 hours, enough time to get your business resolved, we hope.
All that’s left to do is sit back and enjoy!
Beer and Tomato Juice Recipe
This beer and tomato juice recipe can be your new favorite cocktail formula. Who knew these two could be so great in the same drink?
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 10 mins
- COURSE Beverage
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 60 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 6 fl oztomato juice ((from 7-8 oz tomatoes))
- 1 fl ozcelery juice (from 2-3 oz celery)
- 1 tsptabasco
- 1 tspWorcestershire sauce
- 2 tbspsugar
- 0.5 tsplime juice
- 2 cupsice
- 8 fl ozbeer
INSTRUCTIONS
Juice the tomato and celery if you haven’t already. Place a large piece of cheesecloth onto a sieve over a bowl. Pour the juice into the cheesecloth and collect the clear juice (wring the cloth a little to speed this up).
Add sugar to the bowl and stir until dissolved. Stir in other ingredients (except the beer).
Top serving glasses halfway with ice and pour in the juice. Make sure to divide the portions evenly among the glasses.
Get your beer and pour a healthy amount into each glass. Plunge stirring spoons in and get ready to enjoy.
NUTRITION
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer