Canadian Craft Caesar Mix: The Complete Guide
This week was National Caesar Day in Canada — the Thursday before the Victoria Day long weekend, when the country collectively decides it’s finally warm enough to stand outside and drink the world’s best brunch cocktail. If you want the full origin story, I’m writing a deep dive over at Barchivist — but the short version: Walter Chell invented the Caesar in Calgary in 1969 at the Calgary Inn, drawing inspiration from spaghetti alle vongole, and it’s been Canada’s national cocktail ever since.
THE CRAFT MIXES
Walter Craft Caesar Mix is the one most people discover first, and for good reason. Walter was the first Caesar mix in Canada to earn Ocean Wise certification, which means the clam juice comes from sustainable North Atlantic fisheries. The ingredient list is clean — tomato paste, organic cane sugar, clam juice, sea salt, organic tamari, horseradish — and the flavour is rounder and less aggressively spiced than Clamato. Available at Calgary Co-op, Sunterra, Metro, Sobeys, and well.ca.
Singer’s Caesar Mix is a small-batch Ontario operation that’s been quietly making one of the best mixes in the country since 2017. Glass bottles, no preservatives, no artificial anything, lower sodium than most competitors. They make four varieties — Mildly Spiced, Spicy, Smokin’, and Vegan — and the vegan version uses date puree instead of sugar, making it one of the most interesting flavour profiles on this list. Mostly available in Ontario and online, but worth seeking out.
Wildly Canadian brings a proudly Canadian sourcing story to their Caesar mixes. Three options — Mildly Spiced, Spicy, and Vegan — with national distribution through Whole Foods and other fine food retailers. A solid everyday choice if you want something at the grocery store that isn’t the red can.
Spade & Spoon “The Mighty Caesar” is the one for the vegan Caesar crowd, and it earns its place on this list on flavour alone. Made with tomatoes grown on their Ontario farm each summer, with fermented pickle brine, vegan Worcestershire, and — here’s the interesting part — wakame seaweed standing in for the clam. Gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, and genuinely delicious. Also available through Maker House Co.
Lake Life Caesar Co. is a Saskatchewan collaboration sold through Last Mountain Distillery’s shop in Lumsden, SK. It’s designed to pair specifically with their Dill Pickle Vodka — the recipe calls for one ounce of each, topped with Clamato — making it less of a full replacement and more of a flavour concentrate. Great local-hero story, especially if you’re already grabbing a bottle of Last Mountain’s vodka (more on that below).
Fever-Tree Classic Caesar Mix is the UK brand’s entry into Canadian Caesar territory, and it holds up well. Naturally sourced, non-GMO, no artificial sweeteners or colours, about $9 for 750ml. Available at well.ca, Amazon.ca, and specialty stores like The Gourmet Warehouse. It’s become a reliable find at better grocery stores and bottle shops.
MORE CANADIAN CAESAR MIXES
- Matt & Steve’s Original Lightly Spiced Caesar Mix — from the people who make the Extreme Bean garnish. Gluten-free, no artificial colours, designed to pair with their signature spiced bean brine.
- Walker’s One Shot Caesar Elixir — Ontario-made concentrate; add to your own tomato juice base for more control over thickness and heat level.
- Zing Zang Caesar — American brand, but their RTD Caesar launched specifically for Alberta in a 1.75L format. Currently at Wine and Beyond. Not craft, but worth knowing if you’re hosting a crowd.
CAESAR KITS & GIFT SETS
If you’re shopping for a Caesar lover or want everything pulled together in one box:
- Copper Rose Distillery — The Ultimate Caesar Kit (Windsor, ON) — includes Copper Rose Vodka, Walter’s Craft Caesar Mix, and Haloheats Spicy Red Pepper Sauce. Local delivery only.
- 180 Drinks — Caesar Cocktail Kit (Ontario) — curated Caesar kit with delivery across Ontario.
FLAVOURED VODKAS TO UPGRADE YOUR CAESAR
Swapping the base spirit is one of the easiest ways to make a Caesar feel like something new — and Canadian craft distilleries have been quietly building a library of vodkas made exactly for this purpose.
Dill Pickle
- Eau Claire Distillery Dill Pickle Caesar (Turner Valley, AB) — the standalone dill pickle vodka bottle has mostly been phased out, but it lives on in a better form: their ready-to-drink Dill Pickle Caesar canned cocktail, Canada’s first. Available in 4-packs and 6-packs at most major Alberta liquor retailers — use the Liquor Connect product search with your postal code to find the nearest stockist, or order directly from the Eau Claire Distillery store.
- Last Mountain Distillery Dill Pickle Vodka (Lumsden, SK) — infused with fresh cucumbers, garlic, and locally grown dill. Pairs perfectly with their own Lake Life Caesar Mix for a full Saskatchewan build.
- Lucky Bastard Distillers Dill Pickle Vodka (Saskatoon, SK) — distilled seven times and infused with real dill pickles and brine from Elman’s, an award-winning pickle maker. Two-time People’s Choice Award winner. The name is fun, the vodka is serious.
- Roots and Wings Distillery Dill Pickled Vodka (BC) — infused with local garlic and dill, designed specifically with the Caesar in mind.
Heat
- Dixon’s Flaming Caesar Vodka (Guelph, ON) — infused with garlic, horseradish, dill, celery seed, scotch bonnets, and red chili peppers. Two-time winner of Best Flavoured Vodka at the World Vodka Awards. It’s basically a Caesar mix and a vodka in one bottle — add Clamato and you’re done.
- Tofino Distillery Jalapeño Vodka (Tofino, BC) — small batch, infused with real jalapeños. Adds clean green heat without the vinegar-forward profile you get from hot sauce. Available at BC private liquor stores.
MAKE YOUR OWN MIX
All of the above is easier when you know what you’re actually building. Clamato is tomato juice, clam juice, and seasoning. Here’s the scratch version:
DIY Caesar Mix (makes enough for 4 drinks)
- 2 cups good tomato juice
- ½ cup clam juice (bottled, or drained from a can of clams)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp prepared horseradish
- ¼ tsp celery salt
- Pinch of smoked paprika
- Hot sauce to taste
Stir, refrigerate for 30 minutes, use within a week. From there: 1.5 oz of whichever vodka caught your eye above, 4 oz of mix, a rim of celery salt, and whatever garnish you can justify. A splash of pickle brine takes it somewhere you won’t want to come back from.
Happy National Caesar Day — a day late, a long weekend early. Calgary invented it. The rest of Canada perfected it.