I Judged Austin's Bloody Mary Festival — Twice. Here's What It's Really Like

Table of Content

What Is The Bloody Mary Festival?

Being a Bloody Mary Festival Judge

The Classic vs. Creative Bloody Mary Problem

And Then There Are the Garnishes...

Some Bloody Marys Stay With You

So Who Won in 2026?

Meeting the Other Judges Might Be My Favorite Part

But The Bloody Mary Festival Is Really Just...Fun

Would I Judge The Bloody Mary Festival Again?

There are worse ways to spend a Saturday morning than drinking Bloody Marys.

There are also easier jobs than being asked to decide which Bloody Mary is the best when Austin's chefs and mixologists have apparently decided that a garnish can include an entire meal.

In 2026, I returned to The Bloody Mary Festival Austin for my second year as a judge. And somehow, the drinks got even more creative.

I’ve eaten my way through the Austin Food + Wine Festival, sampled some of the best barbecue in Texas at Texas Monthly BBQ Fest in Lockhart, sipped my way through Seltzerland, and for the last two years, I’ve had a slightly different job at one of Austin’s most fun cocktail events: judging the Bloody Mary Festival.

If you love brunch, cocktails, slightly ridiculous garnishes—or just watching some of your favorite Austin restaurants get VERY serious about tomato juice—this is one of the most fun food and drink festivals I've attended in Austin.

And yes, judging it is exactly as fun as it sounds.

What Is The Bloody Mary Festival?

The Bloody Mary Festival is essentially a celebration(and competition), dedicated to one of the world's most debated brunch cocktails.

Local restaurants, bars and bottled-mix makers come together with their versions of the Bloody Mary, while attendees taste their way around the festival and vote for the People's Choice Award.

A panel of judges evaluates the competition separately.

The 2026 Austin festival was held at Fair Market on East 5th Street, which I think is such a good venue for this event.

It's open and casual, and the entire place has this wonderful weekend-brunch energy. People are walking around with Bloody Marys, comparing drinks, eating, chatting and going back to find that one cocktail they really liked.

It doesn't feel like a serious cocktail competition from the outside.

As a judge, however...

Things get serious.

Being a Bloody Mary Festival Judge

This was my second year judging the Austin festival, and honestly, one of my favorite parts is seeing familiar Austin restaurants show up to compete. There's something really heartening about walking in and seeing a restaurant you already know and love behind one of those tables.

But there's also a problem.

You can't play favorites.

And once the judging begins, you're suddenly thinking about things you'd probably never analyze this deeply over your Sunday brunch.

Is the tomato overpowering everything?

Can I taste the spices?

Is there enough acidity?

Does the heat build nicely—or simply attack you?

And then comes the question I struggle with every year: Traditional or Original?

The Classic vs. Creative Bloody Mary Problem

I am always torn between the two. Making a really good traditional Bloody Mary is harder than it looks. There are certain flavors you expect, so there's nowhere to hide. When everyone is working within roughly the same framework, tiny details start becoming important.

But then you get to the Original recipes.

And suddenly all rules disappear.

This is where I absolutely love seeing how chefs and mixologists interpret what a Bloody Mary can be.

Green tomatoes.

Different spices.

Unexpected savory ingredients.

One green Bloody Mary used green tomato and celery to completely rethink both the flavor and appearance of the drink.

And that's when judging becomes difficult.

Because you're no longer asking:

"Is this a good Bloody Mary?"

You're asking:

"Does this still feel like a Bloody Mary—and does it work?"

That is a MUCH more interesting question.

And Then There Are the Garnishes...

I need to discuss the garnish situation separately. Because apparently, at The Bloody Mary Festival, celery is merely a suggestion.

Last year, I remember seeing fried chicken used as a garnish.

This year?

Tumble 22 came back with fried chicken again.

Cisco's essentially put a biscuit-and-bacon sandwich on top of a Bloody Mary. At some point you're no longer sure whether you're judging a cocktail or brunch with a straw.

And I LOVE IT.

The over-the-top garnish is part of the fun of this festival. Contemporary coverage from the previous year noted everything from fried chicken to airplane-shaped pickles among the creations, so clearly Austin has collectively decided that a Bloody Mary garnish should have absolutely no reasonable upper limit.

Some Bloody Marys Stay With You

One of the things I appreciate most about judging is hearing the thought process behind the drinks.

A beautiful garnish will obviously get your attention. But tell me why you made something a certain way and you've got me listening. Industry has always stood out to me for this.

Their team explained the process behind their tomato base and how the spices were incorporated, and those details matter. When you're tasting this many variations of essentially the same cocktail, technique becomes noticeable. Industry actually took the Best Traditional Bloody Mary judges' award in 2025.

And then there was this year's competition.

Let's just say brisket entered the chat.

One of the Bloody Marys arrived with actual brisket alongside it, and honestly...This is Texas. Of course somebody eventually put brisket with a Bloody Mary.

So Who Won in 2026?

The judges crowned Tumble 22 the winner for Best Traditional Bloody Mary, with Cisco's taking second place.

For Best Original, Phoebe's Diner won, followed by Industry.

And Tumble 22's commitment to putting fried chicken on a cocktail paid off: they also won Best Garnish, with The Tradition at Hyatt Centric Austin taking second.

Fat E's Spicy Mator Mix won the bottled-mix category, while Desmadrito took the Michelada award.

And interestingly, the People's Choice went a little differently, with Cisco's Restaurant Bakery & Bar taking the top restaurant/bar spot.

Which is one of the things I love about having both judges and attendees vote. What impresses someone evaluating a cocktail technically isn't necessarily the same drink that makes someone in the crowd say:

"I NEED ANOTHER ONE OF THESE."

And both opinions matter.

Meeting the Other Judges Might Be My Favorite Part

There is another part of judging that has nothing to do with tomato juice. The people.

Both years, I've had the opportunity to meet fellow judges who have been working in and shaping the food, beverage and hospitality industry.

And I love that.

You taste together. You compare notes. Someone notices something you completely missed. Someone has a totally different interpretation of the same drink.

As someone who works professionally with cocktails and beverage programs, those conversations are genuinely one of my favorite parts of the experience.

Because judging isn't simply about deciding who gets a trophy.

You're learning while you're doing it.

But The Bloody Mary Festival Is Really Just...Fun

This might actually be the most important part.

You absolutely do not need to be a cocktail professional to enjoy this festival. The vibe is what makes it.

People are drinking.

People are eating.

Everyone is discussing their favorites.

Restaurants are proudly explaining what they've made.

And somewhere in the room, someone is inevitably walking around carrying a Bloody Mary with half of brunch balanced on top of it.

The Austin festival also benefits Girls Empowerment Network, so there's a local nonprofit component behind all of this tomato-fueled chaos too.

Would I Judge The Bloody Mary Festival Again?

Do you really have to ask?

Absolutely.

Two years of judging has actually made me appreciate the Bloody Mary more—not because I've discovered one definitive version of the cocktail, but because I've realized there probably isn't one. Give ten Austin bartenders tomato, spice and vodka and somehow you'll get ten completely different drinks.

Some will stay classic.

Some will turn green.

Some will come topped with fried chicken.

And apparently some will arrive with brisket.

As a mixologist, that's the part I love most: watching people take something everyone thinks they know and show you another way to make it. And if doing that requires me to spend another Saturday tasting Bloody Marys in the name of judging...

I suppose I can make that sacrifice.

I served as a judge at The Bloody Mary Festival Austin in 2025 and 2026. This post reflects my personal experience. Festival participants, judging panels, sponsors and programming can change each year.