Red Draw Making Name For Itself Outside Wichita Falls

Whether it was invented at the Bar-L or the P2, the Red Draw, the simple mix of beer and tomato juice, is making positive headlines for Wichita Falls far outside the city limits.

According to a Southern Living article the combination of beer and tomato juice is fairly common around the country, but not by the name it's known by here. They refer to an article by Texas Monthly writer David Courtney.

The Texas Monthly piece does some digging into the origins of this local drink and still doesn't really come to any conclusions. Some say it showed up first at the Bar-L Drive Inn in the '50s, others say it first appeared at the Rock Inn on Old Iowa Park Highway. Others give it a much later start claiming that it was invented by hung over German pilots stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in the '60s. Then there's P-2, the Deuce. P-2 actually claims ownership of the drink with their slogan "Home of the Red Draw." Since P-2 is also one of the oldest drinking establishments in Wichita Falls with a opening date of 1948 they may well be right. Then again, a story in The Hub of North Texas claims the drink originated at the Bar-L and they've got the Museum of North Texas History backing them up.

One thing is for sure, though. You can order a Red Draw in Wichita Falls and most bars will know what you're talking about. The same is true for other cities nearby. Graham's Rockin' S Bar & Grill, Doc's Bar & Grill in Muenster, and the Vernon Parts Sports Bar in Vernon all serve up Red Draws. When you go to The Feedlot Restaurant and Red Dirt Saloon in Burkburnett, though, it's called 'Red Dirt Beer." Who do they think they're fooling?

Once you get more than an hour or two away from Wichita Falls you'll probably have to explain what you're asking for.  Dallas and Fort Worth? Maybe. Houston, Austin, or Lubbock? Not likely. The combination of tomato juice and beer is known in other parts of the state and around the country by various names such as red beers, red eyes, frosty reds, even spicy micheladas.

According to P2, the correct way to make a Red Draw is to start with 12 ounces of ice cold Budweiser and add 4 ounces of Campbell's Tomato Juice. Of course it's best served in a frosty mug.

I just think it's great for Wichita Falls to be getting some good publicity from both Southern Living and Texas Monthly. That's cause for celebration and you know what they say, it's five o'clock somewhere.