The Greyhound Cocktail
The greyhound is one of those cocktails that proves simple can be stunning. It’s just gin (or vodka) and fresh grapefruit juice, served over ice, and when the grapefruit is good, it really doesn’t need anything else.
About the greyhound cocktail
If you’ve had a salty dog, you’ve basically had a greyhound with a salt rim. Take away the salt and you’ve got this drink. It’s the pared-back version that’s clean and refreshing, where the grapefruit is the star.
The greyhound is traditionally made with either gin or vodka, and I love both. Gin is the original spirit here, and it’s my preference for this drink. The botanicals add a lovely complexity that pairs beautifully with grapefruit (if you’re into that combination, try my grapefruit gimlet). Vodka gives you a smoother, cleaner cocktail where the grapefruit flavor really comes through, so it’s a great swap if you’re not a gin drinker. Either way, it’s a great warm-weather drink and, honestly, one of the easiest cocktails to make at home.
The key to a great greyhound is using freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. Bottled juice just doesn’t have the same brightness and tends to taste a bit flat. I love using ruby red grapefruit because it’s naturally sweeter and has a gorgeous pink color, but white or pink grapefruit works too. They’ll just be a little more tart, which some people prefer.
Key ingredients and why
- London Dry Gin: Gin is the original spirit in a greyhound and it’s my go-to for this drink. Use a good London Dry where the juniper comes through. You don’t need anything expensive, just something with clean, balanced flavor.
- Fresh grapefruit juice: This is 90% of the flavor, so fresh is really important here. Ruby red grapefruit is my favorite for this because it’s sweeter and gives the cocktail a beautiful pink hue.
Method
- Fill a glass with ice.
- Top with gin, fresh grapefruit juice and simple syrup if using.
- Give it a gentle stir. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit, and for a pop of green, a sprig of rosemary.
I use 4 to 5 oz of grapefruit juice, but adjust to your taste. Less juice gives you a boozier, more spirit-forward drink and more juice makes it lighter and more refreshing.
Tips
You might also like
If you love this greyhound, try some of these cocktails next:
- Grapefruit gimlet – gin, grapefruit and tangy cordial
- Vodka gimlet – with a homemade lime cordial
- Ginger beer paloma – tequila and grapefruit with bubbly ginger beer
- Lemon drop cocktail – another citrus and vodka favorite
- The Moscow Mule – can’t go wrong with this vodka and ginger beer pairing!
Greyhound Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz gin
- 4 oz grapefruit juice freshly squeezed
- Ice
Instructions
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Pour in the gin.
- Top with fresh grapefruit juice.
- Stir to combine.
- Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a sprig of rosemary.
Notes
- Both US customary and metric measurements are provided.
- Use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice for the best flavor. Bottled juice tastes flat in comparison.
- Ruby red grapefruit is sweeter and gives the cocktail a beautiful pink color. White or pink grapefruit will work but will be more tart. Add a dash of simple syrup if needed.
- Gin is the original spirit in a greyhound and my preference, but you can swap it for vodka for a cleaner, more grapefruit-forward drink.
- For a salty dog, rim the glass with salt before adding the ice.
- A flavored simple syrup like rosemary or thyme makes a lovely addition if you want a little extra depth.
