Salty Dog – A Beautiful Mess

If you love simple cocktails, you have to try the Salty Dog cocktail. Combine gin or vodka with grapefruit juice and serve in an ice filled glass with a salted rim. This classic cocktail is a variation of the Greyhound and the salt is the element that gives this recipe its own unique personality.

I saw a “cool girl” order this drink once, so it will forever be a cool drink to me. This is an excellent drink to serve at parties and makes a great pitcher cocktail as well.

Related: Tequila Sunrise, Screwdriver Drink, Paloma Cocktail, Rum Runner, Cuba Libre.

Ingredients

• Gin or Vodka – Choose a quality spirit. The flavor will come through with only two ingredients, so choose a great spirit.
• Grapefruit Juice – Freshly squeezed for the best flavor. 
• Coarse Salt – For a salted rim. I use this margarita salt.
• Grapefruit Wedge – As garnish.

My recipe shows a double old fashioned glass. A highball glass is also a great choice for serving. 

Instructions

Use water, lime juice or honey to wet the outer rim of your glass. Dip in coarse salt, creating a salt rim. Ensure that there is no salt on the inside of the rim. 

Fill the glass with ice. Pour in vodka, then grapefruit juice. Stir to mix. 

Garnish with a grapefruit slice.

How to Make a Pitcher

Turn this recipe into a pitcher drink by combining 6 cups grapefruit juice with 1 and 1/4 cups vodka or gin. If you want to add ice to your pitcher, do so just before serving. Be sure to encourage salted rim glasses when serving.

Tips for Making

• For added citrus, add some grapefruit zest to the salt before creating your salt-rimmed glass. 
• Omit the salted rim to make a Greyhound cocktail. 
• Other garnish ideas: a grapefruit twist, fresh herbs, maraschino cherries.

Variations

• Sparkling Salty Dog – Top off your drink with club soda for a fizzy finish.
• Rosemary Salty Dog – Use a bit of rosemary simple syrup and some rosemary salt for the rim.
• Types of Grapefruit – There are many variations of grapefruit available that create different flavors and drastically different flavors for your drink. I used red grapefruit here. Try pink grapefruit, white, pomelo or melogold.

Serving Suggestions

Recipes that pair well with a classic Salty Dog cocktail.