Salty Dog Cocktail

The Salty Dog Cocktail is a refreshing, citrusy drink made with grapefruit juice, vodka or gin, and a signature salted rim. This classic cocktail delivers the perfect balance of tart, slightly bitter, and savory flavors, making it a crisp and refreshing choice for warm weather or happy hour.

Love a refreshing cocktail then try our Vodka Slush, this is a sweet cocktail that you would think has no alcohol or Campari Spritz which is more bitter sweet, both are refreshing.

I love fun cocktails for any time of the year but winter citrus really seems to wake up the senses. I also love presenting company with new and different cocktails. So today I bring you a Salty Dog Cocktail. I saw this in my travels and thought, yum what a great idea with a gorgeous salty rim and the tart, sweet grapefruit. 

Ruby red grapefruit is my favorite as for the majority of the time they are sweeter than other varieties and nothing can beat that stunning color!!

Use a nice coarse Kosher or sea salt for the rim. You want the “salty” to come into play on this cocktail. It adds so much more flavor and fun! If you remove the salty rim what do you have? A Greyhound!! Which is another classic. 

Why I Love This Recipe

• Love the salty sweet nature of this drink
• Super easy to make
• Pretty to serve
• Thirst quenching
• Adaptable into a pitcher drink so great for make aheads

This cocktail only has three ingredients so it is very doable for anyone to create. I have seen it using fresh grapefruit juice but I think the majority of us are going to buy the grapefruit cocktail which can be slightly sweeter and so much easier!

If you love gin then that was what the original drink was made of but over the years vodka has been subbed in. Don’t want all that ice watering down your libation? Then make this into a martini. Shake in a cocktail shaker with the ice and then pour into a martini glass. You can also reduce the amount of grapefruit to vodka/gin ratio and make this stronger. For me, it was just perfect for a quenching alcoholic beverage any time of the year! 

Ingredients

• 2 oz vodka
• 4 oz grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed for best flavor)
• Salt (for rimming the glass)
• 1 cup of ice
• Fresh rosemary sprigs and extra grapefruit wedges to decorate the glass

How to Make a Salty Dog Cocktail

Use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice: It makes a huge difference in flavor—brighter, more vibrant, and less bitter than bottled juice.

Grapefruits can vary in sweetness. If yours is extra tart, a dash of simple syrup or a squeeze of orange juice can mellow the flavor.

A rosemary sprig gently bruised (rolled between your fingers) will release aromatic oils and elevate the drink.

Replace vodka with gin if desired for a more herbal flavor.

Recipe Pro Tips

Use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice: It makes a huge difference in flavor—brighter, more vibrant, and less bitter than bottled juice.

Grapefruits can vary in sweetness. If yours is extra tart, a dash of simple syrup or a squeeze of orange juice can mellow the flavor.

A rosemary sprig gently bruised (rolled between your fingers) will release aromatic oils and elevate the drink.

Replace vodka with gin if desired for a more herbal flavor.

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!

Salty Dog Cocktail

Tara Noland

Perfect for brunch, summer gatherings, or casual entertaining, the Salty Dog cocktail is a timeless drink that’s both refreshing and sophisticated.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 1 serving

Ingredients

 

• 2 oz vodka or gin
• 4 oz grapefruit juice freshly squeezed for best flavor
• Salt for rimming the glass
• 1 cup of ice
• Fresh rosemary sprigs and extra grapefruit wedges to decorate the glass

Instructions

 

• Rub the rim of a highball glass with a grapefruit wedge, then dip it into salt to coat the rim.
• Fill the glass with ice.
• Pour the vodka and grapefruit juice into the glass.
• Stir gently to combine.
• Garnish with a grapefruit slice or wedge and rosemary leaves.

Notes

See the post for more information, photos or tips. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1

Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!