Greyhound Cocktail is a refreshing, tart drink that’s easy to make with vodka and grapefruit juice over ice. Try it for brunch or happy hour!
This beautiful Drink Recipe is the perfect simple blend to add to your drink menu. If you’re working on your cocktail recipe knowledge, this one is quick and simple. Along with this recipe, plus Moscow Mule, and Hot Toddy, you can build up your cocktail menu in no time.
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Sabrina’s Greyhound Cocktail Recipe
This refreshing drink is an ideal choice for a before-dinner drink or party drink because it takes practically no time. Even if you’re juggling making dinner or hosting duties, the prep time for this 2 part drink doesn’t feel overwhelming. Despite how easy it is, the fruity, pink drink still tastes and looks amazing!
The flavorful drink is made with a combination of grapefruit juice and vodka or gin, if you prefer. After blending this ingredient, just pour it over ice, garnish with a fresh grapefruit slice (or other citrus like lime), and have the perfect party drink ready to go! It honestly couldn’t be easier.
This citrusy grapefruit vodka cocktail is also wonderfully refreshing. Serve it at BBQs, cocktail parties, or enjoy it as a weekend cocktail in the summer by the pool. You’ll love the tangy grapefruit flavor in the ice-cold Classic Greyhound Cocktail recipe, especially on a hot day!
Ingredients
- Alcohol: For this Greyhound Cocktail, the recipe calls for vodka. However, before vodka became popular in the US, bartenders often used gin. Either spirit option goes well in this fresh grapefruit juice cocktail. So, if you prefer gin or just happen to have it, don’t worry about swapping it out for the vodka cocktail ingredients.
- Grapefruit Juice: For the best flavor in your Greyhound Cocktail, use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. You can easily get 3 ounces of grapefruit juice using a juicer or slicing the fruit in half and squeezing it by hand.
- Ice: If you have one of those freezers that makes fun craft ice, you could use those cubes in your Greyhounds. Regular ice from your ice maker will also work, or buy a bag of ice from the store. This drink tastes extra refreshing over plenty of ice.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Juicer: You’ll only need a juicer if you decide to juice grapefruits yourself. Otherwise, you’ll purchase grapefruit juice at the grocery store or liquor store.
- Tablespoon Measure: This recipe is broken down ingredients into tablespoon-size measures, however it is ultimately 2 parts juice, 1 part vodka. So you can make adjustments from there if you’re measuring for a smaller, or larger amount.
- Cocktail Glass: You can serve a Greyhound in a rocks glass, a highball glass, or a martini glass. However, there are no rules. Use whatever glass you prefer, or whatever you have on hand.
How to Make
Time needed: 2 minutes.
- Combine
As promised, this recipe is insanely easy! Just add fresh grapefruit juice and 1 ½ ounces vodka to a glass with ice. Then stir gently to combine.
- Finish
Slice a grapefruit horizontally into a round. Then cut a slit from the center to the edge. Place the cut part around the rim of the glass as a garnish and enjoy your classic Greyhound Cocktail.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vodka , (1 ½ ounces)
- 6 tablespoons grapefruit juice , freshly squeezed (3 ounces)
- 1/2 cup ice cubes
- 1 slice grapefruit , to garnish, (or use lime slices)
Instructions
- Add vodka, grapefruit juice, and ice to a highball glass and stir gently.
- Slice grapefruit wheel horizontally into a flat circle, cut a slit from the center to the edge, then place on the glass to garnish.
Nutrition
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Can I make Greyhound Cocktails ahead?
If you’d like to make these cocktails ahead so they’re ready to serve when guests arrive, you can increase the volume of the recipe in order to fill a carafe or pitcher. Don’t add ice yet, just let it chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Stir it well before serving to guests, and you can add ice to the larger container, or simply fill each glass with ice as needed and pour the Greyhound over to serve.
Nutritional Facts
What to Pair With Greyhound Cocktail
If you’re enjoying it in the summer, be sure to serve this fresh grapefruit juice cocktail with more perfect summer recipe options. The fruity cocktail is perfect with Grilled Pork Chops, Pulled Pork, or any other favorite cookout meals. You can sip on the sour cocktail during the cook time while you grill or to drink with dinner. Either way, it tastes amazing!
To serve Greyhounds when you’re not grilling, try pairing it with a salad with tangy flavors like Beet Salad or Winter Pear Salad. The tart Greyhound Cocktail would also go well with a savory Cheese Board or Charcuterie Board. Grapefruit juice is also great for breakfast so you could serve Greyhound Cocktails at brunch alongside Egg Bacon and Cheese Bagel Bake or Ham and Cheese Croissant Breakfast Casserole.
How to Store
- Serve: Serve this Classic Greyhound Cocktail while it’s still fresh before the ice cubes have a chance to melt and dilute the drink.
- Store: If you need to save this drink for later, strain the ice out of the mix. Then refrigerate the cocktail mix for up to 48 hours. Pour the mixed drink into glasses with ice cubes when you’re ready to serve them later.
Ideas to Garnish a Greyhound
Whether you’re serving this at a summer picnic, with a winter salad, or at brunch any time of year, you can change up how you serve it in few ways. Change the glass, decide to blend your Greyhound, or use these serving ideas.
- Sugar Rim: Add a sweet sugar rim to make this drink sweeter and a little more festive. This is especially helpful if you are squeezing your own grapefruit and it is a bit too sour. To start, put a few tablespoons of sugar onto a small dish, wider than the rim of your glass. Place a slice or wedge of grapefruit onto the rim of your glass, then ring the rim with the fruit and take it off. Now the juice will be all around your glass. Immediately dip the wet rim into the sugar on the dish. Spin or move it around if necessary to get sugar all around the rim. Now you’re ready to pour your cocktail.
- Garnishes: This Greyhound Cocktail was garnished with a simple grapefruit wheel. You could also cut a lime wedge or use other citrus fruits as a garnish. A twisted thin lime wheel (or lemon or orange) would look beautiful. Feel free to add other classic cocktail garnishes like a fresh rosemary sprig, fresh mint, strawberries, or maraschino cherries.
Frequent Questions
According to Master Class, this popular drink was first mentioned in The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. However, it wasn’t called a “greyhound” until 1945 in Harper’s Magazine. The name came as a result of how popular the grapefruit cocktail was to order at greyhound bus terminals.
How alcoholic this classic cocktail turns out just depends on how high proof of vodka you use. The grapefruit juice dilutes that content, but there are still 3 tablespoons of vodka in each glass.
Greyhound Cocktail Variations
- Sweetened Greyhound: If you prefer a slightly more sweet cocktail, you can add a dash of simple syrup to the cocktail blend to balance out the boozy and sour flavors.
- Red Hound: A red hound is a quick and simple twist on this Greyhound Cocktail recipe. To add a little bit of cranberry flavor and color, just mix a little bit of cranberry juice or simple cranberry syrup in with the grapefruit juice when you make this recipe.
- Ginger Greyhound: Another interesting flavor that you can add to this drink mix is ginger. Add a little bit of ginger ale and fresh lime juice to the original cocktail. I love how the ginger ale adds sweet flavor and a bit of fizz to the drink.
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