Sea Breeze
A fresh, lightly bitter drink of vodka, cranberry and grapefruit: a sunset in a glass.
Ingredients
- Vodka45 ml
- Grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed40 ml
- Cranberry juice90 ml
- Lime, to garnish (optional)1 wedge
Method
- Fill a highball glass with plenty of ice cubes.
- Pour in the vodka.
- Add the grapefruit juice and cranberry juice.
- Stir briefly and gently with a bar spoon to mix and chill without too much dilution.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and serve straight away.
About this drink
The Sea Breeze took its modern shape in 1980s America, when cranberry juice became a popular cocktail ingredient, and it soon became a fixture of pool bars and summer parties. It builds on older vodka and cranberry drinks, but the acidity of grapefruit gives it a sharper, more grown-up edge. It is known as one of the most relaxed summer drinks precisely because it is so simple to mix and so easy to drink.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between a Sea Breeze and a Cosmopolitan?
No lime or orange liqueur: the Sea Breeze is a simpler, more direct mix of vodka, grapefruit juice and cranberry juice, with no shaker or syrup.
Can I adjust the ratio of the two juices in a Sea Breeze?
Try more grapefruit for a drier, more bitter drink, or more cranberry for a sweeter, redder one. The recipe's ratio is a good starting point, not a fixed rule.
