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    Home » Vodka Cocktails

    Sep 30, 2021 · Modified: Dec 14, 2021 by Kristin. This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Vodka and Grapefruit Juice aka Greyhound Cocktail

    Jump to Recipe

    Cocktails with fruit juice are some of the most delicious. Typically people like to stick to the sweeter fruits but the Vodka and Grapefruit Juice (aka Vodka Greyhound) is perfectly tart.

    vodka and grapefruit

    What is a Vodka and Grapefruit?

    A Vodka and Grapefruit cocktail is also known as a Vodka Greyhound. If that does not ring any familiar bells for you, let’s add a little more info. The Greyhound cocktail is made with gin and grapefruit juice. It actually gets it’s name, not from the dog breed, but from the bus stations at which the drink first became popular.

    The gin version of this drink was so popular, people started to experiment with other ingredients (like mint and club soda) and liquors (like whiskey and tequila). Gin typically has a fairly strong botanical flavor that works well with grapefruit juice. But some people wanted the grapefruit flavor to come out a little more so they started mixing it with Vodka.

    How to make this drink:

    The Vodka and Grapefruit is as easy to make as the name implies. Those are essentially the only two ingredients with the addition of a lemon or lime wedge. There are some variations that we will cover a little later that have more ingredients but they are still super easy to mix.

    vodka and grapefruit

    Equipment

    highball glass

    Jigger

    Ingredients

    2 oz Vodka

    4 oz Grapefruit Juice

    1 Lemon or Lime wedge garnish

    Step One

    Fill your highball glass with ice.

    Step Two

    Pour in 2 oz of vodka. The higher quality the smoother the drink.

    Step Three

    Top off the glass with about 4 oz of soda water

    Step Four

    Put a lime wedge on the glass to garnish and enjoy!

    Variations

    There are a few variations of the Greyhound Cocktail you should know about:

    Vodka Salty Dog Variation

    Just like the Vodka Greyhound is a variation of the gin based Greyhound, the Vodka Salty dog is a variation of a gin based Salty Dog. The only difference between a Greyhound, of either ilk, and a Salty Dog is the addition of a salted rim; hence the name.

    You can use any kind of salt you like. Margarita salt works great but some really like to use Pink Himalayan Salt for both the flavor and the color aesthetic. Use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of your glass to make the salt stick to the rim and then follow the directions as written above.

    Sweet Variation

    If the tart flavor of the grapefruit is a bit much you can add a little bit of simple syrup to the recipe to tone it down some. We would recommend starting with about ½ oz and add or subtract according to your personal taste.

    Bubbly Variation

    If you like to give your cocktails a little fizz, you can absolutely do that with this drink. Follow the recipe as written, but instead of 4 oz Grapefruit juice, only use 2 oz and then top with about 2 oz of club soda. If that tastes a little more watered down than you like, you can try a 3:1 ration using 3 oz of grapefruit juice and around 1 oz of soda.

    Mint Variation

    For the minty version you have even more options. The first is you just use some mint leaves as a garnish, maybe stirring them into your drink for a slight mint taste.

    The other option, which has a much stronger flavor is a little more difficult. You will need a muddler, cocktail shaker, and a Hawthorne strainer. Put your mint into the cocktail shaker with about ½ oz of grapefruit juice (add the other 3 ½ oz later). Use your muddler to smash the mint leaves until they are a mushy pulp in the bottom of your shaker.

    Now fill your cocktail shaker with ice and then add in the vodka and the rest of your grapefruit juice. Put the lid on the shaker and give it a few good shakes to mix everything up. Fill your highball glass with fresh, clean ice. Remove the shaker lid and replace it with a Hawthorne strainer. Pour the drink through the strainer and into your highball glass.

    vodka and grapefruit

    Recipe

    vodka and grapefruit

    Vodka and Grapefruit Juice aka Vodka Greyhound

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Mixing time (up to) 5 minutes mins
    Course Drinks

    Equipment

    • Vodka Greyhound
    • highball glass
    • jigger
    • cocktail shaker (for Mint Vodka Greyhound variation)
    • Hawthorne strainer (for Mint Vodka Greyhound variation)
    • highball glass (for Mint Vodka Greyhound variation)
    • Jigger (for Mint Vodka Greyhound variation)
    • muddler (for Mint Vodka Greyhound variation)
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    Ingredients
      

    Vodka Greyhound

    • 2 oz Vodka
    • 4 oz Grapefruit Juice
    • 1 Lemon or Lime wedge garnish

    Vodka Salty Dog Variation

    • 2 oz Vodka
    • 4 oz Grapefruit Juice
    • 1 lime wedge moisten glass rim for salt
    • Himalayan Pink Salt salted rim
    • 1 Lime wedge garnish garnish

    Sweet Vodka Greyhound

    • 2 oz Vodka
    • 4 oz Grapefruit Juice
    • ½ oz Simple syrup more or less to taste
    • 1 Lemon or Lime wedge garnish

    Fizzy Vodka Greyhound

    • 2 oz Vodka
    • 2 oz Grapefruit Juice
    • 2 oz Club soda
    • 1 Lemon or Lime wedge garnish

    Mint Vodka Greyhound

    • 5-15 Mint leaves muddled
    • 2 oz Vodka
    • 4 oz Grapefruit Juice
    • 1 Lemon or Lime wedge and/or mint sprig garnish garnish

    Instructions
     

    Vodka Greyhound

    • Fill your highball glass with ice.
    • Pour in 2 oz of vodka. The higher quality the smoother the drink.
    • Top off the glass with about 4 oz of grapefruit juice
    • Put a lime wedge on the glass to garnish and enjoy!

    Vodka Salty Dog Variation

    • Cut a slit in a lime wedge and run it around the rim of your glass.
    • Dip the mouth of the glass into ground Pink Himalayan Salt for a salted rim
    • Fill your highball glass with ice.
    • Pour in 2 oz of vodka. The higher quality the smoother the drink.
    • Top off the glass with about 4 oz of grapefruit juice
    • Put a lime wedge on the glass to garnish and enjoy!

    Sweet Vodka Greyhound

    • Fill your highball glass with ice.
    • Pour in 2 oz of vodka. The higher quality the smoother the drink.
    • Add in ½ oz simple syrup (more or less to your taste preference)
    • Top off the glass with about 4 oz of grapefruit juice
    • Put a lime wedge on the glass to garnish and enjoy!

    Fizzy Vodka Greyhound

    • Fill your highball glass with ice.
    • Pour in 2 oz of vodka. The higher quality the smoother the drink.
    • Add in 2 oz of grapefruit juice
    • Top off the glass with about 2 oz of club soda
    • Put a lime wedge on the glass to garnish and enjoy!

    Mint Vodka Greyhound

    • Put 5 to 15 mint leaves into a cocktail shaker with ½ oz grapefruit juice
    • Use a muddler to muddle the leaves into a juicy pulp
    • Fill the cocktail strainer with ice.
    • Pour in 2 oz of vodka. The higher quality the smoother the drink.
    • Pour in 4 oz of grapefruit juice
    • Put lid on shaker and shake a few times to mix
    • Remove shaker lid and replace with Hawthorne strainer
    • Fill your highball glass with ice
    • Pour your drink through the strainer into the glass
    • Put a lime wedge on the glass to garnish and enjoy!
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    Nutrition information provided is just an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pamela S. Allison says

      January 11, 2024 at 9:44 pm

      5 stars
      My house cocktail is Grey Goose vodka, grapefruit juice and fresh lime juice, with a rim moistened with a lime wedge and dipped in finely crushed pink Himalayan salt! I am 73 and I never knew it had a name, LOL!!!!

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote

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