Greyhound
Vodka or gin with grapefruit juice over ice. A 1930s drink that was named for a bus station and is only as good as the grapefruit.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Fill a highball glass with ice.
Add the vodka or gin.
Top with fresh grapefruit juice and stir once.
Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
A thoughtful finish
- Fresh juice. The whole drink is grapefruit, and carton juice is sweet, flat and the reason most Greyhounds are dull.
- Pink or ruby grapefruit makes a sweeter, prettier drink; white grapefruit a sharper, more bitter one that gin in particular likes.
- A pinch of salt in the glass, short of a full Salty Dog rim, lifts the fruit.
Common mistakes
- Sweetened juice from a carton.
- Too little ice; the drink wants to stay cold and bright.
- Adding syrup. If it needs sugar, the grapefruit was wrong.
A few good questions.
Vodka or gin?
Gin was the 1930 original and makes a more interesting drink; vodka is the postwar standard and lets the grapefruit alone. Both are correct.
What is the difference between a Greyhound and a Salty Dog?
A salt rim. The Salty Dog is a Greyhound with salt on the glass.
Why 'Greyhound'?
It was a signature of the Post House restaurants in Greyhound bus terminals in the 1940s.
Can I add soda?
A splash makes it longer and lighter — effectively a grapefruit highball — and is a good summer version.
Variations
- Salty Dog — The same drink with a salt rim.
- Paloma — Tequila and grapefruit soda.
- Sea Breeze — Vodka, cranberry and grapefruit.
- Brown Derby — Bourbon, grapefruit and honey.
Where it comes from
1930; named 1945 · London and the United States · Harry Craddock (gin version) · Savoy Hotel
Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book has a Grapefruit Cocktail of gin and grapefruit juice, which is the drink in all but name. The name arrived in 1945, when Harper’s Magazine described it being served at the Post House restaurants in Greyhound bus terminals, and vodka took over from gin as vodka took over from everything in postwar America. Add a salt rim and it is a Salty Dog. It is one of the simplest cocktails there is and one of the easiest to make badly.
Sources
- Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930 (book)
- Harper's Magazine, 1945 (article)
- David Wondrich, Imbibe!, 2015 (book)
Strength. About 1.33 US standard drinks at an estimated 11.6% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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