Greyhound

The Greyhound is a classic choice for anyone who wants a tasty and easy-to-make cocktail. This cocktail is made with just two ingredients: gin or vodka and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.

It’s a simple yet delicious drink that’s perfect for any occasion, whether you’re relaxing at home or entertaining guests. While the classic Greyhound recipe calls for gin or vodka, you can also experiment with other spirits to create your own unique version of the cocktail. 

History

If you’re a fan of grapefruit juice, you’re probably familiar with the Greyhound cocktail. This simple yet refreshing drink has been a popular choice for decades, and its history is quite interesting.

The earliest mention of a cocktail resembling the Greyhound as we know it is in Harry Craddock’s 1930 “The Savoy Cocktail Book,” where he presents a gin-based recipe called “a variation of the Grapefruit Cocktail.” Craddock’s drink featured gin, grapefruit juice, and ice — a combination so simple that it has truly stood the test of time.

However, a recipe for a similar cocktail with the name “Greyhound” appears in Harper’s Magazine in 1945 (volume 191, page 461) thus: “The cocktails were made of vodka, sugar, and canned grapefruit juice – a greyhound. This cocktail was served at Greyhound’s popular restaurant chain that was located at bus terminals, called ‘Post House’.” This suggests that the Greyhound cocktail was being served at Greyhound bus terminals as early as the 1940s.

During prohibition, grapefruit juice was often used to mask the taste of bootlegged alcohol. After prohibition, the Greyhound cocktail became a popular choice among cocktail enthusiasts. Once vodka appeared in the United States and started to gain traction circa 1950, the spirit increasingly began to replace gin in the cocktail. The Greyhound bus terminal’s ubiquitous restaurant chain, Post House, served their version with vodka.

How to Make It

Variations

The Greyhound cocktail is a refreshing and simple highball drink made with grapefruit juice and either gin or vodka. However, there are several variations of the Greyhound cocktail that you can try to add a different twist to this classic drink. Here are a few variations that you can experiment with:

Salty Dog

The Salty Dog is a variation of the Greyhound cocktail that adds a salty kick to the drink. To make a Salty Dog, simply rim the glass with salt before adding the grapefruit juice and vodka or gin. The salt adds a nice contrast to the sweet grapefruit juice and gives the drink a more complex flavor.

Italian Greyhound

The Italian Greyhound is a variation of the Greyhound cocktail that uses Campari instead of gin or vodka. The Campari adds a bitter and herbal flavor to the drink, and when combined with the sweet grapefruit juice, creates a well-balanced cocktail. To make an Italian Greyhound, simply replace the gin or vodka with Campari.

Sea Breeze

The Sea Breeze is a variation of the Greyhound cocktail that adds cranberry juice and orange juice to the mix. The cranberry juice adds a tart and fruity flavor to the drink, while the orange juice adds a sweet and citrusy note. To make a Sea Breeze, simply add cranberry juice and orange juice to the grapefruit juice and gin or vodka.

Screwdriver

The Screwdriver is a classic cocktail that is similar to the Greyhound cocktail, but uses orange juice instead of grapefruit juice. To make a Screwdriver, simply replace the grapefruit juice with orange juice.

Dalmatian

The Dalmatian is a variation of the Greyhound cocktail that adds black pepper syrup and rosemary to the mix. The black pepper syrup adds a spicy kick to the drink, while the rosemary adds an herbal note. To make a Dalmatian, simply add black pepper syrup and rosemary to the grapefruit juice and gin or vodka.

Paloma

The Paloma is a tequila-based cocktail that is similar to the Greyhound cocktail, but uses grapefruit soda instead of fresh grapefruit juice. The Paloma is a popular cocktail in Mexico and is often served in a pitcher with salt on the rim of the glass. To make a Paloma, simply replace the grapefruit juice with grapefruit soda and add tequila.