Sea Breeze

A refreshing Vodka cocktail with Cranberry Juice and Grapefruit Juice. Very easy to make and sure to please everyone, the Sea Breeze is a classic with versions dating back to the early 1900's, although the recipe has changed somewhat in time. However, the drink is designed to balance the various elements of alcohol, sweet, and sour; it's a tried and true formula that works every time.

The Sea Breeze is close to be the perfect summer cocktail thanks to the refreshing and tart elements of the Cranberry and Grapefruit Juices. However, it's not too much.

Make sure to have enough juice ready, because the Sea Breeze is fun to share with friends. Make up a few to share and enjoy.

Total Time 3

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

50 mL Vodka
100 mL Cranberry Juice
50 mL Grapefruit Juice
Garnish with a slice of lime

Instructions

Build this cocktail in a tall glass with ice. Add all the ingredients (except garnish) and stir.
Garnish and drink.

Notes

The history of this cocktail is interesting because the recipe has changed so much over time. Early recipes called for Gin and Grenadine, even Apricot Brandy and Lemon Juice! It wasn't until the 1950's that Cranberry Juice became more prominent in a Sea Breeze, mostly due marketing from Ocean Spray.

Start with the more modern recipe that's listed here, but if you want to experiment, there's a few more ingredients that you can fall back on to try different versions of this drink. Tastes change over time so the modern version may suit you better; you never know though, you may have more old fashioned tastes and you may love the older versions!

However you have it, enjoy!

More About the Sea Breeze… If You Care to Read It

Although it’s quite a simple a simple recipe, the Sea Breeze is actually quite nice and refreshing! Grapefruit Juice can be quite tart, as can Cranberry Juice. However, Cranberry Juice does have some sweetness to it that makes this cocktail extremely easy to drink!

Is it OK to make more than one Sea Breeze by making this cocktail in a mixing glass?

That would work. While the Sea Breeze is usually made in the glass, making it in a mixing glass or even a jug would work in order to make a few of these at once. Depending on how you want to serve the cocktail, you may want to add ice to your mixing glass or jug, or just add ice to the glasses you’re serving it in.

Can I prepare this cocktail early to serve later?

That shouldn’t be a problem. Get all your ingredients in a mixing glass or jug and keep it in the refrigerator. Just don’t add ice until you’re ready to serve and, when you do, give everything a bit of a stir.

When is a good time to have a Sea Breeze?

We see the Sea Breeze as a great afternoon or brunch cocktail. It’s not really something for a meal or a cocktail party, it’s either there to relax with (in the afternoon!), or something a little bit naughty (like drinking at brunch!). Maybe it’s a Sunday style cocktail… With a name like Sea Breeze as well, we’d like to think that one of these would go down well on a boat or by the water. We’re not thinking beach “by the water,” more like a nice brunch place that’s near a dock or a pier in a seaside town. That’s when you order a Sea Breeze.

Is the Sea Breeze strong?

It’s about medium in strength actually. With 50 mL of Vodka, you’re looking at a similar amount of alcohol in total to, say, a Martini. However, as the Cranberry Juice and Grapefruit Juice dilute the drink, the alcohol by volume of the entire drink is lower than a lot of cocktails. Unlike a lot of fruity and sweet cocktails, it’s easy to drink a Sea Breeze slowly, lowering the likelihood that you’ll drink this too quickly. So enjoy!

Is there a type of music that pairs well with a Sea Breeze?

We’ll stay on the sea and say Sea Shanties! It may sound a little odd, especially if you’re taking our suggestion and ordering on of these at a brunch place… After all, what brunch place plays Sea Shanties as background music? But there’s Sea Shanties and then there’s Sea Shanties. Maybe some mellow sailing music. It still has a driving rhythm, but it’s not over the top. Maybe that would suit this fictional brunch place by the water?

Otherwise, just pick a type of music you like. You may enjoy sipping a Sea Breeze in your back yard, sitting in the sun with friends. And if you’re doing that, you have command of the stereo. You do you!