Greyhound Drink - Grapefruit Gin or Vodka co*cktail Recipe (2024)

How to make a classic grapefruit greyhound drink, plus variations, in co*cktail or mocktail form. This post is for 21+ only.

Our grapefruit trees are suddenly ready to be picked. Ripe grapefruits are tumbling off the tree daily, while baby grapefruits are growing for next year. I wanted to do something easy and fun with them, and, being the weekend, the Greyhound drink came to mind first! You’ll also love this simple Grapefruit Soda which is a great non-alcoholic drink or can be made into a Paloma.

While I don’t recommend drinking alcohol often, I do love a good co*cktail, like Homemade Margarita Mix, Watermelon Frozen Rose or an Italian Aperol Spritz, on summer special occasions. The thing is, I really don’t like sugary drinks. I remember my mom occasionally making or ordering greyhounds and them being not sweet at all. So, this weekend I set out to make the best greyhound drink – in classic co*cktail and mocktail/virgin form. I’ll share both recipes and some fun variations below! And if you’re looking for health beverages, go for the mocktail version, or detoxifying Infused Lemon Water, or ACV Drinks.

What is a Greyhound co*cktail?

According to Wikipedia, bartender Harry Craddock’s 1930 co*cktail cookbook includes a recipe made with only grapefruit juice, gin, and ice, which he says is a spin on a grapefruit co*cktail. In 1945 Harper’s magazine published a similar recipe, with the addition of sugar, and called it a Greyhound. This greyhound drink was served at Post House restaurants inside Greyhound bus terminals. In short, a greyhound is a classic co*cktail made with grapefruit juice, gin, and ice. I’ll share some variations below.

How to Make A Greyhound Drink

Step 1: Juice Grapefruits

You can of course find grapefruit juice in most grocery stores. If you’d like to use store bought grapefruit juice, look for the freshly squeezed variety with the fresh juices. Otherwise, gather some grapefruits. You’ll need 2-3 grapefruits for a couple of greyhounds. Use can use any type of grapefruit, though ruby red is my personal favorite.

To juice your grapefruits, you can use a citrus reamer, electric juicer, or citrus press like I use.

I wanted pink grapefruit greyhounds, so I also juiced 1 small blood orange with the yellow grapefruits I had growing the backyard. You’ll notice the juice here is not as pink as the final greyhound drinks.

Step 2: Add Gin

Use a shot glass or other ounce-sized measuring cup to measure 1-2 oz. I like a 2:1 ratio of grapefruit juice to gin, but you may like 1:1.

Step 3: Add Ice

A greyhound should be served very cold with plenty of ice. You can shake the drink with the ice in a co*cktail shaker to get it really nice and cold, or make it straight in the glass.

Ste 4: Garnish

Give the greyhound drinks a little stir and taste. If it’s too bitter for your taste, add a couple drops of liquid stevia (I like Trader Joe’s) or a drizzle of agave and stir in. Garnish with a slice of fresh grapefruit and/or a sprig of rosemary. I also used a slice of blood orange for garnish.

Greyhound Drink Variations

• Virgin Mocktail: Sup sparkling water for gin.
• Vodka Greyhound: Sub vodka for gin
• Italian Greyhound: Sub vodka and Campari for gin
• Rosemary: Add a splash of rosemary simple syrup
• Basil: Muddle a few fresh basil leaves or add to a co*cktail shaker.
• Lavender: Add a splash of lavender syrup and garnish with a fresh lavender flower.
• Jalapeno: I love a spicy co*cktail! Muddle 2 slices of jalapeno into the greyhound drinks.