History & Heritage
“First appearing as a gin-and-grenadine cooler in 1930s cocktail books, the Sea Breeze was remade with vodka, cranberry, and grapefruit in the 1950s and surged in popularity during the 1970s cranberry marketing boom.”
Ingredients
Quality ingredients make all the difference. Each component plays a crucial role.
Method
Technique transforms ingredients into something extraordinary.
Fill a highball glass with ice
Add vodka
Pour in cranberry and grapefruit juices
Stir gently and garnish with a lime wedge
Glassware
Highball glass filled with ice
Garnish
Fresh lime wedge
Flavor Journey
Every great cocktail tells a story through its flavors. Here's the sensory experience you can expect.
Sweet
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Sour
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Bitter
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Strong
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Master's Tips
Professional insights to elevate your craft
Use fresh grapefruit juice for the best balance
Adjust cranberry to taste
Build over plenty of ice for a crisp finish
Variations & Riffs
Classic cocktails inspire countless variations. Here are some popular riffs on the Sea Breeze.
Bay Breeze
Pineapple juice replaces grapefruit for a tropical edge.
Changes
Cape Codder
Omits grapefruit, doubling the cranberry for a simpler vodka-cran highball.
Changes
Sea Breeze Cooler
Savoy-era gin, apricot brandy, lemon, and grenadine served tall with soda.
Changes
Pomegranate Sea Breeze
Uses pomegranate juice for a deeper hue and tang.
Changes
More to Explore
If you enjoyed this cocktail, these similar creations might capture your interest.
Pomegranate Sea Breeze
A contemporary evolution of the classic Sea Breeze, featuring pomegranate liqueur instead of cranberry juice for deeper, more complex sweet-tart flavors and a stunning ruby color.
Cape Codder
Vodka and cranberry juice built over ice for a tart, refreshing highball.
Greyhound
Two‑ingredient refresher—vodka and fresh grapefruit juice over ice, crisp and lightly bitter.