London, United Kingdom · 1930

Greyhound

A straightforward, tart highball that pairs vodka with fresh grapefruit juice.

tartgrapefruitcitrusvodkabitterrefreshinghighballsimpleunsweetened

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is sharp and tart from the grapefruit, with a clean, faintly bitter edge. The middle is just cold spirit and citrus blending together, and it finishes dry with a lingering pithy grapefruit bite.

Who will like it

For people who like tart, no-nonsense citrus drinks without any sweetness.

When to drink

This is a solid daytime drink, especially good for brunch or early afternoon when you want something bright and cold.

Ordering tip

Ask for it with gin if you want more botanical flavor, or request a salted rim to turn it into a Salty Dog.

Ice: CubedTemp: ColdCost: $2–$4Glass: HighballBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a sharp, tart drink that leans heavily on the acidic bite of fresh grapefruit. There is no sugar to round things out, so what you taste is clean spirit and bitter citrus. It goes down very easily because it is so cold and refreshing, but the sourness will catch up with you. It is about as simple as a cocktail gets—no hidden depths, just straightforward tartness.

Finish: The finish is dry and slightly bitter, leaving the taste of grapefruit pith on your tongue.

Primary tastes

sourfruity

Secondary

bitter

Aroma

fresh citruspithy grapefruit

Bitternessmoderate bitterness
The grapefruit brings a natural, pithy bitterness that sits in the background.
Sweetnesslow sweetness
There is no added sugar, so the only sweetness comes from the fruit itself, which is minimal.
Sournesshigh sourness
Fresh grapefruit juice makes this drink sharply tart and acidic.
Strengthmoderate strength
The vodka is noticeable but diluted by a large amount of juice and ice.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Cold, tart, and wet—this is a highly thirst-quenching drink.
Complexitylow complexity
It is a two-ingredient drink with a very straightforward, one-directional flavor.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Highball · equal parts on Vodka. Unflavored, neutral vodka is standard

Before you start

Squeeze your grapefruit juice right before making the drink so it tastes bright, and grab a tall glass.

Ingredients

VodkaBase Spirit45ml
Grapefruit juiceJuiceFreshly squeezed white or ruby grapefruit90ml
Grapefruit wedgeGarnish1 wedge

Garnish: Grapefruit wedge

Tools

Highball glass · Serving
To hold the drink and ice
At home: Any tall glass
Jigger · Measuring
To measure the vodka and juice
At home: Shot glass or measuring spoon
Bar spoon · Mixing
To mix the vodka and juice together
At home: Long spoon or stirrer

Steps

1
Fill a highball glass all the way to the top with ice cubes. The more ice you use, the slower it melts, keeping your drink colder longer.
!Using too little ice means the drink will warm up and water down too fast.
2
Pour 45ml of vodka directly over the ice. Let it settle down into the glass while you grab your juice.
3
Add 90ml of fresh grapefruit juice to the glass. You will see the pale yellow juice start to mix into the clear vodka on its own.
4
Take a bar spoon and stir the mixture for about 10 seconds until the vodka and juice are completely blended and the glass feels cold. Drop a grapefruit wedge into the drink or rest it on the rim.
~10s
!Stirring too little leaves the vodka and juice separated, so the first sip will be harsh alcohol.

Serve

Serve it right away while it is still very cold, with a straw if you like.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Vodka

VodkaGin
Match
Common availability
Vodka → Gin: Gin adds herbal and pine notes that complement the grapefruit.

Swap options for Grapefruit juice

Grapefruit juicePink Grapefruit juice
Match
Common availability
Grapefruit juice → Pink Grapefruit juice: Pink grapefruit is slightly sweeter and less harshly bitter.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Salty Dog

The Salty Dog has a salted rim that softens the bitterness of the grapefruit.

Match

They taste almost identical, but the salt on the Salty Dog rounds off the harsh edges of the grapefruit.

In common: Vodka and grapefruit juice base, Built highball, Tart and refreshing

Ingredients

Both share

Vodka, Grapefruit juice

Only in Salty Dog

Salt

The only difference is the salt rim on the Salty Dog, which tames the grapefruit's sharp bite.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Tart grapefruit flavor, Clean vodka base, Refreshing and cold

How Salty Dog differs

Less bitter, Slightly savory

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Screwdriver

The Screwdriver uses orange juice instead of grapefruit juice.

Match

The Screwdriver is sweeter and fruitier, while the Greyhound is sharper and more bitter.

In common: Vodka and citrus juice, Built highball, Simple two-ingredient build

Ingredients

Both share

Vodka

Only in Greyhound

Grapefruit juice

Only in Screwdriver

Orange juice

Swapping grapefruit for orange juice changes the drink from tart and bitter to sweet and fruity.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Clean spirit base, Citrus-forward, Juice-heavy

How Screwdriver differs

Sweeter, Less tart, No bitterness

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Paloma

The Paloma uses tequila and usually adds club soda and lime.

Match

The Paloma has an earthy depth from the tequila and a fizzy lift from the soda that the Greyhound lacks.

In common: Grapefruit-forward, Refreshing highball

Ingredients

Both share

Grapefruit juice

Only in Greyhound

Vodka

Only in Paloma

Tequila, Club soda, Lime juice

The Paloma swaps vodka for tequila and adds carbonation and lime, making it a more complex citrus drink.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Sharp grapefruit tartness, Refreshing profile

How Paloma differs

Earthy agave notes, Fizzy texture, More complex

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The Greyhound first appeared in Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, originally made with gin. It later became associated with vodka in the United States, and the simple built version replaced the original shaken recipe.

Creator: Harry Craddock
Era: 1930s
Confidence

The original Savoy recipe called for gin and shaking, but the modern standard is built with vodka.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Use fresh grapefruit juice—bottled tastes flat and overly bitter.
Rub the grapefruit wedge around the rim before dropping it in for extra aroma.
Gin makes a more flavorful version if vodka feels too plain.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't use bottled grapefruit juice; it ruins the drink.
Don't skip the ice; this drink needs to be very cold.