The Salty Dog is a refreshing citrus cocktail that pairs grapefruit juice, gin, and a salted rim. It’s perfect for brunch or happy hour!
Want a citrus cocktail with a salted rim that’s not a margarita? Enter, the Salty Dog! This cocktail’s got a unique name and a beautiful pale pink color. It’s tangy and refreshing, perfect as a brunch drink or for happy hour.
As cocktail experts, we find the Salty Dog is a true winner: it’s unique, simple, and it’s always fun to say the name (ha!). It’s got a light summery vibe, but it works in winter when citrus abounds. Really, it works anytime!
Ingredients in a Salty Dog
The Salty Dog cocktail is believed to originate in the 1920’s. It’s similar to a Greyhound cocktail, which is essentially the same ingredients, without the salty rim! Here are the ingredients you need to make a Salty Dog (for exact quantities see the recipe below):
- Gin
- Grapefruit juice
- Salt for the rim
- Simple syrup or maple syrup (optional)
- Lime wedge (optional)
So why is it served with salt?
Why the salt? According to some sources, during and after Prohibition, cocktails were often served with a sugar or salt rim to make up for the fact the liquor was sub-par. So, the crappy gin was covered up with a salty rim!
What’s the point of serving with salt today? Salt intensifies the sweet and sour flavors in the drink. It makes the sour seem brighter, which makes the overall drink experience more pleasurable.
How to make a Salty Dog: basic steps
After making the salt rim, the Salty Dog is shaken in a cocktail shaker until cold, then served over ice! Here’s what to do:
- Rim the glass with salt. It doesn’t just look cute! The salt enhances the overall flavor of the drink. How to make the perfect salt rim? See below.
- Shake in a cocktail shaker. Take that gin and grapefruit juice and shake it together in a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes. We like adding 1 dash simple syrup or maple syrup, which rounds out the flavor (otherwise it’s very tart).
- Strain into a glass and add ice. Strain the drink into the glass and add ice. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and you’re done!
Tips for the salt rim
For salt rims on cocktails, we like to use flaky sea salt. You can also use kosher salt if you have it, which has large grains. Avoid iodized salt: it is too concentrated of a flavor and can add a metallic taste! Here are a few tips to making a salt rim:
- Spread the salt on a plate in an even layer.
- Take a lime wedge and cut a notch in the middle: then slide it around the rim of the glass. This moistens the glass rim without having to use your fingers.
- To rim the glass, the salt should be on the outside rim the glass only, not the inside where it can fall into the drink. To do this, tilt the glass and gently turn so the outside edge goes into the salt. Shake off any loose salt into the sink.
Best gin for a Salty Dog
For this Salty Dog, you’ll want to use the high quality gin! The better the gin, the better the drink. Try to invest in a mid-price range gin: the drink will only taste as good as the gin you invest in! Also, be on the lookout for local gin, if you have distilleries in your area.
- Every bottle of gin tastes a little different and has different botanical flavors. Experiment to find your favorite!
- We like Malfy gin for a martini, so it’s our choice for a Gibson.
- Steer away from Tanqueray gin: in our personal opinion, it gives a strong floral quality to the martini. It’s better used in a gin and tonic or Negroni.
Sweetener is optional
Officially the Salty Dog cocktail does not include sugar. However, it’s so tart without it that bartenders often add a dash of simple syrup. Here are two ways to sweeten this drink:
- Maple syrup: To keep things naturally sweet, we like using pure maple syrup to sweeten our cocktails. Not only does it provide a gentle sweetness, it gives a nuanced undertone (it doesn’t taste like maple).
- Simple syrup: Or if you prefer, head to How to Make Simple Syrup to make it in 5 minutes! You’ll only need a dash in this recipe.
Salty Dog Cocktail
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Prep Time: 5 minutes -
Cook Time: 0 minutes
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Total Time: 5 minutes
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Yield: 1 drink
Print RecipeDescription
The Salty Dog is a refreshing citrus cocktail that pairs grapefruit juice, gin, and a salted rim. It’s perfect for brunch or happy hour!
Ingredients
- Flaky sea salt
- 3 tablespoons (1 ½ ounces) gin
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
- 1 teaspoon (1 dash) simple syrup or maple syrup
- Lime wedge
- For the garnish: Grapefruit wedge
Instructions
- Cut a notch in the lime wedge, then run the lime around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of flaky sea salt.
- Place the gin, grapefruit juice and syrup in a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes and shake until cold.
- Strain the drink into the glass with the salted rim. Fill the glass with ice and top with a squeeze of lime. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Category: Drinks
Method: Shaken
Cuisine: Cocktails
Related drinks
There are a few drinks that are similar to the Salty Dog, mainly because they use grapefruit juice as well:
- The Sea Breeze uses vodka, grapefruit juice, and cranberry
- The Greyhound cocktail also uses grapefruit juice and gin, just no salt rim.
- For a few more grapefruit cocktails, try the Paloma, Hemingway Daiquiri, or Brown Derby.
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