Gingery Grapefruit Salty Dogs

We could all use a drink today.

It’s Election Day. And I don’t know about you, but I am STRESSIN’ about the outcome of this one. I’ve never expressed my political views on this blog, and I’m not about to start now, but let’s just say that one of the candidates offends every fiber of my being. And the prospect of that person being the next world leader…well it makes this one of the scariest elections…ever.

So what to do (aside from VOTING)? Consume fun, fruity drinks that make us forget about all the real world stresses! And on a TUESDAY, no less!

Come, join me. We deserve it. These past few campaign months have made us all a little extra thirsty, am I right?

Today’s drink is another one of my twists on a salty dog cocktail. It’s one of my faves. The original is certainly perfectly delicious, especially if you love grapefruit as much as I do, but I have to say, adding a little ginger beer and a splash of maraschino cherry liqueur makes these feel a little extra special. And seasonal!

This version is still close to the classic salty dog; after all we’ve still got vodka, grapefruit juice, and salty rims. But the gingery punch from the ginger beer totally takes them over the top for me. In fact, I may add a teeeensy splash of ginger beer to all my salty dogs from here on out. Even in the heat of summer. Because ginger beer is delicious and refreshing all year round.

And the maraschino liqueur was like…made for me. I am a maraschino cherry freak. As in, I can eat an entire jar in one sitting. Yes, even the bleached and artificially flavored/colored ones. Those happen to be my favorite, actually. I know, I know. I’m probably going to die from a maraschino cherry overdose one day. But hey, there are worse ways to go, right?

When I discovered the liqueur, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It seriously tastes just like the juice in a jar of cherries. I want to pour it over everything. It adds an extra touch of sweetness to these salty dogs, which is nice for someone who may find grapefruit alone to be too tart. The liqueur balances everything out here nicely.

Another great thing about this drink? It comes together SO easily! You just throw everything in a shaker and go to town. No simple syrup is needed. No fancy bitters. Just everyday ingredients go into this one.

OK, so maybe the maraschino liqueur is not such an everyday ingredient, but one bottle goes a long way. It’s a worthwhile addition to your liquor cabinet.

Also, this type of drink is easily made for a crowd. I do, however, suggest that you buy a bottle of good quality, 100% (no sugar added) grapefruit juice if you plan on making this in a pitcher for a larger group. The hardest part of that scenario is salting all the rims, but even that pales in comparison to how deliciously refreshed everyone will be once you serve these up.

Easy peasy. Just what we need today (and possibly tomorrow, depending on the election results. Eeek).

Gingery Grapefruit Salty Dogs

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• Yield: makes 2 cocktails, easily multiplied 1x

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Ingredients

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• Salt, for rimming glasses
• ½ cup vodka
• ¾ cup fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 (12-oz) bottle of ginger beer
• 2 oz maraschino liqueur
• Grapefruit slices, for garnish
• Cherries, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Pour the salt onto a small plate. Run a slice of grapefruit around the rims of two highball glasses. Gently dip the rims into the salt to coat.
2. Fill the glasses with ice.
3. In a tall glass or shaker filled with ice, mix together the vodka, grapefruit juice, and liqueur to combine.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the two glasses and top each off with the ginger beer.
5. Garnish each glass with slices of grapefruit and cherries. Serve immediately.