Sea Breeze
Vodka, cranberry, and fresh grapefruit — the 1970s Ocean Spray reboot of a 1920s gin drink, the 1988 Absolut co-marketing campaign making it a coastal bar standard.
- 1½ ozvodka
- 4 ozcranberry juice
- 1 ozfresh grapefruit juice(freshly squeezed)
- orange zest and cherrygarnish
- 1Add vodka and cranberry juice and grapefruit juice.
- 2Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.
- 3Garnish with a lime wedge.
- 4Stir gently to combine.
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The Sea Breeze exists in two distinct versions: an original gin-and-grenadine drink from the 1920s-1930s, and a completely different modern cocktail developed through Ocean Spray's marketing campaigns in the 1970s. The modern Sea Breeze — vodka, cranberry juice, and grapefruit juice — was promoted alongside the Cape Codder and Bay Breeze as Ocean Spray sought to expand cranberry juice consumption beyond holiday meals. The grapefruit component distinguished the Sea Breeze from the simpler Cape Codder, adding a bitter citrus complexity that suited adult palates. A 1988 Ocean Spray and Absolut Vodka co-marketing campaign positioned the Sea Breeze as the ultimate beachside refresher, helping drive it to near-universal menu status in American casual dining and coastal bars throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
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