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Salty, tart, citrus-y with a bit of gin to smooth it all down. This Salty Dog cocktail recipe truly packs a punch in flavor!

salt rimmed Salty Dog Cocktail Recipe in a rocks glass garnished with rosemary on a black velvet backdrop

You Salty, Salty Dog.

Okay, not you, per se. But today’s curious cocktail consists of a very salty boi… our favorite doggo cocktail is the Salty Dog! It’s not only fun to make this cocktail, then slam it on the counter, proclaiming, “Salty Dog!”, it’s also fun to sip. Think: the eye-opening combo of salty, tart and citrus flavors to awaken your tastebuds and get you sauced, in a classy, pink grapefruit-tinged drink! You ready?

pouring gin from a measuring jigger into a glass showing how to make a salty dog drink

What’s in a Salty Dog Drink?

With such a saucy name, you can probably guess what’s in a Salty Dog drink is pretty… salty. But there’s more to it than that! Tart grapefruit juice and aromatic rosemary pairs really well with the citrusy and herbal notes in gin, while coarse salt gives you that spike of mouth-puckering delight in this cocktail. [1] [2]

Gin
Grapefruit juice
Coarse salt
Rosemary

hand pouring Salty Dog Cocktail mixture over rocks in glass

What is a Salty Dog Drink?

A Salty Dog drink is a Greyhound Cocktail with salt. [3] Yep, it’s as simple as that. So let’s start with what it takes to make a Greyhound. Add gin and grapefruit juice to a rocks glass filled with ice, then stir and enjoy. Adding in one more step—the coarse salt—is what turns that Greyhound into a Salty Dog. Check out the details below.

hand dropping rosemary garnish into a glass filled with salty dog cocktail

How to Make a Salty Dog Cocktail

Since you already know how to make a basic Greyhound, it’s not too far of a jump to learn how to make a Salty Dog cocktail. Follow the steps below for the best Salty Dog cocktail recipe:

First, rim the edge of a rocks or whiskey glass with coarse salt. I like a medium coarse salt to add just the right amount of savory flavor with a show-stopping beauty to the cocktail. Run a grapefruit slice along the edge of the glass, then dip the edge into a plate filled with coarse salt. Continue until the rim is covered.

Fill the glass with ice and add gin. Now, top it off with grapefruit juice nearly to the top of the glass. Stir to mix.

Drop in a sprig of rosemary. Sip and enjoy the best Salty Dog cocktail recipe!

closeup shot of finished salty dog drink recipe in a rocks glass with fresh grapefruit slices and rosemary

More Cocktail Recipes

Hankering for more recipes like today’s Salty Dog Cocktail? Here are a few of my absolute favorites:

Tools You Need

Who Let the Salty Dogs Out?

We did, baby. We did! Okay, maybe today’s Salty Dog is making me a little salty… but in a friendly-sassy, not off-putting like biting right into a grapefruit no one asked for kind of way.

Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️

🐕 📸 🍹

📸 Did you make this salty dog cocktail recipe? Take a pic and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #beamingbaker & tag @beamingbaker. I’d love to see it! 📸

Salty Dog Cocktail Recipe featured image

5 from 4 votes

Servings: serving