Highballs: The Seabreeze

Made popular in the 1970’s and 80’s the Seabreeze is a light highball cocktail with a tart citrus overtone. The blend of fruit juices with a light addition of spirits allows for a very easy drinking beverage that is made for easy Sunday afternoons all summer long.

Highballs are a fun, light-hearted group of cocktails that are seemingly designed for social afternoons with family and friends. These drinks are a far cry from the hard, spirit forward cocktails that only allow for one or two in a sitting.

The Seabreeze is believed to have originated in the 1960’s as a promotion from Ocean Spray (Yes, that Ocean Spray) as a way to boost cranberry juice sales and take advantage of the popularity of vodka.  As with any cocktail, drink or spirit there is always a hint of mystery when it comes to the tales of origin, but this story seems the most believable if it is not in fact, fact.

Ingredients:

4 oz. cranberry juice

1 oz. grapefruit juice

1.5 oz. vodka

Directions:

There are several ways to prepare this drink.

1) To keep division of the fruit juices build the highball in the glass.

Cranberry juice followed by the vodka and topped with the grapefruit juice.

2) If you are looking for a frothy appearance, shake all ingredients with ice and pour.

Serve over ice in a highball glass.