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Cocktail History
The Bay Breeze is a modern cocktail that was most likely created by Ocean Spray and the Cranberry Growers Association during a push to sell more cranberries in the United States in the 1980s. The recipe is made with three ingredients—cranberry juice, vodka, and pineapple juice—all of which are mixed right in the glass, making the drink extremely easy and palatable to the masses.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Cranberry Juice: This is the liquid juice of a fresh cranberry. We used Simple Organic Cranberry Cocktail.
Vodka: This is a spirit made with grains, vegetables or fruits, and alcohol. We used Belvedere Vodka because it has a distinct savory flavor with notes of vanilla, spice, and black pepper. For a mocktail version of this drink, try STRYKK Not V*dka in place of the vodka.
Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid juice of a pineapple. We used fresh pineapple juice.
Lime Wheel: This is a lime slice that has been cut into a circular shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut larger ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.
Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple before it’s juiced. We used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.
Juicer: This is used to juice ingredients. We used the Hamilton Beach Pro Juice Extractor.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut smaller ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Tasting Notes
The Bay Breeze starts with the aroma of pineapple and has a flavor that combines slightly tart cranberry with bright pineapple sweetness.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both enjoyed the Bay Breeze for what it is. It’s definitely a tasty drink that anybody could like, but it probably won’t turn heads or wow anyone who’s ever had anything more complex. That said, make a pitcher of these for an outdoor gathering, and you’re certain to please the crowd!
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“When I picture Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown in the movie Cocktail, this is what they’re pouring out of their shakers while they do the Hippy Hippy Shake. The Bay Breeze, a victim of what cocktail nerds like us call the ‘Cocktail Dark Ages,’ is just a combination of fruit juice and vodka. That said, it’s obviously delicious, hence its everlasting popularity. What it lacks in the complexity that we tend to look for in modern drinks it makes up for in palatability, and while vodka isn’t exactly the most impressive spirit in terms of flavor, it does its job well in this recipe. Serve this bad boy in a pitcher at a pool party, and you’re sure to have a good time; after all, not every cocktail ever created is meant to be ruminated and philosophized over.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“As far as easy cocktails go, this one couldn’t be simpler given that it’s made with vodka and a couple of fruit juices. I’ll be honest, I expected a lot more from the Bay Breeze. It’s one of the most frequently searched cocktails on the web, after all, but it just didn’t do much for me. I like to be wowed by my drinks these days and crave at least a bit of contemplation as I sip. Maybe if I’d started out with it like so many people do, I’d be more fond of it, but there are droves of beachy recipes that are ten times better than this one. As Alex said, it would be extremely palatable for a group at a summer get-together though, so don’t write it off based on my word alone.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Liquor.com, an online beverage publication.
Add cranberry juice, vodka, pineapple juice, and cubed ice to a highball glass.
Stir for 10-15 seconds.
Garnish with lime wheel.
Ingredients
Directions
Add cranberry juice, vodka, pineapple juice, and cubed ice to a highball glass.
Stir for 10-15 seconds.
Garnish with lime wheel.
Make It a Mocktail: Use STRYKK Not V*dka in place of the vodka to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Cranberry Cocktails
If you like this cranberry-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Nucleus Mimosa: A sparkling wine cocktail made with orange juice, cranberry juice, and a lime slice
Poinsettia Cooler: A tequila cocktail made with cranberry juice, cranberry shrub, lime juice, and cranberries
Bandon Bronco: A vodka cocktail made with cranberry syrup, cranberry juice, lime juice, ginger beer, a lime slice, and cranberries
Cranberry Cobbler: A sherry cocktail made with cranberry syrup, orange slices, a mint sprig, and cranberries
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