Modern: Modern Salty Dog

Name: Modern: Modern Salty Dog
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ¼ teaspoon finely grated grapefruit zest, for rimming the glass; 2 small sprigs rosemary; 1½ ounces vodka; 1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice; 1 ounce grapefruit or citrus kombucha; ¼ ounce fresh lime juice; ¼ ounce Honey Simple Syrup; 1 pinch kosher salt; 2 dashes grapefruit bitters; 1 grapefruit peel twist, for garnish

Preparation info

Makes
1
Drink

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Spirits of '76

By Kim Laidlaw

Published 2026

About

A modern twist on the mid-century salty dog—originally a simple vodka or gin and grapefruit cocktail with a salted rim—this version nods to Washington, DC’s naval history and political slang. The name evokes both navy traditions and sharp-tongued capitol characters, while kombucha and salted honey bring the drink into the present day.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon kosher salt, for rimming the glass
¼ teaspoon finely grated grapefruit zest, for rimming the glass

Method

Combine the salt and grapefruit zest on a saucer and rub them together. Gently rub the grapefruit wedge around the rim of a chilled coupe glass. Holding the base of the glass, dip the rim into the salt.

In a cocktail shaker, lightly muddle 1 of the rosemary sprigs. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, grapefruit juice, kombucha, lime juice, simple syrup, salt, and bitters.