The festive season is upon us, and there’s no better way to celebrate with family and friends than with a delicious winter sea breeze holiday cocktail!
It is hands-down my favorite holiday cocktail and a great way to kick off the holidays, so take a look at our Cocktails and Cheers post for some inspiration and get planning!
It’s so bright, bubbly, tangy, and crisp; the pomegranate seeds and sprig of mint give it a festive Christmas feel.
At Catch My Party, we go Christmas crazy; from Free Printables to Christmas Party Themed Inspiration, we are all about it.
If you’re looking for a signature holiday cocktail, I recommend you try this! Send your friends their invites with our Editable Christmas Cocktail Party Invitation Template.
Contents
Why You’ll Love This Winter Sea Breeze Holiday Cocktail
- Festive flavor: the mint and citrusy grapefruit give this sea breeze cocktail a Christmassy feel.
- Easy to make: you don’t need bartending experience to whip up this sparkling beauty. You’ll have it ready in a flash.
- Versatile: you can amp up the sweetness by adding more tonic syrup. By the same token, dial up the vodka to make it extra punchy.
- Low-cal: grapefruit and vodka are relatively low-cal, so you can sip away.
Ingredients and Supplies
Here are some details on the essential elements you’ll need to make this Christmas king of cocktails. I like to make mine in a lowball glass.
- Vodka. Low-cal and relatively light in flavor, this is the perfect white spirit for this grown-up drink.
- Grapefruit juice. I love the bitter twist this fruit juice delivers. Use store-bought juice or freshly squeezed grapefruits.
- Tonic syrup. I love this gentle tonic syrup; ideal for this drink.
- Soda water. Balances out the drink. Ensure it’s well-chilled.
- Pomegranate seeds. Pretty pops of ruby color; you can use cranberries or raspberries if you can’t get hold of these.
- Mint leaves. Spearmint or regular will both work well. Mint brightens the drink.
How To Make A Winter Sea Breeze Cocktail
This drink should take you but a few minutes. Perfect for a planned-out party or last-minute Christmas soiree. Here’s how to put yours together:
Step 1: Layer in the base ingredients
Firstly, fill your glass about 3/4 full with ice. A lowball glass is a perfect size.
Add the vodka, grapefruit juice, tonic syrup, and stir or shake.
Step 2: Finish it off
Pour in the soda water and garnish with the pomegranate seeds and mint leaves.
*Tonic is one of my favorite cocktail mixers, and I love that there are now artisanal tonic syrups.
Cheers to an effervescent holiday!!
Tips and Substitutions
- I recommend using tonic syrup because it’s not too sweet and has a bit of flavor complexity. You can always substitute 1/4 cup of regular tonic for the soda water and syrup if you don’t have tonic syrup. I might add a bit extra grapefruit juice just to balance it out. You can always try a simple syrup if you don’t want to invest in tonic syrup.
- Use cranberry juice instead of grapefruit if you like; it will deliver a beautifully balanced variation. Try lemon juice or pineapple juice as alternatives that will also taste great in your sea breeze cooler.
- Use freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice for a brighter flavor than store-bought.
- Try different vodkas. There are some lovely citrus-infused vodkas out there that would go well in this cocktail.
- Be creative with your garnishes: how cute would these candy cane lollies or a pretty cinnamon stick look? Add in a lime wedge for extra green or a rosemary sprig.
- Swing this around and serve it on a hot summer day: just exclude the Christmas flair in that case.
FAQs
This cocktail has a lovely, grown-up flavor profile with sweet and bitter properties.
Yes, you can make this cocktail a few hours before. Scale the recipe up if you want to make a large batch, and be sure to keep it chilled.
Yes, try orange or cranberry as alternatives to the grapefruit juice in this recipe. A squeeze of fresh lemon will work well too.
Other Cocktail Recipes You Might Like
- Cranberry Cobbler Cocktail Recipe
- Cranberry Orange Martini
- Champagne Mojitos
- Mint Orange Bitters Mocktail Recipe
- Caramel Apple Sangria For The Holidays!
For more inspiration, check out all the fantastic Christmas parties added to Catch My Party!
Ingredients
- 1 oz vodka 1/8 cup
- 1 oz grapefruit juice 1/8 cup
- ½ oz tonic syrup 2 tablespoons
- 2 oz soda water 1/4 cup
- 12 pomegranate seeds
- 3 mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Fill your glass about 3/4 full with ice. A lowball glass is the perfect size.
- Add the vodka, grapefruit juice, tonic syrup* and stir.
- Pour in the soda water and garnish with the pomegranate seeds and mint leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
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