1 part Gin
2 parts Grapefruit juice
1 Orange slice
3 Ice cubes
Pinch of Salt

The Salty Dog is made by placing the ice cubes into the glass and putting the salt directly onto the ice. Add the gin and grapefruit juice. Stir the drink gently, and serve. It is traditionally served in an old-fashioned glass or a highball glass and decorated with an orange slice. Variations of this recipe also call for salting the rim of the glass to reduce the bitterness from the grapefruit juice.

Although there is no mention as to who created the Salty Dog, it’s been used in references around the world. In 1947, the “Brownsville Herald” in Brownsville, Texas, cited “Salty Dog” in an article. In the television series “The Larry Sanders Show,” the Salty Dog is a favourite drink of Rip Torn’s character, Artie. In the novel “Swag” by Elmore Leonard, it’s the preferred drink for two characters, Frank Ryan and Ernest Stickley, Jr. It’s even featured in a computer game named “Kingdom of Loathing”, where it’s a mid-grade drink made with gin and grapefruit.

The Salty Dog was featured as a Drink of the Week on FHM Magazine’s web site on September 25, 2009, and described as being a refreshing summery drink without being too feminine.

George Jessel, creator of the Bloody Mary, created his own version of the Salty Dog using vodka instead of gin. “The New York Bartender’s Guide,” written by Sally Ann Berk in 1997, also uses vodka in their variation, as well as adding granulated sugar and a lime wedge.