The 3-Ingredient Cocktail That's Perfect For Sipping On The Beach

Hot summer days are perfect for a little fun in the sun at the beach. And no beach trip is complete without a refreshing drink. But what beverage to have? One three-ingredient cocktail, known as the Sea Breeze, should be among the best cocktails out there that everyone should know, especially if they're planning a beach trip. Once you try it, you'll find yourself hooked.

A Sea Breeze cocktail is composed of vodka, cranberry juice, and grapefruit juice. It's also traditionally garnished with lime. Almost any kind of vodka works, but we're of the opinion that a cocktail is always better with the best vodka brands recommended by experts. To make it, shake the ingredients together with ice — 1.75 ounces vodka, 2.5 ounces cranberry, and 1 ounce grapefruit juice is a good base ratio — then strain the mix into a glass with more ice. That said, if you want to keep it simple, shaking isn't strictly necessary. You can just pour it all together in your glass and stir to mix.

The reason a Sea Breeze is so perfect for the beach, aside from the name, is its light and fruity flavor. It's incredibly refreshing and a classic summer cocktail, perfect for a hot day in the sun. A Sea Breeze is hardly the strongest cocktail in the world, despite the vodka — but maybe that's just what you want. If you go with the above ratio, it comes out to a little over 9% alcohol by volume, but you can easily adjust the vodka to your liking.

Given its simplicity, this is a cocktail that takes well to some variation. Try switching out one of the juices with mango or orange juice, or sub tequila for the vodka. You could also use all manner of infused vodkas for an easy switch. As for garnishes, lime is traditional, but other citrus or tropical fruits like oranges, lemon, grapefruit, or pineapple would all go wonderfully on the rim of your Sea Breeze. Mango is a delicious fruit garnish that adds a touch of extra sweetness to your cocktail and brings a tropical edge to the beverage.

Of course, a drink isn't quite complete without some good food to go with it. Keeping with the tropical feel, one of the best complements for a Sea Breeze is seafood. Whether it's rich shellfish like crab or lobster, a light whitefish like tilapia, or a tasty cut of tuna, almost anything that calls the ocean home will go with your Sea Breeze. Go ahead and treat yourself to that seafood platter!

If you're looking for something you can easily bring from home, a Sea Breeze also goes well with other light foods like salad or fruit. It already has a citrus touch to it, so bring some orange slices to make it feel like a fruit cocktail. Another great complement for your Sea Breeze is a caprese salad, perhaps with a squeeze of lemon juice. Not only is it easy to make, but it's light and comes with its own citrus kick.