Bay Breeze Cocktail

The Bay Breeze Cocktail is a tasty, tropical vodka drink that is easy to mix up in minutes. It pairs cranberry and pineapple to make a fruity and refreshing sip that is perfect for the summertime.

Jul 26, 2024

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bay breeze cocktail in highball glass decorated with dehydrated pineapple

What is a Bay Breeze Cocktail

Also called the Hawaiian Sea Breeze, a Bay Breeze cocktail is part of a family of cranberry cocktails based on The Cape Codder. All these drinks have a bright color and a delicious sweet-tart flavor.

With the addition of the sweet pineapple, the Bay Breeze also has a tasty tropical feel which makes it perfect as a summer cocktail. Or a winter cocktail for when you’re dreaming of sunny days!

A Bay Breeze Cocktail (AKA Hawaiian Sea Breeze) is the perfect balance of sweet and tart, and fruity and boozy. This easy-to-make cocktail reached peak popularity during the 80s but has remained a staple that all bartenders know and many drinkers enjoy.

two highball glasses garnished with dehydrated pineapple on grey background

Ingredients

The Bay Breeze Cocktail falls into a category of mixed drinks called "duos" and "trios". These are uncomplicated tall drinks that combine liquor with one or two fruits.

The ingredients you will need to make a Bay Breeze are listed below, or you can find a full, detailed recipe card at the end of this post.

Vodka. Any plain, unflavored vodka will work for this recipe.
Cranberry juice. It is best to use cranberry juice rather than a cranberry juice cocktail mix. Pure cranberry juice is full of cranberry flavor and is bitter, whereas a cocktail mix is combined with other juices.
Pineapple juice. Again we recommend using 100% juice for making this cocktail so that it has the best pineapple flavor and isn't loaded with any extra sugar or other juices.

Cocktail Garnish Suggestions

A Bay Breeze Cocktail should always be served over ice but it is optional whether you add a garnish or not. If you do feel like making your drink a bit more special and celebratory, we have some garnish suggestions that will work well with this fruity, tropical drink:

A lime or lemon wedge
Fresh mint
Fresh or frozen cranberries
A slice or chunk of fresh pineapple
Lemon or lime wheel
Edible flowers
Pineapple leaves
Caramelized pineapple pieces

How to make a Bay Breeze Cocktail

A Bay Breeze Cocktail is a simple drink that is constructed in its serving glass. So no cocktail shaker or fancy bar equipment is needed to make one of these tasty drinks!

To make a Bay Breeze, follow the easy step-by-step instructions below (with instructional images). Or you can find a full, detailed recipe at the end of this post.

Step-By-Step Instructions

STEP ONE - Fill a tall serving glass with ice cubes or crushed ice.
STEP TWO - Add the vodka, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice. Stir together gently to combine.
STEP THREE - Add any desired garnishes and serve immediately.

How to make a layered Bay Breeze Cocktail

Fill a tall serving glass with ice.
Add the vodka and pineapple juice - they are less dense so they should go in the glass first. Mix to combine.
Slightly tip the glass and slowly pour in the denser layer of cranberry juice. The pineapple-vodka mixture should then float on top as a separate layer.
Gently add any desired garnishes and serve immediately.

pouring pineapple juice over cranberry juice

Pitcher Variation

It is easy to make and serve Bay Breeze Cocktails in a pitcher when catering to a crowd.

To make this drink in a pitcher, simply add the vodka, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice to a large jug or pitcher according to how many servings you desire. Simply scale the amounts of each ingredient up proportionally to make the amount you need.

Place the pitcher in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Then pour into serving glasses filled with ice and garnish as desired.

Recipe Tips and Notes

You can serve this drink with crushed ice or whole ice. Just keep in mind that as the ice melts it will start to slightly dilute the drink.
Use a jigger or a measuring cup to measure your ingredients accurately. A precise measurement can make a big difference in the balance and flavor of your cocktail.
To make the cocktail extra frosty and refreshing, place your cocktail glasses in the freezer 30 minutes before making your Bay Breeze Cocktails. This ensures that your drink stays super cold and doesn't quickly come to room temperature.
If you prefer a less sweet drink, increase the ratio of cranberry juice to pineapple juice. And be sure to buy pineapple juice with no added sugar to keep the drink from being overly sweet.
You can adjust the amount of vodka you add to your cocktail based on taste and how boozy you want your drink to be.
The alcohol content of a standard Bay Breeze Cocktail is around 9 percent ABV (18 proof). This is in between the strength of beer and wine so please drink responsibly.

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