Bay Breeze Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 02/2/24
Tested by
Tom Macy
Photo of Tom Macy
Tested by Tom Macy
Tom wears many cocktail hats. He is a professional bartender, bar owner, recipe creator, and drink writer, though he prefers the title "obsessive cocktail nerd."
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The bay breeze is a simple mixed drink that adds the tropical taste of a pineapple to the popular combination of vodka and cranberry juice. It's a variation on the Cape Codder that is delightfully easy to mix up. Also called a Hawaiian sea breeze or Downeaster, the bay breeze is one of those popular cocktails that all bartenders should know, and every drinker should try.

This recipe falls into a category of mixed drinks called "duos" and "trios," which are uncomplicated tall drinks that combine liquor with one or two fruits. They are refreshing, pack a flavorful punch, and are among the cheapest mixed drinks you can make at home.

What's the Difference Between a Bay Breeze and a Sea Breeze?

The bay breeze is part of a family of fruity vodka drinks that are closely related. They're all made in the same way, and getting a new drink is simply a matter of swapping out one of the juices.

While the bay breeze uses pineapple, the sea breeze mixes grapefruit juice with the cranberry. Switch to a combination of orange and cranberry juices, and you have a madras.

What Are the Ingredients In a Bay Breeze?

For the bay breeze, choose your favorite vodka and mix it with cranberry juice and pineapple juices in an ice-filled highball glass. While equal parts of the two juices are most common, you can switch that up to suit your personal taste. The drink is then garnished with a lime wedge before serving.

Bay Breeze Recipe Tips

  • Choose a middle-shelf vodka: Drinks like this are a perfect opportunity to save a little money. Find a smooth budget-friendly vodka to pour and save the really good bottles for vodka martinis.
  • Make it long or short: The bay breeze can be made short in an old-fashioned glass instead of a highball glass for a slightly stronger drink—use the same amount of vodka but less juice.
  • Dial back the sweetness: If you prefer a less sweet drink, feel free to increase the ratio of cranberry juice to pineapple juice. And be sure to buy a pineapple juice with no added sugar to keep the drink from being cloying.
  • Try it unstirred: Stir the drink well for a more cohesive flavor, or simply enjoy the yellow and red layers while they last.
Bay breeze cocktail in glasses with lime garnish

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What You'll Need To Make a Bay Breeze
A Sleek Highball Glass
A Cocktail Jigger
A Sharp Paring Knife

"The bay breeze harkens back to a time before classic cocktails made a comeback and fresh lemon and lime juice was nowhere to be found behind bars. Instead, the shelf-stable cranberry juice ruled the day. This cocktail is long, boozy, fruity, and refreshingly tart." —Tom Macy

Bay breeze in a glass with a lime wedge
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces vodka

  • 3 ounces pineapple juice

  • 3 ounces cranberry juice

  • Lime wedge, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for bay breeze cocktail recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats

  2. Pour the vodka into an ​ice-filled highball glass.

    Vodka pouring into a highball glass

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  3. Top with equal amounts of pineapple and cranberry juices.

    Pineapple and cranberry juices added to vodka in a highball glass

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  4. Garnish with a lime wedge. Serve and enjoy.

    Bay breeze cocktail garnished with a lime wedge

    The Spruce Eats

Recipe Variations

  • Some bay breeze fans prefer to pour 2 parts cranberry juice and 1 part pineapple juice.
  • Make up a pitcher and serve it for brunch. It's easy to increase if you measure it in parts: Keep the vodka at 1 part and the juices at 1 1/2 parts each.
  • Play with flavored vodkas. Fruit vodkas are a good choice, and this drink can also be made with coconut vodka or even coconut rum. You can experiment with homemade herbal infusions as well.
  • Add some sparkle by topping it with light soda or sparkling wine.
  • Add ice cubes with fruit frozen inside. Small berries, like raspberries, are perfect and you can even use herbs such as lavender or rosemary. Fill the ice cube trays halfway, let them freeze partially, add the fruit or herb, then fill and freeze.

How Strong Is a Bay Breeze?

Vodka highballs are low-proof drinks because of the high concentration of fruit juice. For the bay breeze, the alcohol content should be around 9 percent ABV (18 proof), which is right in between the strength of beer and wine.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
239 Calories
0g Fat
29g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 239
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 9mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 89mg 444%
Calcium 51mg 4%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 259mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)