Cocktails with Grapefruit zest
Grapefruit zest is the colored outer layer of grapefruit peel, taken above the bitter white pith.
How it's used
Cut a wide strip, hold it skin down over the drink and squeeze once. A fine spray of oil lands on the surface, and you smell grapefruit before the glass reaches your mouth. Grated zest puts the oil into the liquid instead.
Substitutes for Grapefruit zest
The best swap. Try Scrappy’s, Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit or Fee Brothers, starting with two dashes.
Orange or lemon peel
A last resort. A strip expressed over the glass drops citrus oil but misses the grapefruit character completely.
It can't replace the aroma, with almost no peel oil in it. A little juice adds grapefruit flavor, but acid too.
A twist cut with the pith
Won't work. The white pith holds a lot of the bitter flavonoid naringin. Left on the strip, it brings unwanted bitterness, so trim it away.
