Deep Eddy Ruby Red

Deep Eddy Ruby Red is a grapefruit-flavored vodka from Texas, bottled at 35% ABV. That is lower than the 40% standard for unflavored vodka, and it suits a flavored spirit meant to be mixed. It is distilled from corn and flavored with Texas Ruby Red grapefruit. Corn bases usually give a soft, faintly sweet body with little bite, so the grapefruit sits over a smooth spirit and isn't fighting with grain heat. Expect a bright citrus nose, a tart-sweet palate, and the light bitterness of grapefruit peel at the finish. This is a flavored vodka with a clear fruit identity. It is not a neutral one. Because the flavor is already built in, Ruby Red works best in drinks that want grapefruit and don't need a clean, silent base. The Greyhound is the obvious fit: pour it over ice with fresh grapefruit juice, and the vodka reinforces the juice and doesn't dilute it. A Paloma-style highball follows the same logic. Use vodka in place of tequila, add lime and a pinch of salt, and top with soda or grapefruit soda in a tall glass. A Salty Dog, which is a Greyhound with a salted rim, also works. Lemonade, soda water and a squeeze of lime make an easy long drink. Ginger beer also pairs well, and the grapefruit gives a Moscow Mule-style build a different, more bitter-citrus profile. This is probably not the bottle for a classic dry Martini, a Bloody Mary or an Espresso Martini. Grapefruit would compete with vermouth, tomato and coffee. A Cosmopolitan is the one classic where it could substitute for part of the citrus. Use it in place of the standard vodka, keep the lime, and cut back on the cranberry so the grapefruit isn't buried. For serving, the simplest approach is to keep the bottle in the refrigerator or freezer. At 35% ABV it chills well without turning syrupy. Pour it over plenty of ice in a rocks or highball glass, and use a wedge or a twist of grapefruit as garnish. It can also be served neat, well chilled, in a small glass. With food, expect it to go well with grilled seafood, ceviche, spicy tacos and salty snacks, where the acidity and mild bitterness cut through richness and heat.