Murray River Salt in Drinks: Why It Belongs in Your Glass

There is a distinct reason in culinary circles why ‘a pinch of salt’ is used to finish the dish. It intensifies natural flavours, suppresses bitterness, balances sweetness, and improves texture. It acts as a chemical tool that changes how our taste buds perceive flavour and how ingredients react during the cooking process. Pretty incredible stuff from something you slobber off your hand before downing a cheap tequila shot. 

When it comes to crafting drinks, your mind doesn’t immediately go to a pinch of salt. We say why not? Why wouldn’t you want to enhance the flavour of your Paloma? Balance bitterness in a G&T? Salt rim your marg? If you can think of one good reason why these things shouldn't exist in a mixed drink, then call 1800 STRANGELOVE and we will happily argue with you like a disgruntled telemarketer with too much time on their hands.

When we formulate drinks - they're already packed with Australian citrus, proper botanicals and ingredients we drained our kids' college funds to procure (don’t worry, there is little hope for the future generation anyway).This is why where necessary, we add just the right amount of Murray River Pink Flake salt - to really let those stupidly expensive ingredients sing.

What Murray River Pink Salt Actually Is

We're not using it because it's fashionable. We're using it because it's one of the cleanest, most elegant ways to season a drink.

Most of StrangeLove's ingredients are sourced from Australia wherever possible, so Murray River Pink Flake Salt fits right in alongside that very identity. As the name suggests, it’s salt, from the Murray RiverWhat makes this better than all those other salts we don’t use, is that it’s harvested from naturally saline underground brine beneath the Murray River Basin before being evaporated into pretty, delicate pink flakes.

Unlike table salt, the flakes dissolve quickly and evenly. No gritty crystals & no random salty mouthfuls. The finishing touch.

Why Salt Works in Cocktails and Mixers

A tiny amount softens bitterness, brightens citrus, lifts botanicals and rounds out spirits. It doesn't change the drink - it simply lets every other ingredient do its best work.

Bartenders have been using this trick for generations. At StrangeLove, we just save you the extra step and build it straight into the bottle.

It Softens Bitterness

Bitterness is what gives tonic water its backbone. Without quinine, you'd just have overpriced fizzy citrus water, and we would be receiving many harshly worded complaints..

Murray River Pink Flake Salt doesn't dial the bitterness down. It simply smooths the rough edges, giving the botanicals, citrus and carbonation room to do their thing.

It Makes Citrus Taste Brighter

A touch of Murray River Pink Flake Salt makes grapefruit taste juicier, lime shine brighter and citrus oils more aromatic without adding extra sweetness. It doesn't compete with the citrus - it simply enhances and brightens the flavour. 

It Rounds Out Tequila

We are all aware that tequila and salt have had great chemistry for a very long time.

A touch of Murray River Pink Flake Salt rounds agave's earthy character and lets fresh citrus take centre stage. That's why Salted Grapefruit and tequila get along so suspiciously well.

It Balances Heat

The salt brightens the lime and complements the jalapeño warmth, giving Lime & Jalapeño Lo-Cal Soda its fresh, spicy kick without losing that all-important drinkability.

3 Easy Serves That Show Salt Working

No chemistry degree required. Just ice, a decent spirit and mixer combo, and salt quietly doing the heavy lifting in the background.

Coastal G&T

Glass: Highball or Copa

Build

• Plenty of ice

• 30–45ml gin

• Top with StrangeLove Coastal Tonic

• Finish with a lemon wheel

Pro Tip: Try a softer or citrus gin and let the Coastal botanicals do the heavy lifting.

Salted Paloma

Glass: Highball

Build

• Plenty of ice

• 45ml tequila

• Top with StrangeLove Salted Grapefruit

• Squeeze of fresh lime

• Murray River Pink Flake Salt rim

Pro Tip: Keep the salt rim light. It's a Paloma, not a pretzel.

Spicy Lime Highball

Glass: Highball

Build

• Plenty of ice

• Top with StrangeLove Lime & Jalapeño Soda

• Finish with a lime wheel

• light chilli-salt rim

Pro Tip: There's already salt in the liquid. No need to go crazy.

The Final Pour

So no, Murray River Pink Flake Salt isn't the star of the show.

The Australian citrus, proper botanicals and incredible flavour profiles can handle that themselves.

Salt just makes them look even better.

A little in Coastal Tonic for a smoother, more botanical G&T. A little in Salted Grapefruit for a dangerously good Paloma. And a little in Lime & Jalapeño Lo-Cal Soda to make that citrus and heat hit just right.

Tiny finishing touch. Ridiculously good results.

& Turns out, being salty isn't always a bad thing.