If you’re anything like us, you don’t just randomly pick a name on a cocktail menu and order the drink without taking at least a little peek at the ingredients to see if it contains flavors you’d enjoy. If you do this, you’ve probably run into a few mysterious ingredients along the way. While there are countless names on this list, one confusing ingredient that seems to pop up often is grenadine. Maybe you even know what this ingredient tastes like, but there’s a decent chance you don’t know what it is.
So, what exactly is grenadine? We know it’s a syrupy, red-colored liquid used for flavoring foods and by bartenders as an ingredient in many cocktails. But what else do we know? Is it cherry syrup? If not, what is it? What is its history? Keep reading to learn everything you ever wanted to know about this popular yet mysterious cocktail ingredient.
What is grenadine?
Grenadine is a red-hued syrup that’s very popular in cocktails like the Tequila Sunrise, Jack Rose, Rum Runner, and Scofflaw. You’ve likely tasted this syrup before, but there’s a bit of a mystery about what exactly it is. In the simplest terms, it’s a non-alcoholic syrup made from pomegranate juice. It’s also often made with other ingredients like orange flower water, elderflower, currants, raspberry, and more.
As we briefly mentioned above, it’s well-known for its red color. Adding it to your favorite cocktail not only adds a bright red hue to your drink but also adds a tart, sweet, acidity, and fruity flavor.
What is grenadine’s history?
Like many traditional cocktail ingredients, grenadine (which comes from the French word ‘grenade’, which translates to pomegranate) didn’t begin as a flavoring for mixed drinks. Its history can be traced back to the 1600s when it was first used as a medicinal tonic made simply of pomegranate juice that was sweetened with sugar.
It started as a cocktail ingredient in the Caribbean (that’s why there are so many traditional Caribbean drinks made with grenadine) but didn’t reach mass appeal in the cocktail world until the 1800s, when it was finely packaged for use by bartenders. By the 1870s, it was a popular choice among New York City bartenders.
The first mention of grenadine in print was in 1891 in William Boothby’s ‘American Bar-Tender’. While its popularity waned over the years, it’s another ingredient that made a triumphant return to prominence with the rise of cocktail culture in the last few decades.
Is grenadine just cherry syrup?
Don’t feel bad if today is the first time you realized grenadine isn’t cherry syrup. As we mentioned above, grenadine is a pomegranate-based syrup. If you don’t know what pomegranate tastes like, we don’t blame you for thinking it’s cherry syrup.
It doesn’t taste dramatically different from maraschino cherry juice at first taste. If you dive in a little deeper, you’ll find that it’s slightly different, a little tarter, and has a nice hint of acidity. All of these flavors work well in a variety of classic (and contemporary) cocktails.
How should you use grenadine?
Grenadine is a unique cocktail ingredient for two reasons. For one, it’s used to add a vibrant red color to cocktails. But it’s not just for coloring. Well-made grenadine has a fruity, lightly tart pomegranate flavor reminiscent of ripe raspberries or maraschino cherries. Grenadine works well with freshly squeezed citrus juices, rum, gin, tequila, and other spirits. It’s a very versatile ingredient that’s sure to add depth to your fresh, summery cocktail.
Can you make your grenadine?
Some store-bought grenadines are cloyingly sweet and taste more like maraschino cherry juice than sweetened pomegranate juice. Luckily, you can make grenadine at home to remedy this, and it’s surprisingly easy. To make grenadine at home, you can juice your own pomegranate, or you can buy a brand like POM. Add this to a saucepan and pour in sugar and orange flower water. Stir together until everything dissolves and combines. Let the grenadine cool before bottling it for later use.
Bottom line
If you want to mix with grenadine, don’t just add it to every cocktail you whip up. You most likely won’t be happy with the results. Look up classic cocktails that feature grenadine (like the Hurricane, El Presidente, Rum Runner, Tequila Sunrise, and more) and learn to make these first. Once you get a grasp of what aromas and flavors grenadine adds to a drink, you can start to experiment on your own. Maybe you’ll create an iconic drink that will be enjoyed by generations of cocktail drinkers.
