What is Grenadine Syrup?
Grenadine syrup is a non-alcoholic pomegranate-flavoured mixer, made from pomegranate juice and sugar, used to give mixed drinks a distinctive flavour that is both tart and sweet, to add a dash of vibrant, rich red colour. It gets its name from the French word for pomegranate, ‘grenade’ (and yes, hand grenades are named after pomegranates too) and first became a fashionable ingredient in American cocktails and drinks recipes in the 1910s.
What Is the Best Grenadine Syrup to Use?
These days, if you want to try a grenadine cocktail, you’re spoilt for choice. But if you want your cocktail to taste its best, it’s important to use a good quality simple syrup for a homemade grenadine. Unfortunately, grenadine ingredients are not well-regulated, and many store bought brands are flavoured with high fructose corn syrup and other artificial flavours, some containing no pomegranate at all. Make it at home in batches, it will keep due to a long shelf life. For grenadine with more natural ingredients, you can try whole food stores, or look for pomegranate syrup at your local Middle Eastern supermarket.
Mocktails with Grenadine Syrup
Grenadine is often used in cocktails to add a splash of color, perhaps most famously in the classic tequila sunrise, where orange juice and grenadine are mixed to form a sunrise effect in a glass. But it isn't just alcoholic drinks that benefit from a dash of grenadine. Classic mocktails like the Shirley Temple and the Roy Rogers contain grenadine, and both are perfect for when you’re not in the mood for alcohol, or if the kids want to join the party.
Shirley Temple
This non-alcoholic mixed drink takes its name from the Depression-era child actress, who actually did not like the drink. Allegedly, it was invented by a bartender in Hollywood to serve the young Shirley Temple, but the actress herself has refuted this story.
To make a Shirley Temple:
- Put some crushed ice in a tall glass
- Pour 7.5 ml of grenadine and 7.5 ml of fresh lime juice over the ice
- Top up with ginger beer and stir gently to combine
- To finish the look, skewer two cherries with a cocktail stick and lay over the top of the glass.
Roy Rogers
This drink takes its name from actor, singer, and Western heartthrob Roy Rogers, nicknamed “America’s Favorite Cowboy.”
To make a Roy Rogers:
- Put some crushed ice in a tall glass
- Add 7.5 ml of grenadine
- Top with cola and garnish with a single cherry
- If you don’t have time to make cocktails, you can enjoy grenadine as a cordial. Simply mix with crushed ice and water to make a refreshing drink, perfect for a sunny day.
