Grenadine isn’t a liquor and yet it’s a key cocktail ingredient. Check out seven recipes that feature the ruby-red syrup and see which grenadine cocktail will be your favorite.
You’ve probably tasted grenadine – after all, its a key ingredient in several popular cocktails and mocktails. Perhaps you’ve bought a bottle at your local liquor store. Or, if you’re an over-achiever, maybe you whipped up a batch at home.
Either way, if you’re like most people, you don’t truly understand grenadine. Maybe you assume it’s a liquor or perhaps you think it’s a berry beverage. Spoiler alert – it’s neither.
Read on to find out what grenadine actually is and learn how to craft our favorite grenadine cocktails. But first, get in the grenadine mood by checking out this Grateful Dead song about brown eyed women and red grenadine.
What Is Grenadine?
Essentially, grenadine is a non-alcoholic syrup that’s notable for both its deep red color and its sweet yet tart flavor. Grenadine’s zero ABV should be no surprise if you drank Shirley Temples or Roy Rogers’ when you were a kid. And, while grenadine is traditionally made with pomegranates, it can be made with other fruit too.
While grenadine cocktail syrup is relatively easy to make at home with just three ingredients (pomegranate juice, sugar and orange flower water), it’s even easier to buy a bottle of pre-made grenadine. Just be careful and read labels when you buy bottled grenadine.
Brands like Rose’s produce grenadine syrup with corn syrup as well as artificial colors and flavors. We prefer Monin grenadine since it’s made with actual fruit and other natural ingredients.
Grenadine Cocktails
Grenadine cocktails run the gamut and span the globe. Some are classic while others are modern. Typically in colors like pink and ruby red, their liquors include gin, rum, tequila and vodka.
Despite this diversity, the best grenadine cocktails have one important similarity. They taste as good as they look.
These are our favorites:
7 Of The Best Grenadine Cocktails
Tequila Sunrise
Our Tequila Sunrise recipe is so easy to craft that you’ll be sipping your tasty tequila tipple in just a few minutes. In other words, it’s not just another Tequila Sunrise recipe. It’s a keeper.
Mary Pickford
Inspired by one of Hollywood’s top actresses during Prohibition, the Mary Pickford cocktail is a tasty tipple that has passed the test of time. It’s also easy to craft with just a handful of ingredients.
Dirty Shirley
The Dirty Shirley isn’t just a grown up version of the popular Shirley Temple drink. It’s also a refreshing summer cocktail that’s super easy to craft at home in just five minutes.
Pink Lady
The Pink Lady cocktail proves that you shouldn’t judge a drink by its color. Despite its ‘girly’ hue, this pink drink is a sophisticated sipper that’s more dry than sweet. Try our easy recipe and make one at home in just five minute.
Clover Club Cocktail Recipe
This Clover Club cocktail is simultaneously sweet and tart. Learn how to make this frothy pre-prohibition cocktail at home in just five minutes.
Grenadine FAQs
Grenadine is a non-alcoholic syrup used to craft popular cocktails like the Hurricane and the Tequila Sunrise. It’s notable for both its deep red color and its sweet yet tart flavor. Traditionally made with pomegranate, grenadine can also be made with other fruits.
Grenadine isn’t an alcohol. Instead, it’s a non-alcoholic syrup that’s used to craft a number of popular cocktails and mocktails.
The Tequila Sunrise is the most popular grenadine cocktail. Its other ingredients include tequila and orange juice.
The Shirley Temple is the most popular grenadine mocktail. Its other ingredients include ginger ale and lemon-lime soda.
The Best Grenadine Cocktails
Learn how to make tasty grenadine cocktails at home.
Ingredients
- Clover Club
- Dirty Shirley
- Hurricane
- Mary Pickford
- Pink Lady
- Tequila Sunrise
- Tomate
Instructions
- Choose a grenadine cocktail to craft.
- Gather the necessary ingredients and bar tools.
- Craft the cocktail in just a few minutes.
- Sip and enjoy!
Recommended Products
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Monin - Grenadine Syrup, Delightfully Sweet, Natural Flavors, Great for Cocktails, Mocktails, Sodas, and Smoothies, Vegan, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free (750 Milliliters) -
Japanese Jigger - Premium Double Cocktail Jigger, 1oz/2oz made from Stainless Steel 304 -
Premium Cocktail Shaker Set: Two-Piece Pro Boston Shaker Set. Unweighted 18oz & Weighted 28oz Martini Drink Shaker made from Stainless Steel 304 -
OXO SteeL Cocktail Strainer -
Hiware LZS13B 12 Inches Stainless Steel Mixing Spoon, Spiral Pattern Bar Cocktail Shaker Spoon
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About The Authors
Daryl & Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.
Original Publication Date: July 8, 2023