Grenadine


Grenadine is a commonly used, non-alcoholic bar syrup, characterized by a flavor that is both tart and sweet, and by a deep red color. It is popular as an ingredient in cocktails, both for its flavor and to give a reddish or pink tint to mixed drinks.

Etymology and origin

The name "grenadine" originates from the French word grenade which means pomegranate, from Latin grānātum "seeded".
Grenadine was originally prepared from pomegranate juice, sugar, and water. It is not related to the Grenadines archipelago, which take their name from Grenada, which is named for Granada, Spain.

Modern and commercial variants

As grenadine is subject to minimal regulation, its basic flavor profile can alternatively be obtained from a mixture of blackcurrant juice and other fruit juices with the blackcurrant flavor dominating.
To reduce production costs, manufacturers have widely replaced fruit bases with artificial ingredients. The Mott's brand "Rose's" is by far the most common brand of grenadine sold in the United States, and is formulated from : high fructose corn syrup, water, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate, FD&C Red #40, natural and artificial flavors and FD&C Blue #1.

Use in cocktails

Grenadine is commonly used to mix both modern and classic cocktails, such as the Tequila Sunrise, original or La Tomate . In North America, a mix of grenadine and beer is commonly known as the Queen Mary.
Grenadine is also a popular ingredient in some non-alcoholic drinks, such as the Roy Rogers, pink lemonade, and Shirley Temple cocktails, or simply by mixing the syrup with cold water in a glass or jug, sometimes with ice.
Pomegranate syrup found in most Middle Eastern groceries is made with pomegranate concentrate and sugar, and serves as an authentic grenadine.