Why You Should Stop Buying Grenadine And Make Your Own Instead

Although it contains no alcohol itself, grenadine is a bar staple. This cherry-red, pomegranate-flavored syrup is used in a variety of drinks, from the famously non-alcoholic Shirley Temple (where it's paired with lemon-lime soda and maraschino cherries), to cocktail classics like Mick Jagger's favorite, the tequila sunrise. But despite its historical popularity, grenadine is often looked down upon in the bartender community. Commenters on Reddit describe the liquid as being "cloyingly sweet," little more than "red sugar water," and reminiscent of cough syrup. And they're not necessarily wrong. Several prominent commercial brands of grenadine, such as Rose's, flavor their syrup with high fructose corn syrup — and may not even list pomegranate juice on the ingredients label.

But pomegranates are known for their complex flavor, balancing sweetness with a puckery tartness, which should add not just a fun color but an exciting depth of flavor to your favorite mixed beverage. While you can buy grenadine from lesser-known brands that pride themselves on the quality of their ingredients, you can also save money by making your own. If you've ever made simple syrup for cocktails, the process is similar. Start by combining pomegranate juice and sugar in a saucepan. However, your goal is to boil the liquid long enough that it becomes syrupy. Once you've removed it from the heat and let it cool, add some lemon juice to amplify the tartness. This should stay fresh, if properly stored, in a refrigerator for up to a month.

Beyond the superior flavor, making your own grenadine can save you money as well. While a bottle of Rose's grenadine isn't necessarily going to cost much less than a similarly sized bottle of pomegranate juice, the same cannot be said of higher quality grenadine. Liber & Co.'s Real Grenadine, for example, costs about $15 for 12 ounces. Unlike cheaper brands, it's made with real, cold-pressed pomegranates and cane sugar.

Liber & Co.'s grenadine also exemplifies another reason why you might want to make your own grenadine at home: playing around with ingredients. Their version incorporates orange flower water, which adds a light floral element. But depending on your personal preferences, you could mix up your grenadine recipe with different types of citrus (or avoiding citrus altogether). You can even try different blends of fruit juices. While pomegranate is of course the standard, some might prefer a mix of pomegranate and cranberry juices, or pomegranate and black currant. Or, if you really want to amp up the pomegranate flavor, add some pomegranate molasses. And of course, you have more control over how much you make each time so you're not left with an extra bottle sitting around indefinitely.

While you can expect your homemade grenadine to be fine in the fridge for up to a month, some recipes recommend adding a bit of vodka to extend that shelf life. Obviously, you wouldn't want to do this if you want to preserve the nonalcoholic quality of the syrup.