Store bought grenadine is the easy option, but why not make it yourself when pomegranates are in season? The recipe is straightforward, and you can control the sweetness of the grenadine.

We would like firstly to tear down the belief that grenadine is made from cherries. The brands available in stores are mostly bright red and usually transparent, but the homemade version really depends on the availability of the pomegranates. Ours is dark red in colour and it is not transparent. This sweet-tart grenadine syrup is an essential in every bar and is the perfect sweetener and colour maker in cocktails, alcoholic or not.

Many cocktails ask for a splash of grenadine with the most well-known being a Tequila Sunrise and a Shirley Temple. The non-alcoholic Cinderella cocktail is popular with kids as it gives a pink glow to common milk.

Grenadine gets its name from the French word for pomegranate which is grenade. It is easy to extract the red liquid with a juicer, but blending the arils with a little bit of water is also possible. Don’t forget to pass the juice through a sieve when using a blender or else use a good juicer machine where pulp and juice are well seperated. We also recommend to weigh all ingredients precisely to avoid the grenadine being too sweet.

How to store homemade grenadine

Homemade grenadine doesn’t contain preservatives and consequently the shelf life is shorter than commercial grenadine brands. We recommend making small batches and just enough for your needs as it will only keep for a maximum of 1 month in the fridge.

If making alcoholic cocktails you can add a shot of vodka or another strong white flavourless alcohol. The alcohol acts as a preservative and can extend the shelf life.

Freezing grenadine is also possible but we don’t recommend this as it is difficult to portion, and freshness is lost.