What's The Primary Flavor You Can Taste In Grenadine?

Whether mixing up cocktails in your kitchen or ordering something to sip at a local bar, grenadine can be found in plenty of mixed drinks. The sweet addition enhances the flavor in every glass, along with a vibrant crimson hue. But what does grenadine actually taste like?

Grenadine's flavor may be commonly associated with cherries, perhaps thanks to the popularity of Shirley Temples and Dirty Shirleys, which typically top the drink off with a maraschino cherry. Or, maybe the color is the reason for the association. However, real grenadine doesn't actually contain any cherry flavor at all.

Instead, a different fruit is responsible for the flavor. Both the sweet taste and the bright red color are derived from pomegranates (which have been called the most seductive fruit). The fruit is the prominent flavor of the syrup, providing the fruity, sweet taste it's known for. The syrup's name, grenadine, even comes from the French word for pomegranate.

The confusion is pretty common. Plenty of people think that pomegranates have a flavor similar to sour cherries. Pomegranates are a little sweeter than cherries, making the fruit a great choice to complement the bitterness of the alcohol found in cocktails.

While it can be found in most grocery stores, making your own grenadine can give your drinks a fresher, fruity flavor. You can purchase pomegranate juice at the store or grab a fresh pomegranate and press the seeds to extract their juice. Then, add the liquid into a saucepan on the stove, and dissolve some sugar in the juice. This process will sweeten the mix a little more but also slightly reduce it, giving the grenadine a more syrupy consistency.

Once the grenadine is ready, allow it to cool to room temperature, then store it in a glass bottle with an airtight cap. The syrup will last up to a month if kept in the fridge.

Once your grenadine is ready, it can be used in several different drinks. For those who don't drink alcohol but still want a mocktail, the classic Shirley Temple mixes 8 ounces of lemon-lime soda and 1 ounce of grenadine, garnished with a cherry on top. (The alcoholic version of this, the Dirty Shirley, adds some vodka to the mix.)

The tequila sunrise is another drink that uses grenadine. The cocktail combines orange juice, tequila, and grenadine in one glass. The liquids are layered to create a red-to-orange gradient effect in the glass, mimicking the look of a sunrise and giving the drink its name.

Whether you buy a bottle or make your own, grenadine is an important ingredient to keep stocked in your home bar. The pomegranate flavor in the syrup can add a sweet and fruity flavor to any drink it's added into, alcoholic or otherwise.