Whether you're a little kid or classy adult, grenadine is always a good addition to any drink. Grenadine is a red syrup made from pomegranate juice that adds a sweet note to any drink of your choice. Many people mistake grenadine for having a cherry flavor, but it's actually just made with pomegranate juice and sugar. It can be used to add a pop of color, add some sweetness, and just be a staple additive for any alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink of your choosing. Here are 10 grenadine drinks you can practice your bartending skills on.
1. Shirley Temple
Growing up Shirley Temples were always a staple at any fancy event, especially if you were under the age of 21, but even when you reach legal drinking age you still love those maraschino cherries. Mix grenadine with ginger ale, top it off with a cherry (or a few), and enjoy! You can always add alcohol and make it a Dirty Shirley, but why mess with a classic?
2. Roy Rogers
Now for the Roy Rogers, you take the same idea as a Shirley Temple, but instead of ginger ale, you use Coca Cola. So mix together Coke with the grenadine and you have a whole new set of flavors to tickle your taste buds.
3. Tequila Sunrise
Now we all love that tropical vibe especially with our drink choices. Take a glass and fill it with some ice (ice baby) and then add in orange juice and tequila. Float the grenadine to get that sunrise effect. Garnish with an orange wedge and cherry and let the tropical paradise surround you.
4. The Hurricane
A sweet alcoholic drink made with rum, fruit juice, and syrup or grenadine. It is one of many popular drinks served in New Orleans. Mix together Amaretto, gin, dark rum, light rum, grapefruit juice, grenadine, orange juice, and pineapple juice. Shake together, pour over ice, and enjoy
5. New York
Fill a shaker with bourbon, peach brandy, lime juice, simple syrup, grenadine and an orange peel. Shake it up and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve it with an orange slice.
5. The Paradise Cocktail
This fun and colorful drink will not only evoke the inner rainbow lover in you, but bring out the tastebuds in all the different flavors! You will fool everyone to think you are a master bartender making this drink!
1. Pour 1/2 oz of grenadine in the base of your glass and fill with ice
2. In a separate container combine 3 oz of pineapple juice with 1 oz of Malibu coconut rum, and stir until mixed together
3. In another container mix 1/4 oz blue Curacao with 1 oz of water then pour over the pineapple juice mixture in the glass with ice
4. It you're feeling really fancy, garnish with a lemon and enjoy!
6. Blushing Mimosas
We all love that bit of bubbly and heres a fun twist on a traditional mimosa. Something about the tiny bubbles puts us all in a celebratory mood to start the holiday, and just by adding a little pineapple juice and grenadine it can add a lovely twist to a brunch classic. Using 1 cup of pineapple juice, splash of grenadine (2 tablespoons), 2 cups of orange juice and of course some champagne or sparkling wine and you have a beautiful pink mimosa. I like to add a few cherries also for color, and who doesn't love a little fruity fun? If you want to make it non-alcoholic, just replace ginger-ale for the champagne.
7. The Purple Pushover
The Purple Pushover is a mostly rum-based cocktail, with orange and pineapple juice, and some very clear notes from a red raspberry liqueur and grenadine. The taste is fruity and sweet packed with citrus and berry flavors. Take 1/4 ounce of dark rum, 1/4 ounce of Malibu coconut rum, 1/4 ounce DeKuyper Razzmatazz, 1 dash of Cruzan 151 rum, 2-3 ounces of orange juice, 2-3 ounces of pineapple juice, a splash of grenadine, and a dash of 7-Up. Put everything except the dash of 151 rum into a shaker with ice. Pour into a glass of your choosing and then float the rum on top. This drink is actually more on the weaker side due to the low-proof liqueurs, so it is good for those who want to have a drink, but still stay on their game. So pull this out at your next work-related party or special event.
8. Cherry Cheesecake
Want the taste of a dessert in your cocktail glass? Well with this recipe it can take the delicious taste of cheesecake replicated using our favorite ingredient... Grenadine! Using vanilla liquor, cranberry juice, and grenadine mix it all up and pour into a glass of your choosing. Of course you cannot have cheesecake (or really any cake) without topping it off with some whipped cream.
9. Chocolate Cherry Bomb
For those chocolate lovers, here is a perfect drink to sip on and enjoy some indulgence. Layer grenadine, white Creme de Cacao, and cream. Close your eyes and drink in and you'll think its a chocolate covered cherry.
10. Mango Sour Candy Apple
This one almost makes me think of those sour belts you can get in a candy store, but with booze. Mix together mango rum, Sour Apple Pucker, apple vodka, grenadine, and sweet and sour mix. Pour over ice and indulge in the candy-loving kid inside you.
Now that you've gotten a few new recipes under your belt you're ready to be the next bartender at any gathering or social event! Grenadine is such a simple ingredient and yet can be transformed into so many different delightful cocktails both alcoholic and not. Remember, do not overthink it! Cocktails whether they are alcoholic or not just need to have flavors that mix well. So use this red syrupy goodness in your tropical drinks, to your everyday ginger ale if you wanna be fancy, and inspire the bartender in you. So bring out the grenadine and enjoy the smiles that follow suit.