How to Make Grenadine

A few weeks ago we did a feature on the Tequila Sunrise. That was a fun article because the drink has these three great layers. The drink starts off sour with the lemon juice on top, then it becomes tangy with the orange juice, and then sweet and fruity with the Grenadine. Yum!

But there is one great way to improve the Tequila Sunrise; in fact, this can improve many of your mixed drinks. You can make your own Grenadine.

Real Grenadine is made from Pomegranates, but the stuff you buy in a bottle at the liquor store doesn’t have any pomegranate juice in it – which is why it isn’t nearly as good as homemade. Also, as with everything else, when you make your own, you can control the flavor. And in the case of making Grenadine, that means really pumping up the pomegranate flavor.

Here’s how to make it:

• 4 cups of Pomegranate Juice (you can find it on the juice aisle at your grocery store)
• ½ cup of Sugar
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice

Stir all the ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil for about 45 – 55 minutes. You’ll want to test the consistency to make sure it doesn’t get too thick. Here’s how:

As you approach 45 minutes, use a spoon to get a little bit of the grenadine out. You only need a couple teaspoons to do the test. Put it on a plate and let it cool for a minute or so.

Once it is cool to room temperature, tip the plate and watch what it does. It should leave a nice coat of syrup as it easily slides down the plate. If it just sits there in a pile of purple goo, then it is way too thick. If it runs like water, then it’s still too thin.

A great comparison is to just use a little bit of the bottled Grenadine to see how the correct consistency looks. Although the bottled stuff doesn’t taste so great, it is the correct consistency.

The reason you need to get the consistency correct is that if the syrup is too thick then it will just pool at the bottom of all your drinks. Instead you want it to float on the bottom like a cloud.

You will notice that homemade grenadine is dark purple in color. It isn’t red like the junk in the bottle. It also tastes amazing!

Oh, and the other great way to improve your Tequila Sunrise is to squeeze your own orange and lemon juices. Simply outstanding.

There are over 9,000 Mixed Drinks and Cocktail Recipes at the Drunk Man’s Guide

Friday 5 o’clock Cocktail – Tequila Sunrise

Maybe it’s because Spring is in the air. Maybe I’m just low on Vitamin C, but I have to admit I’ve been drinking these all week
The Orange Juice and Pommegranet flavor in the Grenadine goes well with the silky smoothness of the Tequila. A little squirt of lime juice really finishes the drink off nicely.

Here’s how I make mine:

• 1 1/2 oz Tequila
• 3 oz Orange Juice
• Splash of Grenadine
• 1 slice of lime

Directions:
Combine first three ingredients in a rocks or highball glass with ice. Squeeze the lime slice over the drink and then drop it in. Stir gently. Enjoy.

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