DIY Grenadine is surprisingly simple to make. It should be bright, tart and viscous and exhibits a deep red hue unlike the iridescent store bought grenadine.
Use a 100% pomegranate juice, preferably NOT from concentrate. The pomegranate should have a deep yet vibrant color to it. Some pomegranate juices have a brownish tinge to it or a cloudiness – this will still work but they won’t make your end cocktail look as visually appealing.
Purchasing the pomegranate juice is the easiest way unless you have a cold press or good quality juicer. Jeffery Morgenthaler recommends using a bench-top citrus press but this option will most likely be limited to bars and venues. I would avoid attempting to use a hand press (or citrus elbow) as it’s a tedious process and is relatively inefficient at juicing pomegranates. Blending and straining does work but you will need to fine strain numerous times before running through a coffee filter – and it will still result in a cloudy juice.
You can utilize grenadine in many classic cocktails such as the Scofflaw, El Presidente, Mexican Firing Square, Pink Lady and Jack Rose.
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