Grenadine
Is this for me?
Choose this if…
- ✓You want to add sweetness and flavour depth to a drink.
Skip if…
- ✗You prefer dry, unsweetened cocktails.
What is Grenadine?
Grenadine is a red cocktail syrup used for colour, sweetness and berry-pomegranate style fruit notes. It appears in tropical drinks, sours, non-alcoholic drinks, layered cocktails and classic pink or red mixed drinks.
What does Grenadine taste like?
Sweet, fruity and bright red, with pomegranate, berry or cherry-like notes depending on the syrup. Grenadine pairs well with citrus, rum, gin, tequila, brandy, orange juice, pineapple and soda.
Grenadine profile
Best used for: sours, refreshing drinks, tropical drinks, balancing citrus cocktails
- Appears in 119+ recipes
- Works in both cocktails and mocktails
- Has 3 common substitutes
Best For
Best With Grenadine
Drink Profile
Best for
- Mocktails
- Best with lemon juice
- Best with lime juice
- Best with orange juice
Substitutes & similar
Possible substitutes for Grenadine
About this drink
Grenadine historically points to pomegranate syrup, although many commercial versions became more generic red fruit syrups. It matters for cocktails and mocktails because it adds color, sweetness and fruit character in drinks like the Jack Rose and Shirley Temple family.
Similar styles
Use grenadine for red fruit sweetness
Grenadine adds color, sweetness and a pomegranate-like fruit impression. Use it carefully because too much can overpower citrus, spirits and lighter mixers.
Substitutes
How to swap Grenadine
When replacing Grenadine, match sweetness and texture. A thicker or flavored sweetener may need a smaller measure so the drink does not become heavy.
Skip if
Do not choose Grenadine when...
Do not choose Grenadine as the first fix for a harsh drink. Extra sweetness can cover imbalance instead of solving it; adjust citrus, dilution or bitters first.
Drink counts and recipe data are based on published WhatDrink recipes. Figures may vary as new recipes are added.