Back in the 1950s, when Coca-Cola was served at lunch counters and made from a mixture of syrup carbonized with pressurized soda water, grenadine was the popular additive that turned a simple Coke into a Cherry Coke.
To enjoy a grenadine and orange juice cocktail to the fullest, use quality spirits and fresh ingredients, such as freshly squeezed orange juice and high-quality grenadine syrup made with pomegranates.
A mixture of grenadine, gin, cherry brandy, sweet and sour mix and club soda, the drink was often considered a "gateway" drink for novices who had never before consumed an alcoholic beverage.
Its original ingredients included tequila, crème de cassis, lime juice, soda water and grenadine; however, the more common blend used today is simply tequila, orange juice and grenadine.
The fruity flavors of grenadine and orange juice complement one another and pair well with many neutral and complex spirits, such as rum, vodka, gin, tequila and fruit-based liqueurs.
As more liquors and mixes became available and mixing techniques became more sophisticated, grenadine was incorporated into a variety of drinks with different liquor bases and mixers.
Gin is included in a variety of cocktails with orange juice and grenadine, including the Orange Blossom and classy Pink Flamingo made with vodka, sloe gin and Cointreau.
Sour sweeteners encompass a range of mixers, such as fruit juices, grenadine syrups, simple syrups and citrus-infused spirits like triple sec and Cointreau.
The flavors of brandy and vermouth add depth to the sweet ingredients in an American Beauty, which include ruby port, orange juice and grenadine.
Sea Breeze, a drink traditionally made today with vodka mixed with grapefruit and cranberry juice, was originally made with gin and grenadine.
