Grenadine syrup is a bar syrup that doesn’t contain alcohol used in many drinks, including mocktails. Originally, grenadine syrup came from pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice. Most commercial syrup today is sugar and food coloring with artificial flavors.
Do you know where to find grenadine syrup in the grocery store if you want to buy some?
You will find grenadine syrup in the liquor section of most grocery stores like Walmart, Publix, Costco, Aldi and Kroger. Bottles of the syrup usually sit on the shelf near the liquor, wine, and beer.
Typically, there’s a section of the aisle for mixers and non-alcoholic ingredients like margarita mix and various syrups.
If you don’t find grenadine syrup with the alcohol mixers, the next place to check is in the section with the sparkling water, club soda, and seltzer. If you don’t find grenadine syrup in the seltzer aisle, look in the condiments like honey (see honey section), jams, and syrups (see corn syrup section) section.
What aisle is grenadine in? look first in the aisle with the whisky, vodka, bourbon, gin, and rum.
Where to buy grenadine near me
Most large grocery stores that carry liquor and mixers should carry grenadine syrup. You can probably find it at these grocery stores:
- Walmart – Some states only have state-run liquor stores, so every grocery might not carry grenadine syrup. When Walmart has it, it’s in the aisle with the wine and hard liquor.
- Kroger – Kroger keeps grenadine syrup with the liquor and wine.
- Costco – If grenadine syrup isn’t with the alcohol mixers in a Costco, check with the sugar, sweeteners, and other syrups.
- Albertson’s – You’ll find grenadine syrup with alcohol mixers.
- Aldi – This store is hit and miss for grenadine syrup. When they carry it, it’s with the mixers.
- Publix – This store keeps grenadine syrups with the other cocktail mixers.
Small grocery stores might not carry grenadine syrup, especially if they don’t carry liquor or a variety of sweeteners and syrups.
How to buy grenadine syrup online
Grenadine syrup doesn’t require refrigeration before it’s open, so it’s a shelf-stable food. If you can’t figure out where to buy grenadine syrup in a local store, you can order it online easily. Once you open it, you should keep it in the refrigerator, especially during warmer months.
- Amazon – An Amazon Prime membership means they’ll ship it to you free.
- Walmart – You can order grenadine syrup through the mail if you can’t get it locally.
- Target – Buy grenadine syrup at some Targets or order online.
- Kroger – Kroger might have it in stock for shipping.
Stores that sell canned or bottled pantry items might carry grenadine syrup by shipping and delivery.
What can i get in place of grenadine?
Try making it yourself if you can’t figure out where to buy grenadine and don’t want to order online. Use equal amounts of pomegranate juice and sugar, and add a teaspoon of lemon juice to taste. Or you can try this grenadine recipe with orange water.
If you’d rather use a grenadine equivalent, one of these choices will help you finish your recipe.
Molasses
If you can’t find grenadine, look in your pantry for molasses. Blackstrap molasses might add a rich and bitter taste you don’t want in the recipe or the drink. Regular molasses lacks that bitter flavor.
The reason molasses works as a grenadine syrup equivalent is that grenadine syrup sweetens whatever drink or dish calls for it. Molasses is a sugar creation byproduct that’s naturally sweet.
Molasses isn’t as sweet as sugar, however. It has a deeper and richer flavor than plain table sugar and imparts an almost caramel flavor.
Grenadine syrup’s sweet and slightly sour taste brings a depth of taste with it that simple sugar can’t replace. Molasses gets closer, so it makes a better alternative.
If the grenadine syrup is part of an alcoholic beverage, molasses should make a great option by also toning down the alcohol flavor the way grenadine syrup would. If you’re using blackstrap molasses, use about one-quarter the amount and taste the drink before adding more to see if the blackstrap flavor is overpowering.
Raspberry Syrup
Raspberries have a tart flavor reminiscent of the slightly sour lemon-juice finish of grenadine syrup.This syrup will be sweeter without the layers of flavor found in grenadine syrup or molasses.
If you can’t find raspberry syrup at your grocery store, but they have fresh or frozen raspberries, you can make your own. Measure the raspberries you want to use, then add equal amounts of sugar and water in ⅔ the amount of the raspberries.
For instance, if you have a cup of raspberries, use ⅔ cup of water and ⅔ cup of sugar. Boil the water, then add the sugar. When it dissolves, add the raspberries and bring the mixture to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer, and reduce the fruit mixture for about one hour, then strain it and use the remaining liquid as raspberry syrup. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Fruit Juice
You can use fruit juice to add the sweetness the grenadine adds. The flavor won’t be the same, but it will probably be close enough, especially if it’s a sweet alcoholic beverage.
Use the same amount of fruit juice as you would grenadine syrup. The best fruit juice will also have tartness with sweetness, like cranberry juice or tart cherry juice. Pomegranate juice would be the best substitute mixed with a spoonful or two of sugar or honey and a splash of lemon juice.
You can mix in a small amount of lemon juice to cut the sweetness and make it taste more like grenadine syrup, or you can add a little honey to add a depth of flavor to the fruit juice.
