Whether you’re an amateur bartender or a professional mixologist, you will need a variety of liquids to make your delicious cocktails.

At the core of any cocktail is alcohol, but the flavors that make cocktails so delicious and add some sweetness to them comes from juices and syrups. One of the more popular syrups used for cocktails is grenadine.

Depending on the type of cocktails you make, however, you may not need to use that much grenadine. A bottle of this useful pomegranate syrup may last you a long time and if it does, you may start wondering if it’s possible for grenadine to go bad.

Poor-quality ingredients will result in poor-quality cocktails so it’s important to make sure that your grenadine is still good to go.

Thankfully, grenadine can last a long time but it won’t last forever! In this article, we will look at whether grenadine goes bad and how to correctly store it so that you can keep it as fresh as possible for as long as possible.

Let’s get started.

What Is Grenadine?

Before we begin, let’s take a closer look at exactly what grenadine is. The ingredients that make grenadine will affect how long it can last, after all, so it’s good to know what grenadine consists of.

Grenadine is a non-alcoholic syrup that is commonly used in cocktails. It’s pretty simple as it is made from only three ingredients, which are pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice.

Some cheaper store-bought variations may be made from corn syrup, citric acid, and red food coloring instead.

How Long Will Grenadine Last Before Going Bad?

As you can see from the list of ingredients that are in grenadine, there isn’t anything that is particularly short-lived included. The inclusion of sugar suggests that grenadine will last for some time and thankfully, this is correct.

Let’s look at how long grenadine will last before going bad. There are different timescales depending on whether the bottle has been opened or not.

Unopened Bottles

Any store-bought bottle of grenadine should have a date printed on the label or bottle to suggest when it should be used by. This will typically be a few months away but it does depend on how long the bottle has been standing on the shelves of the store.

These dates always err on the side of caution and are conservative, so you can still use an unopened bottle of grenadine if it has gone past this expiration date.

We wouldn’t recommend using a bottle that is years out of date, but a month or two should still be fine.

Opened Bottles

Once you’ve opened the bottle and exposed the contents to the air, you need to be more careful. However, an opened bottle of grenadine will still last a long time.

If you store your bottle of grenadine at room temperature, for example, on the shelves of a bar, then your window to use it will be shorter. Grenadine stored at room temperature should be fine for two to three months after being opened.

Refrigerating the bottle will help it last longer. A refrigerated bottle can last for up to six months.

Does Grenadine Actually Go Bad?

Some food and drinks definitely go bad if not used in time and can make anyone who uses them very ill.

This isn’t the case with grenadine as you’re more likely to find that grenadine will lose its quality and won’t taste as good.

It’s highly unlikely that a bottle of grenadine will lead to food poisoning or any similar illnesses but it will reduce the quality of your cocktails if you use an old bottle.

If you want your cocktails to taste their best, replace your grenadine bottles if they reach the timescales we just introduced.

How To Correctly Store Grenadine

Now, let’s look at how to correctly store grenadine so that it will last as long as possible while still tasting as good as possible.

Unopened Bottles

These do not need to go in the fridge. Instead, they are best kept in a cool and dry place that is away from any direct sunlight. They shouldn’t be near any sources of heat either.

The best places to store an unopened bottle of grenadine are a kitchen cabinet or pantry. If you do choose a kitchen cabinet, just make sure it isn’t too close to your stove.

Opened Bottles

In contrast, the best place to store an opened bottle is in the fridge. You can store it in a cool and dry place such as a pantry or cabinet but it won’t last as long as it will in the fridge.

A bottle kept in a cabinet will keep for around one to two months compared to the four to six months that a refrigerated bottle will last.

After opening the bottle, make sure that you have sealed the bottle as tightly as you can. This will keep any air out of the bottle and will also help the bottle stay fresh for as long as possible.

How To Tell If Your Grenadine Has Spoiled

As we explained earlier, grenadine doesn’t go bad in the same manner that some other liquids like milk do. It’s not going to make you sick and it may not be obvious immediately that your grenadine is past its best.

If the grenadine has been sitting in the cabinet or fridge for too long, you should check it for freshness before you use it.

You may notice a slightly strange odor but it is more likely that it will taste a little strange. Again, this might not be a disgusting taste but it won’t taste as good as a fresh bottle.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we explained all you need to know about whether grenadine goes bad. If left for too long, grenadine can lose its freshness and quality so it’s important that you store it correctly and use it within the timescales we gave in this article.