You had a cocktail party a few months ago and over-bought on the grenadine.  Now you’re probably wondering if what you have is still good.  Well, before you make another Tequila Sunrise, let’s find out.

Quick Answer

Unopened grenadine is best kept in a cool, dry place such as a pantry and it will be just fine for a year or longer past the best-by date stamped on the bottle.  Once opened, if you’re going to use it within a month it can be returned to the pantry, but if you’d like more time you can refrigerate it.  Opened but refrigerated grenadine will be good for up to six months or so.

Now that you know how long your grenadine will be good for, let’s break it down even further so you know how best to store your grenadine and for how long.

Does Grenadine Go Bad? How Long Does Grenadine Last?

Grenadine is loaded with sugar and will last a long time if stored in the right conditions.  Good grenadine can be a little expensive so be sure to get your money’s worth.

How Long Does Grenadine Last Outside?

Unopened grenadine should be stored in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry, away from heat and sunlight.  Heat and sunlight will more quickly diminish the quality of your grenadine.

Stored in a pantry your grenadine should be good a year past the best-by date stamped on the bottle, or longer.  The best-by date is a guide as to freshness, but it is not an expiration date.

Once opened and tightly resealed, your grenadine can be returned to the pantry shelf if you plan to finish the bottle within the next month.  Any longer than that and you should refrigerate your opened grenadine for maximum freshness.

How Long Does Grenadine Last in the Fridge?

Once opened, tightly reseal your grenadine bottle before deciding whether to return it to the pantry or refrigerate it.  Tightly sealing the bottle keeps as much air out as possible, retaining the freshness for as long as possible.

If you would like to keep your grenadine fresh for a few months, or longer, it would be better to refrigerate it.  Your grenadine should be good for four to six months.

Be sure to store your grenadine in the coldest part of the refrigerator and away from the door.  Anything in the door is subjected to temperature fluctuations, which will more quickly diminish the quality of your grenadine.

How Long Does Grenadine Last in the Freezer?

Grenadine can be frozen, but for best results, you will likely want to transfer the liquid to another freezer-friendly container rather than freeze it in its glass bottle.

Ice cube trays work very well for freezing grenadine.  Just transfer the grenadine cubes to a freezer-friendly food storage bag once frozen.  Be sure to remove as much air as possible from the bag so the grenadine cubes don’t take on other flavors.

Your frozen grenadine cubes will be good for six months or so, but after that, you will likely want to finish them as their quality will begin to diminish.

Grenadine, if stored properly, should last for quite a while on your pantry shelf.  Once opened, unless you have plans to use it quickly, it is best to refrigerate it.

How to Tell If Grenadine Has Gone Bad? / How to Know if Grenadine is Fresh?

Grenadine has a lot of sugar in it so chances are high it won’t go bad, but it will reach a point where it just isn’t as good as it once was.  When you’re wondering if your grenadine is past its prime, there are a few things to look for.

Your nose knows:  Give your grenadine a good sniff.  If it smells off or strange, it is no longer good and should just be replaced.  You want grenadine to smell sweet and like fruit so it has the effect you are expecting in your cocktail.

Cloudy isn’t good:  If your grenadine has turned cloudy, then it has turned and should be thrown away.  You ideally want grenadine syrup that is clear and without sediment.  Anything less will have a significant effect on the drink you are making and it isn’t worth ruining a good drink with bad grenadine.

Taste it:  If your grenadine tastes fine, then it most likely is fine to use.  If you have any doubt as to its freshness this is the best way to know for sure whether you should use it or not.  While you might not like it straight, your cocktail will benefit from the taste test.

How to Store Grenadine?

Ideally, unopened grenadine should be stored in a cool, dark place such as a pantry or cabinet.

Keep away from heat and sunlight:  Keep your grenadine away from heat and sunlight as both can diminish the quality of your grenadine more quickly.  Occasional changes in temperature or light won’t negatively impact your grenadine, but wide swings or constant sunlight definitely will.

Once opened, tightly seal and decide:  Once you open your grenadine you will need to consider how quickly you will use the remaining syrup.  If it is within a month, you can return the tightly sealed bottle to the pantry shelf.  If you may need more time, you will want to refrigerate instead.

Can You Freeze Grenadine? How?

Grenadine can be frozen, but it’s best to transfer it from the glass bottle it probably came in into something more freezer-friendly.  This will also help portion out your grenadine and make it easier to use once frozen.

Ice cube trays:  Ice cube trays work very well for freezing grenadine.  You will want to transfer the cubes to a freezer-friendly food storage bag once frozen.  This will keep your ice cube trays from turning pink and make it easier to get those cubes out before they freeze solid.

Remove as much air as possible:  If you intend to keep the frozen cubes on hand you will want to remove as much air as possible from the food storage bag to keep other freezer odors away from the grenadine cubes.

Don’t keep them too long:  You will want to use your grenadine cubes within about six months or so or you will start to notice the taste isn’t as strong as it once was.

How to Thaw Grenadine?

Since it’s easiest to freeze and store grenadine using an ice cube tray the thawing of grenadine is fairly simple.

If you want to thaw a few ice cubes at a time you can put them in a bowl and leave them in the refrigerator overnight, or you can just transfer them to a glass.

Frequently Asked Questions About Grenadine’s Shelf Life

My unopened grenadine is more than a year older than its best by date.  Is it still good?  If stored in ideal conditions, away from heat, and sunlight and in a cool, dark place, your grenadine could be good for much longer than a year.  The only way to know for sure is to open it, smell it and taste it.  If it seems fine, then it is.

My grenadine smells funny is it bad?  If your grenadine smells different or off then it is time to throw it away and open a new bottle.  It’s highly unlikely, due to the high sugar content of grenadine that your bottle has turned bad, but if it is too old the taste and odor will begin to change.

Wrap Up

Grenadine can stay on your pantry shelf for quite some time.  Once you open it you’ll want to think carefully about how long it will take you to finish the bottle.  Tell us in the comments below whether you keep your grenadine in the pantry or you keep it in the refrigerator.