If you enjoy using grenadine in different drinks, you may be wondering if it needs to be refrigerated or if it is shelf-stable. This is a commonly asked question as this is an ingredient that confuses a lot of people.
It can be hard to know whether a drink additive like grenadine is shelf stable or needs to be kept cold. Resulting in a lot of confusion as people do not know how to safely store this kind of ingredient.
This is something that is important to know before opening a bottle of grenadine as you do not want it to go to waste by storing it improperly. Keep reading to find out whether or not grenadine needs to be refrigerated or if it can be left out.
Grenadine Doesn’t Require Refrigeration
Grenadine is a type of flavoring syrup used in a wide variety of beverages. It does not need to be refrigerated after it is opened as it is considered to be a shelf-stable ingredient that can last for 1 to 2 months out of the fridge.
This is a brightly colored ingredient that is a popular additive to all kinds of beverages, whether they be fizzy or alcoholic. It is made primarily out of pomegranate juice, giving its bright and tart flavor as well as its bright color.
This is one of those things that can be confusing when it comes to knowing how it should be stored. As it is considered to be both a flavoring and a syrup, making it hard to know whether it is shelf-stable or not.
Though it is widely recognized that grenadine is perfectly safe when stored at room temperature and does not require refrigeration. Though it will last longer if it is refrigerated and will maintain a fresher flavor.
Many people still choose to refrigerate their Grenadine as this helps to preserve the flavor and keep it bright and fresh. Though this is not required, as grenadine will not go bad for quite a while when stored at room temperature.
1 to 2 Months
Grenadine will be perfectly safe when kept at room temperature for 1 to 2 months after you have opened it. This is a flavoring syrup that is considered to be quite a shelf-stable when compared to other types of syrup.
Though you will want to use it up within one to two months as it may go bad after this timeline. You will also want to keep an eye on how it looks and smells to make sure that it has not gone off before you use it up.
4 to 6 Months
If grenadine is kept in the refrigerator, it will be able to last for 4 to 6 months. More than doubling its lifespan than if it were to be stored at room temperature once you opened it.
This is often an ideal option, as many people struggle to use up their grenadine within two months before it goes bad. Because it is a drink additive, you are not going to be using a large quantity of it, so a longer lifespan is preferable.
Does Grenadine Go Bad?
Grenadine contains a large amount of sugar as well as lemon juice, both being a natural preservative. Because of this, it can’t take quite a while for grenadine to go bad even if it is stored at room temperature.
Though it is recommended that you not keep grenadine at room temperature for any longer than two months, it will most likely last longer than that. So you can safely continue to use it until you see signs that it has gone bad.
The grenadine will most likely change in its appearance, smell, and taste if it has started to go bad. It may start to look cloudy or start to darken in color or even begin separating and have a different texture.
The most noticeable sign will most likely be the scent of the grenadine when you open it. If it has gone bad, it will most likely have a foul or rotten odor to it as the pomegranate juice, and lemon juice start to deteriorate.
If it changes in flavor at all, you should stop using it and throw it away, as this is most likely a sign that it has begun to go bad. Though you will most likely be able to tell this by how it smells before you ever taste it.
How Long Does Grenadine Last Once Opened?
If you have opened your bottle of grenadine and do not know how to store it, you may be wondering how long it will last. The good news is that grenadine is mostly made up of syrup and lemon juice, both ingredients that last a long time.
So grenadine should be able to last for 2 to 6 months, depending on how you store it. If you store it in a refrigerator, it will last much longer and will most likely even be good up to six months or even longer.
Just make sure you are regularly checking it so that you know when it has gone off and needs to be thrown out. Though this will most likely take quite a long time as any kind of flavoring syrup generally tends to have a long shelf life.
So you will be guaranteed to have your grenadine around for much longer if you keep it in a cold environment like a refrigerator.
Final Thoughts
If you have opened a fresh bottle of grenadine, you may be wondering if this needs to be refrigerated. Grenadine is a flavoring syrup that does not contain any alcohol, so it does have a shelf life, and it can go bad eventually.
Because of this, grenadine should be stored properly, it can be stored either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Both options are safe, though the refrigerator is preferable as it will lengthen the lifespan of your grenadine and keep it fresher.
You can expect your grenadine to last for 2 to 6 months, depending on how you are storing it once it is opened.