Homemade Grenadine
Insane? Maybe. Homemade is so much better though.
Quinine Tincture
6 grams powdered cinchona bark
150 ml Everclear or similar
For the botanicals
20 grams citric acid
20 grams angelica root
30 grams orange peel, peeled with a vegetable peeler
30 grams lemon peel, peeled with a vegetable peeler
8 grams coriander seed
5 grams cardamom pods
5 grams juniper berries
400 grams sugar
500 ml water
Make the quinine tincture
Mix the cinchona powder with the Everclear, cover, and let sit overnight. Strain through a coffee filter fitted on your finest mesh strainer (or filter cone) into a container. It might take a while. Then strain again through a second coffee filter to really remove the fine particulate.
Make the botanical syrup
Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer and let cool.
Measure out 45 ml (1 1/2 ounces) of the quinine tincture and mix into the cooled syrup. Keep the rest of the quinine tincture in an airtight container (the tincture will keep indefinitely). Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least 2 weeks.