Liqueurs aka Cordials| Basics 101 

Hey dreamingwolf8382, thank you for your comment! I've actually tackled this comment before, but it was a little while back so you probably didn't see it. But just to clarify, You are totally right that grenadine was originally made from pomegranate juice. The word actually comes from the French word for pomegranate "Grenade." BUT sadly, because the production of grenadine is not regulated, most manufacturers stopped using actual fruit juice (like black currant juice which used to be popular) long ago and most brands like Rose's (the one most new bartenders will work it in the US) use high fructose corn syrup and citric acid to recreate the flavor profile, but this product has a flavor more like cherries than pomegranates. You can find grenadine made with pomegranate in Europe, but not easy to find in the US. The reason I educate my students on this cherry flavored American version, rather then leaving it at pomegranate, is because so many of my followers are new bartenders in the US and I like to focus on the products they are likely to actually use and I describe it as cherry-flavored to help explain the flavor to students who have probably never tasted pomegranate syrup. I also describe it the way that I do so that students understand why they can use maraschino cherry juice as an emergency substitute if they don't have, or run out of, grenadine. Also, you are correct that most bottles have a picture on the label, but I caution you from relying on that to inform you on the flavor. The Rose's brand that you are most likely to use has several labels most of which have lemons on them, not pomegranates. Finest Call brand's bottle, another popular American brand, has a label with cherries, apples and pomegranates on them but none of those fruits are used in the product. So I would just caution you there and recommend that you check the ingredient list rather than relying on the picture on the label. Anyway, I know this is long lol and probably more info on grenadine than any one needs, but just because this seems to be a topic folks are interested in, I just wanted to clarify even more than I have in my previous comment responses. Anywho, I hope this helps and isn't too annoying to read lol. Thanks again so much for watching my vids and for commenting!

@@RockstarBarGirl I love all basics 101 videos great refresher. You covered a lot, very straight forward to the point and I'm glad you made that mistake proof that you are human couse everything was perfect ❤👌🏽

@@RockstarBarGirl Excellent response here! People can't help but wait to sharp shoot others for a misspoken statement. You got it sis! Thank you for your, time, effort, knowledge, and poise.

RockstarBarGirl The way you responded to this shows you are very knowledgeable on the subject! I’m from Europe so I was confused about this but it makes so much sense the way you explained it! Here putting a pomegranate on the lable would be illegal if there is no pomegranate or even majority pomegranate in the product I believe. Great video!

Pretty sure you're the only one who who would nitpick at an isolated oversight in an educational video. Fucking Karen.

Wow! Thank you so much!

eartha78 thank you! more material on the job search process coming soon. Tell your friends to subscribe and thank you for tuning in.

Thank you so much Chineme! I love to hear that because that's exactly what I am hoping to do! Best of luck and thanks again!

@@RockstarBarGirl I'm not in school yet but becuz of you when I get there i'll know my shit! Thank you for being kind enough to share on yt you are my inspiration to do this and be the best at it!

Same! She is the bomb!

Or I shoulda say she on fleek my age is showing!

Thanks so much! I'm glad you find my videos helpful.

Thank you, you too! Lol! Go knock em dead rockstar!

Omg i attended my bartending course..i did wow them i knew a few things from my girl Ali amazing Rockstar Girl...you should do a online course or teach it yourself for profit..im sure you will make lots of money.your personality shines through. Thank you ...i owe it all to you. The girl that taught was a bartender 11 yrs and always was asked to teach new bartenders at work now she has a mobile service she does and once a month she does 5 hr class of basic things...God bless ..congratulations on new job...💞🎊🎊🎊🎊🍸🍸🍸🍸🍸💞💝

You are very welcome!! Thank YOU for watching!!

thank YOU!

Thank you!

Thank you Yogita! You rock too! More is on its way, I promise. xoxo

Thank you Kitty! More to Come

Thank YOU Genveive, I'm so glad you like it! I go even more in depth in my online course so I hope you get a chance to check it out one day. therockstarbargirl.com. Thank you for tuning in!

Hi there! Thanks for watching! That's a good question. Your liqueurs, typically, are the supporting actors in your cocktail. They are not the main characters- that would be your liquors- and they are not the extras- that would be your juices and sodas. Hope that helps!

Thank YOU!

Thank you!

Thank you German! I am so glad you find my videos helpful! I don't know if you saw, but I just launched a website The RockStar BarGirl Master Class where I will be posting in-depth courses complete with training materials that I can't post on RU-vid. I hope you check it out when you can. therockstarbargirl.com

@@RockstarBarGirl thank you very much for your information... I will be checking that out.. I live in Los Angeles and I would like to become a bartender or at least to have the knowledge about it... I am currently working in something else not related to the bartending scene but I really enjoy your experiences and explanations... wonderful job my love... have a great time. We'll be in touch.

Cecilia, thank you! that is so good to know. Mandorla Mandorla. lol I'll have to get used to saying it. Is the sweet you have almond flavored? or is that just the name? thanks!

Yeah, it is almond flavoured and it's really good ahah You should try it if you ever get a chance!@@RockstarBarGirl

Hi Xena, thanks again for watching. This is a great question! So for anyone reading this who didn't see the video, Amaretto is a liqueur that is almond-flavored. But funny enough, it is my understanding that most almond liqueurs, including the most popular Disaronno, don't actually have almonds in them. They get their flavor from things like apricot kernels or palm seeds. But that being said some almond liqueurs do use almonds. Further, other almond flavored ingredients that you might put in a cocktail to bring out the almond flavor such as Orgeat (a sweet syrup made from sugar, rose water, and almonds) definitely has almonds in it. So generally speaking, most Amaretto should be ok for an allergy sufferer. BUT allergies are nothing to play with and the only way to know for sure is to research the amaretto and then do an oral test to see if reaction occurs. Hope that helps!

also triple sec contains alcohol?

Hi Get.Grounded. Thanks for watching. There is a classic cocktail called a Pink Lady made with gin and there's a type of apple referred to as "pink lady" but Ive never heard of the "pink lady apple" lol. So I am not sure. What I can tell you is that Sour Apple Pucker is green and has a sweet and tart taste similar to a granny smith apple whereas apple liquor is brown in color and has more of a regular red apple taste. Hope that helps!

Anastasia, another great question! Vermouth is not covered in this video because it is not a cordial. Vermouth is a fortified wine. And so while it may be used in cocktails in proportions similar to the way cordials are often used, the similarities end there. Vermouth has no added sugar and will not add sweetness or flavor (other than the flavor of vermouth of course) to the drink. Hope that helps, thanks again!

Lol. I once forgot the prosseco in a customer's Aperol spritz towards the end of a horrible shift, and he acted like I murdered someone. I looked him in the eye, said nothing, then walked to the office and told the GM I was clocking out. He might still be sitting there lol.

@@RockstarBarGirl people need to chilllll besides you're still a rockstar! I will say though some bartenders dgaf bcs I live downtown in my city and I wanted a dirty martini and I was lucky enough to get a shot of gin with a shot of olive juice 🤒 Thanks for the response, loooove your work 💗

Shahla, thank you for your comments. I think someone else left the same comment a few months ago. But yes! authentic grenadine is made from pomegranate. But the "cheap" stuff you are more likely to work with at your bar is actually a cherry based syrup. In a pinch, bartenders use the juice from the cherries as a substitute when the grenadine runs out. Someone in the comments mentioned that they would use raspberry juice or syrup instead. Which sounds delicious, just not an item you are likely to find in a casual bar environment. Hope that helps and thanks for watching!

Thanks for your comment Jamc666! Just because I want to clarify, you are absolutely correct to point out that original grenadine is made from pomegranates and therefore does not taste exactly like cherry juice. However this page focuses on high-volume, "dive" bartending - an environment where you are not likely to work with authentic grenadine. The product you will most likely use will be Rose' grenadine which is about 93% sugar, high fructose corn syrup and water and contains little to no pomegranate juice. The taste is best described as a cherry flavored syrup similar to the syrup surrounding maraschino cherries. in fact, ive seen bartenders use their maraschino cherry juice in a pinch when the grenadine ran out! :) For our purposes "cherry-flavored syrup" is a sufficient description. thanks again!

Volker R see my comment below on jamc666's comment where I explain that grenadine is a pomegranate syrup. Thanks!

RockstarBarGirl I would agree to replace with Raspberry, but never Cherry. My opinion...

Sour mix is a mixer. Though, you can certainly call it a juice because that's basically what it is. Sour mix is made from equal parts lemon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup (aka sugar dissolved in water). It's a popular mixer in cocktails. In craft establishments, it is often made by hand in house. In casual bars it is usually a concentrated syrup that comes in a box. It is hooked up to the soda gun system and it mixes with water to dilute it as it runs through the soda gun. Thanks for watching.

i know how that works,barbacked for 2 years @ the Saddle Rack in San Jose,ca and had my own in the back bar there for 7 or 8 mths before they closed.

and you can use sour mix as a juice but i cut it with a little club soda

Definitely! Fresh made sour mix is better, but if you are working with the concentrated pre-made version, it can be very sweet and tart. A little club soda is a great idea. Thank you for sharing!