The Jack Rose Cocktail takes its name from its main ingredient and its rosy color. Its ingredients are applejack (apple brandy), lemon juice, and grenadine. This classic cocktail has been popular since the 1920s. As with many classic cocktails, the Jack Rose has a balance of sweet and sour to accent the base liquor. You can adjust the amount of lemon juice and grenadine to suit your personal taste.

Applejack is similar to apple brandy with a mellower flavor. It is often made with a blend of apple brandy and neutral grain spirits. The result is a strong liquor (often bottled at 80 proof) with a rich apple flavor that’s perfect for cocktails like this.

Applejack provides a subtly fruity base to the Jack Rose that merges effortlessly with the lemon and grenadine. Good grenadine is essential when making this cocktail, as it’s the only source of sweetness to balance the flavors.

Note: You can skip the bright-red versions that are laden with artificial ingredients, and instead try making your own with pomegranate juice and sugar. It’s simple and effective.

Jack Rose Recipe
Yields one cocktail

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces applejack or apple brandy
3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce grenadine
Lemon twist for garnish

Directions
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the applejack, lemon juice, and grenadine.

Shake until well-chilled and fine-strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Homemade Grenadine Recipe
Adapted from The Spruce Eats

This syrup is delicious in cocktails. And, you can also use it to drizzle it over ice cream, pancakes, or add some to flavor cake frosting or yogurt.

Ingredients
2 cups pomegranate juice
2 cups granulated sugar
1 to 2 dashes orange flower water

Directions
Combine the pomegranate juice and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a slow boil until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat and cover the pot. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Allow the mixture to cool and then pour it into a sealed jar or bottle.

Once cooled, add a dash of orange flower water and shake it to mix.

Grenadine should last up to three weeks in the refrigerator. To extend grenadine’s shelf life, add 1/4 ounce of vodka to the bottle. Alternatively, you can freeze a portion for later.