Grapefruit: Everything You Need To Know
We're shining the spotlight on a favourite Fitch & Leedes flavour; the grapefruit. Its striking sour flavour and rich rose-coloured inside make it a unique fruit that's worth having its own tonic water.
We want our customers to have all the tools they need to become the ultimate #AtHomeBartender, and one of those tools is knowledge. Knowledge is key, and the more you know about the flavours you're mixing with, the better you'll be at mixing and experimenting with cocktails.
Behind The Grapefruit
1. How It's Made
Most of the citrus fruits we know and love today are a cross between one of five base fruits: kumquats, papas, citrons, pomelos, and mandarins.
The grapefruit is a backcross between the pomelo and the sweet orange, with the sweet orange being a hybrid of the pomelo and the mandarin.
2. What's In A Name
Grapefruits are often confused with what was once referred to as the forbidden fruit; a fruit found in the Caribbean that is closely related to the grapefruit. Grapefruits were given their name because of the way they grow in bunches, similar to grapes.
3. Sour = Poison
The sourness of a grapefruit takes our palates some getting used to because our brains naturally register sour flavours to be poisonous.
We can learn to love the bright and flavourful citrus notes of a grapefruit after practice and consistent exposure. Yes, this means you could even one day teach yourself to eat an entire lemon.
4. Source of Citric Acid
Compared to their citrus counterparts, grapefruits contain around 50% of the citric acid that lemons and limes contain, which is about half the amount more than orange juice.
5. Grapefruit Syrup
Grapefruits can be used in a Simple Syrup to make a Grapefruit Simple Syrup.
Using one part sweetener of choice, one part water, and a sliced up grapefruit, you can add a sweetened grapefruit flavour to any cocktail. We have a great step by step guide for making your own flavoured Simple Syrup here.
6. Grapefruit Garnish Galore
Another great use for grapefruits is to make garnishes out of them.
You can twist the rind around a bar spoon to create a beautifully twisted cocktail garnish.
Another garnish option is to simply dehydrate slices of grapefruit. Using either an oven or a dehydrator, this option is super simple and a great way to make garnishes in bulk. Our Dehydrated Cocktail Garnish blog is a great tool for learning how to do this yourself.
7. Grapefruit Cocktails
As if we could talk about grapefruits without mentioning the many cocktail recipes that champion the citrus fruit.
Grapefruits are a great addition to any cocktail. These are our favourite cocktail recipes containing the grapefruit's beautiful eclectic flavours.
Grapefruit Mezcal Tonic
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Grapefruit Chilli Gin & Tonic
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Grapefruit Thyme Gin & Tonic
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The Bitter End
Too many things these days are overly sweet, it’s nice to appreciate the sour fruits like the grapefruit.
We treasure fine craftsmanship and unmatched quality at Fitch & Leedes, which is why the grapefruit is a key feature for our Premium Grapefruit Tonic.
We want our audience to know everything about the flavours they’re mixing with and we hope you can share your knowledge the next time you're mixing with one of our tonics, using one of our cocktail recipes.