Cherry Juice
Juice pressed from cherries, used to add tart-sweet fruit flavor and color.
Origin
Wherever cherries are grown commercially; pressed cherry juice has been made as a farmhouse and later commercial product for centuries.
History
Cherry juice, particularly from tart Montmorency cherries, has long been pressed both for direct drinking and as a base for jams, syrups, and cordials. It became a widely available bottled commercial product through the 20th century, and in cocktails it provides real cherry flavor and a deep red color without the sweetness and viscosity of a cherry liqueur, useful in drinks that want cherry as a background note rather than the main flavor.
Flavor profile
Tart-sweet cherry flavor, thinner and less concentrated than cherry liqueur or syrup.
Tasting notes
Bright, tart cherry flavor without much added sweetness (particularly if it's tart/Montmorency-style juice rather than a sweetened cherry drink), useful for adding real fruit character and color to a mixed drink.
Substitutes
- Cranberry juice, for a similarly tart, deep-red juice in place of cherry.
- Cherry brandy or liqueur diluted with water, as a sweeter, more concentrated stand-in.
- Pomegranate juice, for a different but comparably tart, dark-red substitute.
Common cocktails