This isn't really a syrup; it's basically a craft tonic in a bottle. We blend fresh grapefruit puree with floral elderflower, a hit of lemon, and just enough quinine to give it that real tonic-water bitterness — the kind of bitter that wakes up a drink instead of weighing it down. The result tastes like a grown-up grapefruit soda with the bitter-bright complexity of a proper craft tonic.
It's a one-bottle gin and tonic, basically. Add 1 oz to 1.5 oz of gin and 6 oz of sparkling water, and you've made a cocktail more interesting than the standard well-bar version. Splash it into tequila for a quick paloma-adjacent drink. Drink it solo with sparkling water and you've got a non-alcoholic option that still tastes like an actual cocktail — a real one for once.
Tasting Notes: bright pink grapefruit, soft elderflower lift, gentle quinine bitterness, lemon-edged finish
The Short Version: A craft tonic concentrate built from fresh grapefruit, elderflower, and real quinine — gin and tonic in a single ounce, or a sophisticated mocktail base on its own.
Ingredients: Filtered water, organic cane sugar, grapefruit puree, lemon puree, grapefruit peel, elderflower, citric acid, quinine flavor.
Perfect For: Gin and tonic drinkers, paloma fans, mocktail makers tired of overly-sweet options, anyone who likes craft tonic water, and people who order Aperol Spritzes.
Best Enjoyed In: Gin and tonics (1 oz syrup + 1.5 oz gin + 6 oz sparkling water), grapefruit palomas, vodka tonics, grapefruit spritzes (1 oz + 6 oz sparkling water for a craft mocktail), or stirred into mezcal cocktails.
The Portland Syrups Promise: Ethically sourced, carefully brewed, and bottled in glass jars right here in SE Portland, Oregon.
Get Inspired
- A bright, bubbly Grapefruit Tonic Spritz for warm-weather sipping
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does the syrup last after opening?
A: Our syrups are shelf-stable for 24 months unopened. Once opened, refrigerate and enjoy within 6 months.
Q: How bitter is Grapefruit Tonic syrup?
A: There's real quinine bitterness here — it's a tonic, after all — but it's balanced. Most people read it as "noticeably bitter, like a proper craft tonic water" rather than "puckeringly bitter, like Campari." The grapefruit and elderflower keep things bright and floral, while the quinine adds the structural backbone. If you usually drink Schweppes or Q Tonic, this is in that ballpark, just with more flavor depth.
Q: Can I use Grapefruit Tonic syrup as a substitute for tonic water?
A: Yes — that's actually one of its best uses. Mix 1 oz of syrup with 6 oz of sparkling water and you've made craft tonic from scratch, with significantly more flavor than a bottle of Schweppes. It's especially useful if you want to control the sweetness and grapefruit intensity in a gin and tonic, or if you want a mocktail tonic that doesn't taste flat.
