Barley Free Herbal Grapefruit Paloma
Bright, citrusy, and just herbal enough to feel a little fancy, this paloma is the kind of cocktail that makes a regular Tuesday feel like a rooftop happy hour. The homemade rosemary-thyme simple syrup is the real star here — steeping fresh herbs in warm sugar water pulls out their oils and creates a fragrant, faintly golden base that no store-bought mixer can replicate. Combined with blanco tequila, a generous pour of fresh grapefruit juice, and a squeeze of lime, the result is tart, refreshing, and beautifully balanced. The salted rim adds just the right savory contrast to all that citrus brightness. Topping everything off with chilled sparkling water keeps it light and effervescent without any grain-based additives to worry about — every single ingredient here is naturally free of barley and barley derivatives, which can sneak into flavored syrups and pre-made cocktail mixes. Shaking it over ice and straining into a salt-rimmed glass gives you that proper cocktail-bar experience at home. Garnish with a fresh herb sprig and a grapefruit slice and you've got something that looks as good as it tastes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
For the herbal simple syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
For the salted rim
- 2 tsp coarse kosher salt
- 1 grapefruit wedge, for rimming
For the cocktail
- 3 oz blanco tequila
- ¾ cup fresh grapefruit juice (from about 1 large grapefruit)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- 1 oz herbal simple syrup (from above)
- 1 cup sparkling water, chilled
- 1 cup ice cubes
For serving
- 2 small sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme, for garnish (optional)
- 2 thin grapefruit slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the sugar, water, rosemary sprigs, and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the herbs steep for 10 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant and faintly golden.
- 2
Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a small jar or bowl, pressing the herbs lightly to extract their oils. Discard the spent herbs. Let the syrup cool to room temperature before using.
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