Best substitution for grapefruit juice in a Navy Grog?

I want to mix Navy Grogs, but one of the people that will be drinking them can't drink grapefruit juice due to her medication. What do you think would be the best substituion in the recipe for recreating the flavor? I'm going to be using Don the Beachcomber's recipe. Thanks!

Just grapefruit juice or any citrus juice? A Navy Grog contains just as much lime juice as grapefruit. If it's just grapefruit that's the problem, I would think pomelo would be the closest thing, followed by maybe a combo of orange and lemon juices.

If all citrus juice is out, you can sub any number of juices - guava, pineapple, etc., just know that none of them taste like grapefruit.

It's specifically grapefruit juice, not other citrus juices. Specifically, this is the case for people on certain kinds of cholesterol medication. lol I definitely want to go for a similar flavor profile.

Stuff I currently have on hand:

OJ
Limes (althought that's already in the recipe)
Lemon Juice
Sweet Sour Mix
Pineapple Juice

[ Edited by: Sixx 2013-08-08 14:48 ]

[ Edited by: Sixx 2013-08-08 14:48 ]

Just make a different cocktail.

Grapefruit juice can prevent the metabolism of many medications, meaning it can cause a low dose and then, when the grapefruit is out of the system, a high dose as everything in you suddenly gets broken down. Good on you for considering that! I forgot myself and was happily chugging grapefruit juice until I realized I wasn't feeling right. Whoops.

On 2013-08-08 14:47, jingleheimerschmidt wrote:
Just make a different cocktail.

I don't want to.

A grapefruit is a hybrid of an orange and a pomelo so a pomelo would not work as a substitute.
Grapefruits have such a distinct flavor profile I'm not sure what a good substitute would be. Maybe tangerine and orange juice?

I wonder if this could work?

http://www.faeriesfinest.com/E237.html

i would mix OJ or pineapple with a little lemon...

Hmmm... one of the common misconceptions is that the flavor of grapefruit is "sour" when in reality it is more bitter unless you are using the ruby red variety.

What you might think about doing is using grapefruit bitters (or the flavoring noted) and replacing the volume with a lighter mixer. You could, I cannot believe I am writing this, also try a grapefruit soda like fresca or San Pellegrino grapefruit. As the Furanocoumarin appears to be negligible, according to papers, in the soft drinks. Just also be sure to adjust the sugar levels if your mixers are sweeter than normal grapefruit juice.

You could also just serve them the Trader Vic's Grog since that uses no grapefruit.

[ Edited by: wizzard419 2013-08-08 23:54 ]

[ Edited by: wizzard419 2013-08-08 23:55 ]

Perhaps tart cherry juice diluted with something mildly sweet or mildly sour like passion fruit or lemon juice? Or just water it down a bit as it is far more bitter and less citric than grapefruit.

Good topic --- I too, am not supposed to have grapefruit juice right now, though I'm wondering what the effect of small amounts, like the half ounce in a Jet Pilot, would be. Grapefruit bitters might be the way to go, cause there's nothing quite like that taste.

It kind of depends on what the drug is for and when you would be taking it in relation to the consumption of the juice. As the effect can last up to a day, so it would be like missing a days worth of doses. If it isn't a life critical medication, such as a seasonal allergy one, then you would be fine.

You could also look into some hybrids that lack furanocoumarin in them, and juice them for cocktails if they are for sale near you.

I ended up using two parts orange jucie and one part lemon juice as a substitution. I don't know if it was a spot-on approximation, but it tasted good! lol

What rums did you use?

On 2013-08-08 14:51, Sixx wrote:

On 2013-08-08 14:47, jingleheimerschmidt wrote:
Just make a different cocktail.

I don't want to.

I wouldn't get hung up on what you're making - it's all a form of planters punch IMO: some juice, some sweetener, some liquor, some liquor!

There are 2 navy grog versions to my mind, don beach with honey & trader vic with sugar & pimento. I prefer the don beach version.

i think the honey & grapefruit combo is what works in the don beach version, I would make the trader vic version & use fresh OJ instead of grapefruit (OJ is great with pimento).

I've made navy grog 'type drinks' with lime & lemon, they were ok but not as good as the original.

For me, substituting an ingredient in a drink shows you how important it is :) sub away!

[ Edited by: AdOrAdam 2013-08-11 11:53 ]

On 2013-08-09 20:16, Sixx wrote:
I ended up using two parts orange jucie and one part lemon juice as a substitution. I don't know if it was a spot-on approximation, but it tasted good! lol

The OJ & Lemon combination works fairly well as a substitute for grapefruit juice, but I find adding a dash of Tonic water as well adds that other level of bitterness that otherwise would be missing.

If you want it pink - just add a couple drops of grenadine for color.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned pineapple juice as a viable alternative to grapefruit yet. I've seen it mentioned in the context of DtB grog recipes here several times.

On 2016-05-30 23:41, PalmtreePat wrote:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned pineapple juice as a viable alternative to grapefruit yet. I've seen it mentioned in the context of DtB grog recipes here several times.

For years I used to use pineapple in place of grapefruit in the mai kai rum barrel which worked great. I don't have an ailment or medical reason not to use grapefruit but I used to find that when I used local Texas (red) grapefruit or any bottled kind that it overpowered every other flavor in the drinks I made when I used the amount called for in the recipe. I've since found that if I cut the amount of grapefruit in half it balances much better. That is unless I have access to Florida white grapefruits in which case I go full amount.

The Jasmine (gin, lemon juice, Campari, Cointreau) tastes remarkably like grapefruit -- I'd experiment with some of those ingredients, lemon and bitter Campari in particular.