Dr. Jaglas San Pompello. Non-alcoholic grapefruit aperitif, bittersweet and pink – the Paloma base for a salt rim.
Dr. Jaglas San Pompello is a non-alcoholic aperitif from Berlin: grapefruit juice and lemon juice with sugar and natural flavor, colored with sweet potato and carrot, 0.0% vol, 500 ml in an apothecary bottle. Not a juice, not a syrup, not a soda – an aperitif base that becomes a non-alcoholic Paloma when mixed with tonic and a salt rim.
San Pompello by Dr. Jaglas is the answer to a question rarely asked in bars: What remains of a Paloma when you take away the tequila? In most recipes, you are left with a grapefruit soda. With Pompello, you are left with an aperitif – bittersweet, with acidity and a long finish that has the depth in a wine glass with tonic and a salt rim that alcohol usually provides. Dr. Jaglas developed it as a summer drink: pink, cool, and tarter than its color might suggest.
Pink grapefruit at the forefront, bitterness behind, salt on the rim
Pompello tastes of pink grapefruit first: juicy, tart, with the bitterness of the peel. Then comes a sweetness that rounds out the aperitif, and a long, multifaceted finish where the bitterness lingers. With 12 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters, it sits between the tart Hibiscus and the sweeter Limello – diluted with tonic in a glass, it remains a bittersweet drink.
The color is a vibrant pink derived from sweet potato and carrot concentrate, while the taste comes from grapefruit juice, lemon juice, and natural flavor; this is stated on the label. Anyone expecting a grapefruit without bitterness will find Pompello edgy – for that, the San Orangello with orange is the rounder, fruitier variety in the range.
One part Pompello, add tonic, salt on the rim of the wine glass
A Paloma without tequila is the recipe Dr. Jaglas recommends themselves: moisten the rim of a wine glass with a lime wedge and dip it into salt, add ice, San Pompello, and top up with tonic. The salt brings out the sweetness and keeps the bitterness intact – a drink that calls to mind Mexican cantinas and comes from a Berlin apothecary bottle.
Pompello also works served neat over ice, though it is more concentrated and sweeter that way; with non-alcoholic sparkling wine it becomes festive, or in a pitcher with tonic, grapefruit slices, and rosemary, it makes a great punch. With five centiliters per glass, the bottle is enough for ten drinks. It pairs well with tacos, grilled shrimp, guacamole, and a salad with avocado and goat cheese – anything that can stand up to acid and salt.
Our tip: Create the salt rim with coarse sea salt and a few chili flakes – the heat complements the grapefruit and brings the Paloma idea to the forefront. Once opened, the bottle will keep for at least eight weeks when stored in a cool, dark place.
The third San variety from the Berlin apothecary family
Dr. Jaglas is a Berlin-based manufacturer located at Choriner Straße 40, originating from an apothecary family that has been utilizing medieval monastery recipes, classic compendiums, and herbal lore for decades – both for high-proof elixirs in apothecary bottles and for the non-alcoholic San aperitifs. After the tart Hibiscus and the San Limello, Pompello is the third variety in the series, developed as a summer drink with pink grapefruit.
The apothecary bottle, the color, and the concept of an aperitif as a base for a long drink – Pompello shares all of this with its siblings. What sets it apart is the fruit content: grapefruit juice and lemon juice carry the flavor, and the bitterness is an inherent part of the grapefruit. Dr. Jaglas describes the variety as a new interpretation of the Paloma, non-alcoholic and balanced in the way the manufacturer strives for with all San aperitifs.
The aperitif for barbecues, taco nights, and people who like grapefruit
Pompello is the bottle for those who look for a bittersweet profile in an aperitif and prefer grapefruit to orange: barbecue evenings, taco gatherings, the summer drink for guests who are driving. As a gift, the pink apothecary bottle is the perfect souvenir for those who know a Paloma and haven't tried a non-alcoholic version yet. Together with Herber Hibiskus and Limello, it forms the trio of San aperitifs on our Dr. Jaglas page.
Pompello is not suitable for those expecting a mild, sweet fruit drink – the bitterness of the grapefruit remains, even with tonic and salt.
Pink grapefruit, bitterness, a salt rim – the non-alcoholic aperitif from Berlin that removes the tequila from a Paloma while keeping the drink.
