Cocktail Shrubs

Shrubs in America can be traced back to Colonial history, and even further back, shrubs were being made by ancient cultures in India and China. So, even though it may sound like a new or trendy cocktail bar term, shrubs have been around longer than most cocktail mixers. The first American shrubs were made by taking fruit, fermenting it with sugar and then adding vinegar and other spices. The colonists called the mixtures “drinking vinegars,” and they were extremely popular before refrigeration or industrially produced foods were prevalent as a common way to preserve fruit, such as berries.

You may be thinking a vinegar-based additive to your cocktail doesn’t sound very appealing, but don’t knock it ‘til you try it! A shrub is a vinegar-based syrup that is used as a substitute for citrus in cocktails to add intriguing, concentrated flavors. You’ll find that shrubs create a cocktail with a bit of a tangy bite while being perfectly complemented by the addition of fresh fruit flavors, spices and sweetness.

Cocktail shrubs also have several other attractive qualities. They are a healthier alternative to premade mixers, as they are made with natural ingredients and have an amazing shelf life. You can store them unrefrigerated and unopened for 18-24 months or 9-12 months once opened and refrigerated. Although they won't last that long once you’ve tried them in a cocktail.

With so many options for fresh fruit and aromatics, cocktail shrubs can be used in many ways. A shrub is usually mixed with a spirit or soda water to layer in a sweet, yet acidic flavor, but you can stir them into a gin and tonic to create something familiar, yet flavorful. You can even try using them as an ice cube in your next crafted cocktail. The possibilities are truly endless!

Any-Berry Shrub
from https://www.bonappetit.com/

There are many ways to make a shrub, but we prefer the cold-process method in which ripe berries and sugar macerate for a day until they turn into a flavorful syrup. Once you strain the fruit syrup into your jar, you can add all kinds of additional flavors to infuse your final shrub. A few to try: a 2"-piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced; a small bunch of basil or mint leaves, clapped to release aromas; a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme; or a 3"-piece of lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, smashed. Mix the resulting fruity-sweet vinegar with club soda (and maybe tequila or gin, no one’s stopping you!) and you’ve got the makings of an instant party drink. You can drink the shrub right away, but it will taste even better after a week or so when the flavors have mellowed.

SHRUB
12 oz. berries (such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries), sliced or quartered if large
1 1/2 cups (or more) granulated sugar
1 cup (or more) vinegar (such as red wine, white wine, apple cider, white balsamic, or unseasoned rice)

ASSEMBLY
Club soda (for serving)
Fresh berries and/or herb sprigs (for serving; optional)

Step 1: Gently mash berries in a medium bowl with a fork. Transfer to jar, add sugar, and stir to combine. Seal jar and let fruit mixture sit at room temperature, shaking a couple of times, until berries are very soft and falling apart and sugar is at least mostly dissolved, about 1 day (mixture should look very juicy).

Step 2: Strain fruit mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (line sieve with a layer of cheesecloth if you want to catch every bit of seed and fruit pulp) into a medium bowl; discard fruit. Scrape any undissolved sugar left in jar into bowl.

Step 3: Add vinegar to syrup and stir to combine. Taste shrub and add more sugar or vinegar to your liking—it should taste both sweet and sharp but not overpowering in either direction (keep in mind the flavors will meld as the shrub ages). Pour shrub into a clean jar; cover with lid and chill until flavors come together and mellow, at least 1 week.

Do ahead: Shrub can be made 6 months ahead. Keep chilled.

ASSEMBLY
Step 4: For a refreshing nonalcoholic drink, pour 2 Tbsp. shrub into a glass filled with ice and top off with club soda; stir gently to combine. Garnish with berries and/or herbs if desired.

Reviewers suggested adding blackberry shrub to vodka and tonic, mixing strawberry or peach shrub with rum and sparkling water, and with gin and soda water. They also suggest using a milder vinegar, such a red wine vinegar with berries and light flavored fruit. Apple cider vinegar may be good with apples (see recipe below).

Makes about 20

Bobbing for Apples
from https://www.abcfws.com/

There are two methods to make a cocktail shrub: a hot process and a cold process. The hot process involves boiling your vinegar mixture together with sugar, fruit and other aromatics until they soften to release flavors. You then strain the mixture with cheesecloth. If needed, you can blend the remaining liquid with more sugar or vinegar until it reaches the desired consistency.

The cold process is a simpler method that involves letting your mixture sit at room temperature until all the flavors have infused. Once you've made your concoction, you can try adding it to either gin or whiskey cocktails.

In this recipe, we’re using the hot process to create an apple shrub for a flavorful fall cocktail.

Cocktail:

1 ½ ounces Cooper’s Mark Bourbon
1 ounce apple shrub*
1 ounce apple cider
Soda water
Apple slice

*Apple Shrub:
1 ½ cup apple cider vinegar, split
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 ½ cup of Honeycrisp Apple, grated with skin on
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick

For the apple shrub:

Add ¾ cup apple cider vinegar and organic cane sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Consistently stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, add apples, star anise and cinnamon stick to mixture. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Once fully combined, remove from heat and allow to cool.

When completely cooled, use a cheese cloth and strain out the solids, reserving the cinnamon stick. Pour strained liquid into an airtight jar with cinnamon stick and add remaining apple cider vinegar to the mixture. Allow it to sit for 2-4 days.

For the cocktail:

Measure and add 1 ½ ounces of Cooper’s Mark Bourbon, 1 ounce of your apple shrub* and 1 ounce of apple cider to a glass with ice. Top with soda water and stir to combine. Garnish with an apple slice.

Apple Orchard Old Fashioned
from https://www.abcfws.com/

Cocktail:

1 ½ ounces Nelson Brothers Classic Bourbon
1 ounce apple shrub*
Barspoon of maple syrup
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Club soda
Apple slices

*Apple Shrub:

1 ¼ cup Honeycrisp apples, grated with skin on
¾ cup sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar

For the apple shrub: Combine apples, sugar and vinegar in a glass jar with lid. Shake vigorously and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. Strain the juice into a new container, using a cheesecloth to squeeze as much liquid as possible. Close and store in refrigerator.

For the cocktail: Combine bourbon, apple shrub, maple syrup and bitters in glass. Add ice and stir. Top with soda water and stir briefly to combine. Garnish with apple slices.