Shrub Drink: Fruit and Vinegar Syrup, Cold Method
A shrub is a sweet-sour syrup of fruit, sugar and vinegar, invented to keep summer fruit from going to waste. Stir a spoonful into sparkling water and you have a vivid, grown-up soft drink.
If you have ever had too many soft berries, a few wrinkly peaches or the last of the plums, a shrub is the answer. You macerate the fruit with sugar, mix the juice with vinegar and end up with a bright syrup that keeps for months in the fridge.
It is not a drink on its own. A shrub is a concentrate, a little like a cordial, that you dilute with still or sparkling water. The vinegar gives it a sharp edge that makes it far more interesting than a plain fruit syrup.
A very old way to save fruit
Vinegar drinks are ancient. A University of California handout traces them back at least 4,000 years to the Babylonians, and notes that the word shrub probably comes from the Arabic sharab, meaning to drink. Clemson University's extension service adds that the Romans drank oxymel, a mix of vinegar and honey.
By the early 1700s, shrubs had reached colonial America, often as citrus and sugar syrups mixed with brandy or rum. Fruit vinegars, especially raspberry, became popular at the same time. Clemson describes shrubs as a way to preserve fruit in a vinegar syrup, and quotes an 1832 sea captain who recommended carrying shrub on voyages. Shrubs faded after Prohibition and have returned with the craft cocktail and home preserving revival.
Cold-Process Berry Shrub
You need
- ripe berries, such as raspberries, blackberries or strawberries, fresh or frozen250 g (about 2 cups)
- white sugar200 g (1 cup)
- apple cider or red wine vinegar, at least 5 percent acidity250 ml (1 cup)
- sprigs fresh mint or basil, optional3 to 4
- sparkling or still water and iceTo serve
Method
- Wash the fruit and remove any moldy pieces. Slightly soft fruit is fine, but moldy fruit is not.
- Put the fruit and any herbs in a clean bowl, add the sugar and crush lightly with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for about 24 hours, stirring once or twice, until a thick syrup has formed.
- Strain through a fine sieve, pressing gently on the fruit. Scrape in any undissolved sugar.
- Stir in the vinegar until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Pour into a jar or bottle washed in hot soapy water and rinsed well. Close and refrigerate.
- Let it rest for a few days so the sharp vinegar note mellows, then taste.
- To serve, stir 1 to 2 tbsp of shrub into a glass of ice and top with about 200 ml (3/4 cup) sparkling water.
Tips
- Keep the shrub in the fridge. The University of California guide says shrubs keep there for up to one year.
- Throw it away if you see mold, bubbling, cloudiness or sliminess. When in doubt, throw it out.
- Frozen berries work well, according to the University of California guide, so you can make shrubs all year.
Getting the ratio right
The classic starting point is equal parts by weight or volume of fruit, sugar and vinegar, written 1:1:1. For a fruitier, less sharp syrup, use twice as much fruit, 2:1:1. There is no fixed rule, so taste and adjust.
Choose the vinegar carefully. Apple cider, red wine and white wine vinegars all work. The University of California guide says harsh white distilled vinegar is not recommended for flavor. If any part of the process happens at room temperature, use a vinegar with at least 5 percent acidity, which is printed on most labels. Rice vinegar is usually weaker, so keep anything made with it in the fridge.
Herbs are a lovely addition: mint, basil, thyme or rosemary with berries, or ginger with peaches. Dried herbs can replace fresh at about half the amount.
What the evidence says
Shrubs are sometimes sold online as gut tonics or metabolism boosters. None of the sources we checked supports those claims. Mayo Clinic says apple cider vinegar is not likely to cause weight loss, and that frequent acidic drinks can wear down tooth enamel.
What the evidence does support is the refreshment. The University of California handout cites research showing that sour drinks feel more thirst-quenching, because sourness makes your mouth water. Just remember that the syrup itself contains a lot of sugar.
Questions people ask
Does a shrub contain alcohol?
Not this cold-process version. Fruit, sugar and vinegar are mixed and refrigerated, not fermented. If a stored shrub starts bubbling, that is a sign of spoilage and it should be thrown away.
Can I make a shrub with honey?
Yes, but honey is sweeter than sugar and can cloud the syrup, so use a little less. Honey is not suitable for babies under 12 months.
Can I cook the fruit instead?
Yes, some old recipes boil fruit, vinegar and sugar together. The cold method keeps a fresher, brighter fruit flavor.
Sources
- Shrubs and Switchels — University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Switchels and Shrubs: Beverages, Not Briars — Clemson University Home and Garden Information Center
- Apple cider vinegar for weight loss — Mayo Clinic
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and health conditions. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before trying a herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, giving it to a child, or taking any medication.
