How to Make a Shrub Recipe
How to make a shrub, a flavorful fruit-infused drinking vinegar used in cocktails, mocktails, vinaigrettes, and sauces. Allow 24 hours to sit overnight.
How to Make the Best How to Make a Shrub
A shrub is an old-fashioned drinking vinegar that’s making a major comeback in the craft cocktail world. This simple preservation technique transforms fresh fruit into a tangy, sweet, and complex syrup that adds incredible depth to both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The combination of fruit, sugar, and vinegar creates a perfectly balanced flavor that’s both refreshing and sophisticated.
Making your own shrub at home is remarkably easy and requires just three main ingredients plus a bit of patience. The cold-process method used in this recipe allows the fruit to gently macerate in sugar, drawing out all those delicious juices without any heat. This preserves the fresh fruit flavor while the vinegar adds a pleasant tartness that makes shrubs so addictive.
Once you’ve made your first batch, you’ll find endless ways to use it. Mix a few tablespoons with sparkling water for a refreshing mocktail, add it to cocktails for complexity, or drizzle it over salads as a unique vinaigrette. The shrub keeps for up to six months in the refrigerator, so you can enjoy your fruit harvest long after the season has passed.
How to Make a Shrub
How to make a shrub, a flavorful fruit-infused drinking vinegar used in cocktails, mocktails, vinaigrettes, and sauces. Allow 24 hours to sit overnight.
Ingredients
Shrub Base
Optional Herb Infusion
Instructions
Prepare the Fruit
- Place sliced fruit and sugar in a jar and mash until juicy and mixed. Put a lid on the jar and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.
Infuse the Vinegar (Optional)
- If infusing the vinegar, roughly chop the shiso leaves or herbs and place in a separate jar along with the vinegar. Put a lid on the jar and leave at room temperature for at least 24 hours.
Combine and Store
- Strain both mixtures into a bowl, combining them together. Press the fruit to extract more juices, then discard the fruit and herbs.
- Place the shrub in a clean jar or bottle.
- Refrigerate for up to 6 months.
Notes
- Use fresh, ripe fruit for the best flavor—stone fruits, berries, and citrus all work wonderfully.
- The longer you let the fruit macerate with sugar, the more syrup you'll extract.
- Experiment with different vinegar and herb combinations to create unique flavor profiles.
- Start with 1-2 tablespoons of shrub per drink and adjust to taste.
