How To: Shrubs!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

SeriousEats:: Cocktail 101: How to Make Shrub Syrups does a great explanation of how to make shrub syrups, but I thought I'd just throw in some photographs...and reduce the recommended amount of sugar. These things are stupid easy to make and great as mixers. Strawberry shrub in elderflower gin, anyone?

Ingredients
1 part fruit to 3/4 part sugar to 1 part unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
Jars/containers (2 cups strawberries results in 2.5 pints of shrub, for me)

Step 1: Macerate the fruits for a couple days until the juice separates.
I used 2 cups hulled and quartered strawberries and a 1.5 cups sugar (1 part fruits : 3/4 part sugar) and stuck it in the fridge, stirring a couple times per day. Serious Eats recommends 1:1:1, but 1:3/4:1 is nice even with less sugar.



Step 2: Filter the juice through a strainer into a jar for a couple hours.
My set up has a small strainer resting on top of a canning funnel, pouring into a jar. Press the fruits a bit to squeeze out some of the remaining juices. Be sure to leave room for your apple cider vinegar.



Step 3: Mix in the apple cider vinegar
One part unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to one part fruit...or to taste. Whatever.
The Serious Eats tutorial has a nice little blurb about how the live cultures in the unpasteurized vinegar help to preserve the shrub syrup.



Step 4: Let the shrub hang out in the fridge for a few days, keep it there.
As the shrub ages a bit in the fridge the flavor mellows. You can drink it immediately, but I like to let it mellow a bit.


I have since invested in plastic caps for mason jars, they're a bit of a life changer for this nonsense.

Step 5: Mix with tonic water (or your favorite booze) and enjoy.
I've also mixed strawberry and kiwi syrups for a tropical twist. And I suspect my elderflower gin with some of the strawberry syrup will be delightful...or maybe strawberry shrub with chocolate bitters. The possibilities are endless!