Shrub

What is a shrub?

A shrub, in German also called drinking vinegar, is a syrup made of three ingredients: fruit, sugar and vinegar. The fruit brings aroma and sweetness, the sugar draws out the juices and aromas from the fruit just like in oleo saccharum, and the vinegar preserves everything while adding the striking acidic note. A few spoonfuls in a glass, top with sparkling water or a drink, and a fruity, sweet and sour taste experience is ready.

Unusual? Yes. New? Not at all, and that is exactly where it gets interesting.

How is a shrub made?

There are two classic routes:

• Cold process: fruit is mixed with sugar and left to macerate, often overnight or longer. The sugar pulls out the juice, then vinegar is added, and the mixture ripens for a few days before it is strained. This version tastes fruitier and fresher
• Hot process: fruit, sugar and vinegar are briefly boiled and strained. Faster and more robust, but with a less delicate fruit note

Which vinegar? Apple cider vinegar is the all-rounder, white wine vinegar stays subtle, and for the bold there is red wine vinegar or even balsamic. As always: you can taste the quality of the ingredients.

Why vinegar? The flavour trick

Vinegar sounds odd in a drink at first, but it is a masterstroke of flavour theory:

• It brings complexity to the acidity that goes far beyond lemon
• It gives drinks a deep freshness that feels extremely refreshing
• It preserves the shrub naturally, and in the fridge it keeps for months

Exactly this complexity is why shrubs are so loved in mocktails: the freshness and depth that otherwise often come from alcohol land in the glass here without any percent at all.

An old technique with a travel history

Shrubs are older than any refrigerator. Preserving fruit with vinegar was a standard method of food storage for centuries, including on ships, where fresh fruit quickly ran short. The name travelled halfway around the world on the way: via the Arabic word for drink and syrup relatives like sherbet, it eventually entered English as "shrub". In colonial America, shrubs were established companions to punch and mixed drinks, before fading for a while and being rediscovered today by the modern bar scene.

What are shrubs used for?

• Sodas: two to three teaspoons of shrub, top with sparkling water, and a refreshing instant drink is ready
• Mocktails: the royal class, because vinegar brings the depth that alcohol-free drinks often lack
• Cocktails: as an acid and aroma ingredient, for example in a Shrub Collins or a gin sour with shrub instead of lemon juice
• Kitchen: as a dressing base or a glossy finish over salads and desserts

At our lounge

If one of our drinks tastes deeply fresh, a shrub may be behind it. Feel free to ask our team about our current house shrubs, the selection changes with season and mood. And for home: strawberries, sugar, apple cider vinegar, a jar, three days of patience. Your first own shrub is the beginning of a beautiful little addiction.