What is a Shrub?

A shrub is a combination of fruit, sugar, and vinegar used to make the foundation for a drink. We know that this recipe might look more like the beginnings of a salad instead of a mocktail, but stay with us. At its heart, a shrub really isn’t that different from a classic sour, except vinegar is used instead of lemon or lime juice for the sour element. The result is a complex flavour that is sure to elevate your mixed drinks. This can be served with soda water like we did for this recipe, or it can be added to spirits or sparkling wine for a refreshing cocktail. This recipe is for a simpler, single serve shrub. However, the classic method involves simmering the ingredients on the stove to make an infused syrup. If you’re looking to make a large batch of shrub syrup, simply simmer water, sugar, fruit, vinegar, and any herbs/spices of your choice for 10 minutes, then strain. The ratios for the syrup will depend on the strength of the vinegar and the sweetness of your fruits of choice, but taste as you go and adjust the amount of sugar and vinegar until you're happy with the balance. The shrub is an incredibly flexible foundation for all sorts of drinks and can incorporate a huge variety of flavours.

Some other shrub combinations are:

• Peach, ginger, and white wine vinegar
• Apple, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar
• Strawberry, rosemary, and red wine vinegar
• Melon, mint, and champagne vinegar
• Mango, lemongrass, and coconut vinegar

How to Make It

Prepare the Syrup

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the sugar and thyme, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes. The syrup should be slightly thickened. Set the saucepan aside to cool completely, then strain to remove the solids. If you want to make a larger batch of syrup, simply scale the recipe up. It should last 2-4 weeks in the fridge. If you do not have fresh thyme on hand, use 1 tsp of dried thyme instead.

Prepare the Mocktail

In a cocktail shaker, add the raspberries, syrup, and vinegar, then use a muddler until all the ingredients are well-combined. Frozen or fresh raspberries will both work for this recipe, so use what works best for you.

Add ice to your shaker and shake until it is well-chilled. This should also dilute the mixture slightly.

Next, double-strain the shrub over crushed ice in a chilled Old Fashioned glass.

Top the glass with soda water (about 2-3oz), garnish with a sprig of fresh time, and enjoy!