History

The word shrub is derived from the Arabic word sharāb, which means “to drink.” These syrups, common in 17th and 18th century America, were often simply mixed with cold water to create delicious drinks. Cocktail shrubs combine water, fruit, sugar and vinegar to create an acidic syrup that adds depth and complexity when mixed into a cocktail. They were initially used to help preserve fruit back in the days when refrigeration was not available. Shrubs fell out of favour in the mid-late 20th century when refrigeration reduced the need to store ingredients, and sugary soft drinks like Coca Cola became increasingly popular.

Pineapple Shrub Recipe

A delicious and versatile shrub that can be used in pina coladas as well as a whole range of different cocktails.

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Knife
  • Chopping board
  • Measuring jug
  • Strainer
  • Clean cloth
  • Muddler/rolling pin
  • Clean bottle (you may want to sterilise your bottle by washing with hot soapy water and heating for 10 minutes in the oven at around 135℃)

Ingredients

  • 400g Fresh Pineapple
  • 150g – 175g white granulated sugar (depending on ripeness of pineapples)
  • 250ml apple cider vinegar

Preparation

  1. Remove the skin from the pineapple and chop into small pieces.
  2. Stir together with the sugar and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside, at room temperature for about 12 hours to macerate with a cloth over the top.
  3. During this time, you can stir and mash everything occasionally with a muddler until all the sugar is dissolved.
  4. Add to a blender and blend until smooth then pass through a strainer. Decant into a clean bottle.
Glass filled with crushed ice and pineapple cocktail made using a cocktail shrub. Garnished with pineapple, rosemary and a straw. Against a blue sky background.
Pineapple cocktail made with a cocktail shrub.

Variations

The type of shrubs you can make are endless if you follow this simple formula:

Vinegar + Fruit + Sugar = Shrub

Swap the vinegar – There are many different types of vinegar available, which will all add slightly different elements to your shrub. We have generally found apple cider vinegar to be the most successful, but you could experiment with many types of vinegar—such as red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or balsamic—to create a different style of acidy. Don’t use distilled vinegar as it has very little flavour and won’t add much depth to your shrub.

Experiment with different fruit – Berries are a favourite shrub fruit, though you can use almost any fruit. Apples, figs, pears, plums, and even cucumbers or rhubarb are good options.

Switch up the Sugar – As with making sugar syrup, experimenting with different sugars will change the flavour profile of your shrub. White sugar gives a more simple flavour, allowing the fruit to do the talking, whereas brown sugars or palm sugar will add their own distinctive warmth. You can also experiment with liquid sugars such as agave or maple syrup.

Extra Ingredients – Herbs and spices are another fun addition to add dimension to shrubs. Basil, fennel, peppercorns, rosemary, and thyme are just a few that regularly appear in shrubs. Play around and see which herbs pair well with different fruits.

Mulberry cocktail Shrub, Juice or liqueur in glass bottles, with fresh mulberries, rustic wooden background
Mulberry cocktail Shrub

How to use shrubs

Cocktails:

The possibilities are endless! To begin with you can try replacing your lemon/lime juice in your favourite cocktail recipe with a shrub for an interesting alternative to that cocktail. Or get experimental, try out your favourite spirits and mixers with your shrub and see where it takes you. Some ways to use a shrub in building a cocktail are:

  • Mix: Add a shrub to your cocktail shaker with the other ingredients and shake or stir as usual.
  • Layer: Pour a shrub over the back of a spoon to create visually appealing layers in your drink.
  • Float: Add a shrub to a finished cocktail as a float for a burst of flavour with every sip.

Mocktails:

Shrubs are a great way to make alcohol free drinks with tonnes of flavour and interest. Add your shrub to a highball glass and top with soda or tonic water for the most simple but delicious mocktail. You could even experiment with adding different herbs or fruit purees to take the drink to the next level.

As with cocktails, you can also try pairing your shrubs with your favourite alcohol-free spirits and mixers and see what new mocktail combinations you can create.

We also recommend you try your shrub the traditional way and simply mix with still water. This is a refreshing drink as well as the best way to test the flavour of your shrub so you can see which ingredient combinations are working and which need some adjustment!

Tips and tricks:

  •  A little goes a long way with shrubs. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste. You can always add more but it’s hard to take away!
  • You can choose not to strain the fruit pulp at the end of making your shrub. This will give whatever drinks you make more texture.
  • The shrub should last months and does not even need to be stored in the fridge, but we would recommend doing so for a longer shelf life.

Now you know all about cocktail shrubs and how to make them, you can level up your mixology game, and experiment with flavour in a fun, sustainable way!

To learn more about making your own ingredients and experimenting with cocktail recipes, join Shaker on our Advanced Bartenders Course.