Drinking Shrubs

 

I went to a restaurant in downtown for a happy hour last week and had drinking vinegar (shrubs) for the first time. Mind blown! It was the most refreshing beverage I've ever tasted. The whole table loved them. Shrubs are usually fruit infused vinegars that we then had topped off with sparkling water. I would drink this over soda anyday. The depth of flavor is so much richer and drinking vinegar offers a lot of health benefits instead of negative ones.

You can read more about shrubs and their history here

after that I had to run home and make some that week, it seemed like the perfect drink to come home to after work, it is! (you could also throw a tbs or 2 of alcohol in them for after dinner porch sitting)

I love the idea of playing with the variations of additives to deepen the flavors as well such as:
blueberry and lemon
rhubarb and rose or lavendar
strawberry and balsamic
fig and persimmon
blackberry, rosemary, balsamic

I started off using apple cider vinegar with strawberries and apricots and ginger for my first one!
(note the ginger didn't break down and leave much flavor but the apricot was very apparent and a really great flavor!)

All it takes is:

2 cups vinegar: pick apple cider vinegar white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar
or mix a few together

2 cup berries

1 1/2 cup sugar

1   let berries and sugar sit in a bowl for about an hour
2   mash/stir them up a bit and let continue to break down for another hour
3   mash them up one last time and pour in the vinegar
4   then stir together and cover with plastic wrap
5   let sit for 3-4 days and stir 1-2 times a day
6   strain out the berries really well and you could can it or just store it in a jar and use it in the next few weeks. canning can be a great option to get the summer berry flavors in the fall and winter months
7   if not canning store it in the refrigerator so it will last longer

THEN

add in 1 part shrub to 3-4 parts sparkling water or club soda and enjoy

seriously SO SO addicting!