Several months ago, I was in a popular cocktail bar and, as one often does (it’s not just me, right!?), ordered a drink of which I didn’t know/understand half the ingredients. One of the listed items was a shrub. I paused a bit at that, wondering if I was going to have an elaborate tree branch garnishing my drink. To my relief (although I appreciate creativity in garnishing), this kind of shrub had nothing to do with leafy vegetation.
Fast forward a few months, to an evening when
Sarah, welcoming you to the bar, being adorable.
my friend Kris and I finally tried Coltivare. I had heard they had a killer G&T, so research was mandatory. We chose to sit at the bar,and were tended to by this awesome chick named Sarah, who happened to mention shrubs. As she was nice and willing to talk and educate, we peppered her with questions. Turns out, she makes and sells her own line of shrubs, aptly named Sarah’s Shrubs. So, we made a date for me to come back in, and she made me and my friend John a myriad of gin/shrub cocktails, and was gracious enough to allow me to interview her.
What is a shrub?
A shrub, sometimes also called drinking vinegar, is an “old school way of preserving fruit,” according to Sarah. At most basic, it’s a mix of fresh fruit, sugar, and vinegar, that is combined in an order and way to result in a drinkable liquid. Although many recipes call for boiling of the fruit, Sarah prefers the cold-pressed method, which means none of the nutrients are cooked off. To start the process, Sarah combines ripe fruit and sugar and lets them cozy up with one another in the refrigerator, happily fermenting away. (So many good things come from fermentation, right?!) After a period of time, she adds vinegar, which 
drastically slows the fermentation process. Voila, the result is a shrub!
Ok, but why is it called a shrub?
I felt a little better when Sarah told me she often gets asked where she grows all of her bushes. The word shrub is derived from the Arabic shurb, or to drink. The word sherbet has the same origins. You learn something new every day, right? Now you can be lazy for the rest of the day.
But does it taste like vinegar? Ewww?
This is what I found really interesting – when you lift the shrub to your nose, you can smell the vinegar. But when you taste it, you get robust fruit, sugar, and just a little bit of extra acid to make the mouthfeel a little more complex. While you can drink shrubs straight, they are heavy in sugar, so they are usually either mixed with spirits in a cocktail, or paired with soda for a refreshing non-alcoholic drink. All in all, yummy.
And the flavors?
Sarah says the flavor combinations are an “endless outlet” for her creativity. Her most popular flavors (or best sellers) are Lemon Vanilla and Pineapple, but she has 31 (!) flavors listed on her website. One of her personal favorites is the mango shrub, but I’m intrigued by Tomatillo Coriander, Lemon Blueberry, and Apple Cinnamon…already dreaming of hot toddies at Houston Texans tailgates in the winter! Sarah’s been experimenting with her shrubs for two years and feels that her background as a chef has informed her palate and taste profiles, inspiring her to not only create new flavors, but create custom cocktails for customers.
Is this the same as a simple syrup?
No – a simple syrup is equal parts water and sugar. Often, syrups can be infused with fruits, but all that really takes is throwing in some peels to the mix. Simple syrups are also not fermented. Shrubs are made from real fruit, and because of the natural preservation, will last in the refrigerator for 8 months to one year. I personally will choose to feel righteous drinking shrubs, patting myself on the back for the fresh fruit consumption, and for the gut benefits of vinegar. Now, I’m not a doctor, so don’t take my word on this, but I’m just saying the next time you mix up your gin and shrub, I give you permission to feel a little superior.
Alright, I’m sold. Hit me up with recipes.
Shrub Soda
2 0z shrub of choice, 6 oz Topo Chico (or preferred bubbly water)
Add shrub to tall glass, fill with ice, top with soda. Garnish if you’re feeling fancy.
Strawberry Gin Sour!
Strawberry Gin Sour
1.5 oz gin, 1 oz strawberry shrub, 0.5 oz lemon juice, 1 egg white
Dry shake all ingredients until frothy, fill tin with ice and shake the bejeezus out of it! Double strain into a large coupe glass.
Tell me where to find Sarah.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Houston, you can try her drinks and eat amazing food at Coltivare! But I would recommend you head over to her website, and then order by emailing her at sarah@sarahsshrubs.com.
Happy shrubbing!
Thanks so much for the shoutout! I really enjoyed sitting at the bar and talking to Sarah, she is a renaissance woman who makes you want to do more with your life. The shrubs were great. I had a really excellent jalapeño infused margarita in Costa Rica once that I remember fondly, and I suspect you could come up with a delicious gin equivalent. I think a shrub would be perfect for that, the balance of spice and sweet. I am on board for further research!
I like the idea of a jalepeno infused cocktail! Let’s get on that research, stat. In the interim, I have lime, peach, and lemon vanilla shrubs from Sarah. Yum.