Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub (A Drinking Vinegar for Summer)

A shrub is a drinking vinegar — a sweetened, vinegar-based syrup you mix with sparkling water, lemonade, or a weekend cocktail. It sounds unfamiliar and honestly a bit weird until you taste it, and then it makes complete sense.

This one uses strawberries at the height of their PNW season — late May through July — and rhubarb that’s been available since April. If you’ve already made rhubarb vinegar, you can use it here and the result is extraordinary. The flavor is bright, tart, floral, and lightly sweet.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub

Tart, sweet, zingy and summery this pink refreshing drink is a must try.

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Servings: 2 cups

Equipment

• Flip top glass bottles optional

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and halved
• 1 ¼ cup rhubarb roughly chopped
• 1 cup caster sugar
• ¾ cup rhubarb vinegar or good apple cider vinegar with the mother
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp black peppercorns optional
• fresh thyme, or vanilla pod optional

Instructions

Cold process — my preference, 48 hours

• Combine strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir, cover, refrigerate 48 hours. Sugar draws juice from the fruit — you’ll have a richly coloured liquid and spent fruit.
• Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing gently on the fruit. Compost the pulp or cover with water, let set and strain for a flavored agua fresca drink.
• Stir in vinegar. Taste and adjust. It should be noticeably tart.
• Pour into sterilized glass bottles. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Hot process — ready in 30 minutes

• Combine fruit, sugar, and 60ml water. Heat gently until sugar dissolves and fruit softens, about 10 minutes.
• Strain as above. Stir in vinegar once cool. Bottle and refrigerate.

Notes

I prefer the cold process — it preserves more fresh fruit flavor.

How To Use Your Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub

• Sparkling water: 2-3 tablespoons shrub to a tall glass over ice. Add mint.
• Lemonade: mix with fresh lemonade for a strawberry-rhubarb twist.
• Cocktail: a tablespoon in prosecco or with gin and soda water.
• Mocktail: shrub + kombucha + ice + fresh herbs. Beautiful.
• Salad dressing: a teaspoon in your vinaigrette adds unexpected depth.
• Gift: Wrap this up in a swing-top bottle with a handwritten label. One of my favorite things to give.