Recipes › Cherry (Sour) › Sour Cherry Shrub (Drinking Vinegar)
Sour Cherry Shrub (Drinking Vinegar)
A tart, complex sour cherry shrub — a preserve that doubles as a mixer. Equal parts cherries, sugar, and vinegar are fermented together for two days into a concentrated, jewel-red syrup with a magical sharp-sweet flavor. Add to sparkling water for a sophisticated non-alcoholic drink, or use as a cocktail mixer.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh sour cherries, pitted and halved
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegarRed wine vinegar also works well
- 6 oz sparkling water, per serving, for mixing
Contains: sulphites.
Method
- Combine pitted cherries and sugar in a glass jar. Muddle slightly to release juice. Stir well, cover, and let sit at room temperature for 2 days, stirring daily, until cherries are soft and syrup is very fragrant.About 5 min
- Strain out cherry solids, pressing to extract all liquid. Discard solids.About 5 min
- Stir apple cider vinegar into the cherry syrup. Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.About 2 min
- To serve: add 1–2 tbsp shrub to a glass of sparkling water over ice. Taste and adjust. Garnish with a twist of lemon.About 3 min
Tips
- The 2-day maceration time develops complex fermented notes — don't rush it.
- Taste the shrub before adding vinegar — the cherry syrup alone is excellent in cocktails.
- Use 1 tbsp shrub as a base for a sour cherry vinaigrette — exceptional on bitter greens.
Ring the changes
- Add 2 whole cloves and a cinnamon stick during maceration for a spiced shrub.
- Stir 1.5 oz bourbon with 2 tbsp shrub, ice, and sparkling water for a Sour Cherry Bourbon Smash cocktail.
Keeping it
Refrigerates for up to 3 months. The flavor improves over the first few days.
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