The Strawberry Shrub and Ginger Cocktail is tangy, spicy, and complex. But what is a shrub anyways? The term shrub can stand for a couple different things when it comes to making cocktails, but for our purposes, a shrub is a sweetened vinegar-based syrup that will be used as an ingredient in the finished cocktail.
Here’s Liz from FloatingKitchen.net, sharing with us a rum-based cocktail, which uses a strawberry shrub, and our Old Ballycastle Ginger mixer!
Ingredients:
For the Strawberry Shrub:
2 cups roughly chopped strawberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water
¾ cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
For the Cocktail:
3 oz P&M Old Ballycastle Ginger
1.5 oz strawberry shrub
1.5 oz rum
Lime wedges
Ice
Soda water, optional
Sliced strawberries, for garnish
Directions:
Prepare the strawberry shrub. In a non-reactive bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar and water. Use the back of a spoon to crush the strawberries so they begin to release some of their juices. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in your refrigerator for 24 hours, stirring the contents 2-3 times during this time.
After 24 hours, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Don’t worry if not all the sugar is fully dissolved at this point. Using a spatula, press down on the solids to remove as much of the liquid as possible. Then discard the solids.
Add the apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar to the bowl with the collected liquid. Then transfer this mixture to a clean, re-sealable container and place it in your refrigerator. Let the shrub rest in your refrigerator for 2-3 days before using it. It will keep for a few weeks if stored properly.
Make the cocktails. Add the P&M Old Ballycastle Ginger, strawberry shrub, rum and a squeeze of fresh lime juice to a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until chilled. Then strain into a glass with fresh ice. If desired, top with 1-2 ounces of soda water. Garnish with a lime wedge and sliced strawberry. Serve immediately.
Recipe + Photography by:
Liz Harris of FloatingKitchen.net
