How to Make Homemade Shrub | A Dye-Free Beverage Flavoring
Homemade shrub bursts with a bubbly and bright fruity flavor. An old-fashioned ferment in today’s modern world, shrub is a healthy, dye-free beverage flavoring safe for the whole family to enjoy.
Water is essential to our human bodies and the average adult needs about 100-120 ounces per day. Whew, that’s a lot of water! After awhile, it can taste boring and dull, leaving many of us reaching for flavoring packets such as Crystal Light.
But many store-bought liquid flavorings are made with high-fructose corn syrup, synthetic food dyes and preservatives that harm instead of nourish the human body.
Before any man-made flavorings came along, our ancestors used shrub to boost the taste of their water.
Shrub is a fruity, vinegar syrup made by the easy, old-fashioned method of fermenting. It’s a by-product of fermenting fruit with raw apple cider vinegar and sugar. It’s as easy as 1-2-3! Measure. Mix. Strain. That’s it!
Before you know it, you’ll easily swap a jar of fizzy, sweet shrub for those expensive, nutrient-deficient flavor packets.
Why You Should Make Homemade Shrub
Amazing Flavor – The fermentation process naturally adds a fizzy texture and perfectly balances the acidity of the vinegar, sweet of the sugar and flavor of the fruit.
Easier on Grocery Bill – As I write this post, a 10-pack of on-the-go Crystal Light packets is $3.49 at one of our Wisconsin-based grocery store chains.
At the same store, a 12oz. package of mixed berry frozen fruit is 4.69 (I used two bags), a 16oz. bottle of raw apple cider vinegar is 5.29, and a package of raw organic cane sugar is 4.99 (2.50 per 1 cup). That’s 0.27 per tablespoon of homemade shrub with 64 tablespoons in a 1-quart jar vs. 0.35 per packet in a 10 pack box of Crystal Light.
It might not seem like a lot of money saved, but if you’re going through several servings in a day, every penny adds up! And if you make your own homemade apple cider vinegar like I do, you’ll save even more.
Learn how to make your own homemade apple cider vinegar
Nutrient-Rich – Homemade shrub provides necessary vitamins, minerals and probiotics, which all keep the body functioning properly. Nothing synthetic included!
Culinarily Inspirational – The combination of fruit and herbs to infuse with the vinegar and sugar are endless! Strawberry and mint or chamomile, watermelon and rosemary, blackberries and sage all pop out in my mind. The discarded fruit can be eaten plain or on top of yogurt or ice cream. It can also be made into a sauce for pork chops or steak. The syrup itself can flavor homemade Gatorade or water, be frozen into popsicles or used in a cocktail.
Safe for the Whole Family – Moms can relax with homemade shrub because it’s all natural including the color! Kids can safely enjoy flavored beverages without harmful ingredients.
Tips for Homemade Shrub
- When using frozen fruit, let thaw before adding sugar and vinegar. The juices will naturally release and the mixture is easier to stir together.
- Give the jar a shake once a day to keep the shrub fermenting evenly.
- Cover with a lid, but don’t tighten all the way. It needs space to release the buildup of gases. Keep it tight enough though to keep out fruit flies.
- One tablespoon of the syrup is enough to flavor about two quarts of water depending on taste preference.
How to Make Homemade Shrub
What You’ll Need
Fruit – So far I’ve only tried a frozen mixed berry blend from the grocery store. But any fruit frozen or fresh will work. Be sure to let frozen fruit thaw to release the juices.
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar – Use only raw vinegar since it contains the necessary probiotics and bacteria to properly ferment the shrub. It’s even better if you make your own during apple season.
Learn how to make your own apple cider vinegar.
Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar | Healthy, Simple and Frugal
Sugar – I highly recommend raw honey for the sugar source. It’s more of an upfront cost, but it’s unprocessed and contains the most necessary minerals. Pure maple syrup is next best followed by organic cane sugar.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by placing fruit into a half-gallon Mason jar or large glass jar of choice. Cut fresh fruit into 1-inch chunks or smaller. Stir to release juices.
Next, if using, dice fresh ginger and add to fruit.
Add herbs (if using), vinegar and sugar of choice.
Stir and shake the mixture until well-blended. Store on the counter or the refrigerator for minimum of two weeks before using. Shake the mixture together at least once a day until the fruit is strained off. Whether strained or not, the shrub keeps indefinitely without spoiling. Can be stored in a pantry or in the fridge.
When you’re ready to use the shrub, strain the fruit out using a fine mesh strainer over another Mason jar for storing. Save fruit solids for another use.
Once syrup is separated from the fruit, it’s now ready to be used for flavoring your beverage of choice. One tablespoon is considered a serving, but the amount used is based on personal taste preference.
FAQ’s
How long should homemade shrub ferment before straining the fruit?
Two weeks is the minimum amount of time to ferment homemade shrub. That’s enough time for the flavors to blend together and for the ingredients to properly ferment. However, shrub can ferment for an indefinite amount of time since it doesn’t spoil.
Where should shrub be stored?
Store shrub on the counter or in the refrigerator both before and after the fruit is strained off. Because it’s a fermented product, it won’t spoil outside the refrigerator. If fruit flies are a problem in your kitchen, I recommend the fridge.
Can more sugar be added than what the recipe calls for?
Yes, typically shrub is made in a 1:1:1 ratio, meaning one cup each fruit, vinegar and sugar. I choose to make a low-sugar option both to reduce the amount of sugar we consume and to save money. Raw honey is more expensive than cane sugar. I recommend starting with one cup of sugar of choice and then taste testing your shrub after a couple days. Then add another cup of sugar if it tastes too vinegary for your liking.
How long does shrub last?
As a fermented product, shrub doesn’t go bad, making it an even more cost effective homemade product to make. You don’t need to worry about it spoiling.
Can regular white vinegar be used instead of apple cider vinegar?
While regular white vinegar can be used to make shrub, it’s not recommended. Apple cider vinegar has a smoother taste and better compliments the fruity flavors of shrub since it’s also a fruit based product.
Homemade Shrub
Homemade shrub bursts with a bubbly and bright fruity flavor. An old-fashioned ferment in today's modern world, shrub is a healthy, dye-free beverage flavoring safe for the whole family to enjoy.
Ingredients
- (2) 12oz. bags frozen fruit or enough chopped fresh fruit to fill half-gallon jar three quarters of the way full
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger (optional)
- 2 cups raw apple cider vinegar
- 1-2 cups raw honey (or sugar of choice)
Instructions
- Begin by placing fruit into a half-gallon Mason jar or large glass jar of choice. Cut fresh fruit into 1-inch chunks or smaller. Stir to release juices.
- Next, if using, dice fresh ginger and add to fruit.
- Add herbs, if using, vinegar and sugar.
- Stir and shake the mixture until well-blended. Store on the counter or the refrigerator for minimum of two weeks before using. Shake the mixture together at least once a day until the fruit is strained off. Whether strained or not, the shrub keeps indefinitely without spoiling. Can be stored in a pantry or in the fridge.
- When you're ready to use the shrub, strain the fruit out using a fine mesh strainer over another Mason jar for storing. Save fruit solids for another use.
- Once syrup is separated from the fruit, it's now ready to be used for flavoring your beverage of choice. One tablespoon is considered a serving, but the amount used is based on personal taste preference.
Notes
- When using frozen fruit, let thaw before adding sugar and vinegar. The juices will naturally release and the mixture is easier to stir together.
- Give the jar a shake once a day to keep the shrub fermenting evenly.
- Cover with a lid, but don't tighten all the way. It needs space to release the buildup of gases. Keep it tight enough though to keep out fruit flies.
- One tablespoon of the syrup is enough to flavor about two quarts of water depending on taste preference.
I’m a wife and homemaker inspiring old-fashioned skills always with a warm beverage in hand. Homemade Recipes. Gardening. Preserving. Healthy Living.
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