Make sweet cherry shrub – an unusual way to preserve the season’s fresh fruit.
Shrubs are a colonial-era beverage: a simple combination of sweetened fruit juice and vinegar. In times when water could be unsafe, vinegar offered protection because its acidity inhibits harmful microbes. That historical practicality helped beverages such as watered wine and beer become everyday staples for centuries.
With modern sanitation, shrubs faded from common use, but interest has renewed alongside the revival of fermented foods. Vinegar-based drinks, like kombucha, are popular again for their flavor and perceived digestive benefits. Shrubs provide a bright, refreshing alternative — and they’re an excellent way to preserve the flavor of ripe fruit.
How to Make a Cherry Shrub
I’d made kombucha and homemade vinegars before, but I’d never tried a shrub until a season when I had an abundance of ripe Bing cherries. Shrubs are much quicker to prepare than most fermented projects, and they keep the taste of summer fruit available long after the harvest.
I chose the cold-process method for this shrub, which preserves fresh fruit flavor without heating. The recipe below is adapted from approaches commonly used for shrub syrups.
- 1 pound pitted, chopped sweet cherries
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar (use a quality brand)
- Place the chopped cherries in a bowl or large-mouth jar.
- Pour the sugar over the cherries and toss to combine.
- Cover with a paper towel or cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.
- Let sit on the counter for about 48 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the fruit releases juices.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard the solids.
- Measure the syrup and return it to a clean jar.
- Add an equal measure of apple cider vinegar and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate and use within 2–3 months.
Make a Shrub Syrup Drink
To enjoy your shrub, add 3–4 tablespoons of syrup to a glass of ice water or sparkling water for a bright, tart refresher. The syrup also makes an excellent mixer for cocktails — adjust the syrup-to-alcohol ratio to taste.
Storing the Shrub Syrup
Store the shrub in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 months. The flavor holds well chilled; you can also experiment with freezing portions if you want to preserve the taste of fresh cherries for longer.
Full disclosure: This recipe was made with cherries provided by the Washington State Fruit Commission.