The addition of a shrub to a cocktail is nothing short of an acquired taste, and I, too, am still acquiring. When we were sent three different samples from Washington DC’s Shrub District, I wasn’t exactly sure where to start. 

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For those not familiar with shrubs, they’re a blend of vinegar, fruits, herbs, and spices that can be mixed into cocktails, club soda, or with other ingredients. The three that we were sent to experiment with included some of my preferred flavors of late: Strawberry Dill, Pineapple Allspice, and Blueberry Basil. 

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Strawberry Dill screamed “spring” to me. While I was thinking about warmer weather, it’s probably because we were still stuck with April snow when I made these drinks. One piece of advice I received from our friend, Yvonne (owner of Schon Haus in Medina), was that she used shrubs with club soda. That comment immediately made me look in the direction of sparkling wine for this concoction. Here’s my first attempt:

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1.5 oz Vodka
.75 oz Yuzu
.75 oz Strawberry Dill Shrub
Top with Sparkling Wine
Garnish with a Strawberry

The Blueberry Basil shrub incorporates two of my favorite flavors. Instead of focusing on the basil, I thought about blueberry and bourbon for the main flavors, and this is what transpired:

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1.5 oz Bourbon
.75 oz Honey Syrup
1 oz Blueberry Basil Shrub
Garnish with Basil

While it took awhile to get the spring weather, the Pineapple Allspice shrub had us both immediately thinking about the tiki cocktail class we took years back. As I look toward much warmer weather, I’m sure the remainder of this bottle will come to use. Here’s the final beverage:

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1.5 oz Rum
.5 oz Velvet Falernum
.25 oz Orgeat Syrup
1 oz Pineapple Allspice Shrub
Garnish with Pineapple and Dehydrated Lime

If nothing else, this experience with Shrub District has me increasingly curious about how shrubs can be incorporated into different recipes. In addition to shrubs, Shrub District also has some syrups for those who don’t already make their own. How do you feel about shrubs? Are they part of your cocktail recipes?

Cheers!