Shrubs are a centuries-old bittersweet libation—built on the technique of preserving fruit by macerating it in a vinegar and sugar solution, straining out the solids and enjoying the tart-sweet concoction. They’ve made their way onto cocktail menus and store shelves, and are perfect for mixing simply with sparkling water for a low-octane refreshment, or into a cocktail, lending the drink a tart flavor.
Lynette Shaw owns Republic of Jam, located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and makes jams, mustards, cocktail syrups, relishes, shrubs and other products from fruits and vegetables grown in the region. As “Jam Master,” Shaw started making shrubs as an offshoot of the company’s chutney production. “The flavor profiles are similar,” she says. “I adored the addition of the acetic acid instead (or often in addition to) citric acid. My palate loves acidic flavors, so it was a natural fit for me.”
Republic of Jam currently creates the following shrub flavors: Lime, Spiced Quince, Spiced Peach, and Blueberry. In the past, they’ve also made Quince Lavender (which we featured here a few weeks back), Peach Balsamic and Strawberry Ballistic. “We are always changing and creating, so more shrubs are on the horizon for us,” she adds. “We are particularly fond of peach shrubs.” (ROJ’s Spiced Peach Shrub won a 2015 Good Food Award earlier this year.)
For Shaw, the type of vinegar used for each fruit, how they treat and process it, and the addition of spices makes their products stand out. “We’ve gotten very adept at creating more than 400 different flavors of jams, syrups and savory fruit spreads over the years,” she says. “Basically, we pair flavor profiles when we put fruit, vinegar and spices together. We add multiple spices to our shrubs and other products to create unique aromatics and enhance flavor.”
Shaw uses red wine vinegar for blueberries because of blueberry notes often found in red wine, and because it is not excessively rich or harsh, which might overpower the blueberries. When she uses balsamic vinegar, it’s intensity is balanced out by using a second vinegar, like apple cider or sherry.
The resulting shrubs from Republic of Jam add fruitiness to a cocktail without a lot of sweetness—a characteristic of why bartenders like using them in their creations. “Just a little bit adds a lot of flavor to cocktails, says Andy Rabung, owner of Barrel 47 in Carlton, Oregon. “Shrubs in general give us a little versatility to our drinks. A standard drink with a little splash of a shrub in it can give it a whole new life and whole new flavor.”
Barrel 47 created a drink using Republic of Jam’s Spiced Peach Shrub. Since the flavors of that shrub work equally well with bourbon or gin, they give patrons the choice of having the drink made with either spirit. It’s why the drink was given the playful name, “Shrub a Dub Dub, What’s in Your Tub?” Fill your “tub” with gin or bourbon, add in the shrub and remaining ingredients for a boozy, tart, yet slightly sweet cocktail.
Shrub a Dub Dub, What’s in Your Tub?
Courtesy of Barrel 47
1 ½ ounces gin or bourbon
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce Republic of Jam Spiced Peach Shrub
¾ ounce apple cider
Dash of bitters with bourbon
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with lemon slice for the gin-based version, or an orange slice for the bourbon-based version.
