Shrubs are kind of an old-fashioned drink, but once you try it, you’ll be hooked. A shrub is a flavored vinegar designed for drinking, and is usually mixed with sparkling water or seltzer/club soda and sometimes alcohol. Fruits are usually included, so you can enjoy unique flavors like Cherry Vanilla Maple or Rhubarb. But this drink is more than just party food…vinegars are good for your body, and support healthy digestion and alkaline balance. So enjoy these paleo shrubs knowing you’re doing yourself a favor.
1. Perfect Summer Watermelon Shrub
With the refreshing flavors of watermelon, this shrub is full of electrolytes to keep you hydrated on hot days. It supports your digestive tract to help with weight control, and because it’s made of watermelon, honey, and apple cider vinegar (or homemade pineapple vinegar), it tastes amazing.
Photo: A Food Centric Life
2. Raspberry Shrub
Raspberry is a lovely flavor for shrubs because it blends so well with vinegar. This version of the drink is made with ice, raspberry vinegar, sparkling water, berry flavored liquid stevia drops, fresh mint, and fresh raspberries—they’re technically optional but definitely add them!
3. Cherry Vanilla Maple Shrub
I can’t get over the flavor combo in this drink, made with sweet cherries, a vanilla bean, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and balsamic vinegar. This recipe makes a shrub “mix” concentrate that you can add to seltzer, and for a little kick, add a dose of rye whiskey.
4. Simple Shrub
Sometimes we get so into fun flavors that we forget that this drink is a nearly-medicinal tonic that’s excellent for your digestive system, skin, and more. Make this easy version with sparkling water, apple cider vinegar, minced ginger, fresh mint, fruit, and maple syrup.
5. Fizzy Rhubarb Shrub
To make this rhubarb shrub paleo, replace the agave nectar with a light-flavored honey (if you buy local honey, buy it in spring when it’s mild!). The flavors of honey and rhubarb will go together perfectly in this fizzy, apple cider vinegar-based drink.
Photo: My Life Cookbook
6. Pineapple Jalapeno Shrub Cocktail
The tang of vinegar, the sweetness of pineapple, and the heat of jalapenos combine in this drink to form a fabulous flavor that reminds me of a fancy margarita. Use honey, apple cider vinegar, fresh pineapple chunks, and fresh chopped jalapeno.
7. Summer Lovin’ Kombucha Cocktail
For a twist on the shrub, use kombucha instead of vinegar and add vodka, passion fruit bitters (or another fruity flavor of bitters), sparkling water, and muddled fresh basil. The flavor is a little different, and this one has alcohol, but the concept is much the same.
8. Blackberry Rosemary and Cherry Plum Shrubs
This two-in one recipe includes ingredients like blackberries, coconut sugar (to replace the raw sugar), apple cider vinegar, fresh rosemary, plums, and bourbon, whiskey, or gin (or no alcohol!). How you make it, and which flavors you choose, are all up to you.
9. Coffee Shrub
To make this delicious coffee shrub paleo, just replace the cane sugar with coconut sugar. The flavor will be even deeper and almost caramel-like with the coffee, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup. When you’re ready, mix the concentration with sparkling water and ice and enjoy.
Photo: Dining With Dostoevsky
10. Watermelon Mint Shrub
This recipe will yield a concentrate of the most refreshing shrub flavors for summer—watermelon with spearmint. Cider vinegar and a touch of sea salt aid the flavors (and the health benefits) while complementing the watermelon and mint.
11. Black Peppercorn and Cranberry Shrub With Gin
You can make this mix with or without the booze, and it’s great either way. You’ll need water, black peppercorns, cranberries, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, ice, club soda, optional gin, and black pepper for sprinkling over the top—it’s all over the presentation!
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