Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail

I couldn’t let brunch week end without a cocktail recipe, could I?  Thanks so much for playing along this week as we shared some amazing brunch recipes. And thanks to our hosts, Terri of Love and Confections and Susan of The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen for doing such a great job organizing everything! If you haven’t entered yet, but sure to go on over and read about our giveaway. We have some amazing sponsors and there are fantastic prizes up for grabs!

Have you ever tried a shrub? They sound a little weird if you haven’t tasted one yet – from the funny name to the fact that they have vinegar in them – but they’re really refreshing. I got into them a few summers ago, and they’re one of my favorite ways to cool off on a hot, humid day. Luckily, they’re super easy to make!

You start by mixing together fruit and sugar and refrigerating it overnight. The sugar helps pull the juiced out of the fruit and the juices help dissolve the sugar… leaving you with a delicious fruit flavored syrup. For this recipe, I used equal parts strawberries and rhubarb. (That photo above is what it will look like. That’s all just fruit and sugar – I didn’t add any liquid it at that point!)

Next, you strain out the fruit and stir some vinegar into the syrup. You can keep the syrup in the fridge until you’re ready to have a drink, then mix it with club soda and a shot of our favorite liquor. I like how the botanicals of gin pair with the strawberry-rhubarb shrub, but if you’re not a gin drinker you can also use white rum for a daquiri-like cocktail or vodka for something a little more neutral. (You can also forego the alcohol all together if you just want a refreshing drink.)

That’s all there is to it! You can use any kind of vinegar, but I like the flavor of apple cider vinegar. I also add some white balsamic, which helps smooth out the flavors (regular balsamic tastes good too, but your cocktail won’t be as pretty.) I’m not going to pretend drinking vinegar isn’t a little weird. But, once you get past the first few sips, it’s completely addicting! (If you like kombucha, you’ll find the sour vinegar taste to be pretty familiar. It’s not that far off!)

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Strawberry Rhubarb Shrub Cocktail

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

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Ingredients

For the Shrub Syrup:

• 1 pound strawberries, quartered
• 6 stalks rhubarb, cut into 1/4" dice
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, such as Dixie Crystals
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar

For the Cocktails:

• gin, white rum, or vodka
• club soda

Instructions

1. Combine the strawberries, rhubarb, and sugar in a large container. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain the liquid that has accumulated into a pitcher. Stir in the vinegars. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. To make a cocktail, mix 1 shot of gin, white rum, or vodka and 1 1/2 shots shrub syrup in a 6 ounce glass. Top with club soda.

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• Mother’s Tea from The Vintage Cook
• Strawberry-Rhubarb Shrub from Healthy.Delicious.
• Smoky Chipotle Bloody Mary from Sarcastic Cooking
• Elderberry Whiskey Peach Smash from {i love} my disorganized life
• Moscato Mojitos from Real Housemoms

Brunch Eggs:

• Duck Hash from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Cracked Crab Artichoke Benedict from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Pancetta and Veggie Breakfast Skillet from Eat Your Heart Out

Brunch Mains:

• Spinach, Apple & Chicken Salad from White Lights on Wednesday

Brunch Breads:

• French Toast Bake with Peaches and Almond Streusel from Food Faith Fitness
• Mini Carrot Cake Pancake Stacks from Neighborfood
• Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies from The Spiffy Cookie
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Baked Oatmeal from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Croque Madame Waffle from Hip Foodie Mom
• Vanilla Chai Quick Bread from Savvy Eats
• Blueberry Coffee Cake from My Catholic Kitchen
• DIY Instant Oatmeal Bar from The Kitchen Prep

Brunch Fruit and Sides:

• Lemon Blueberry Parfait from Love and Confections
• Berry Mint Salad from Cooking In Stilettos

Brunch Desserts:

• Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Cookies from Hungry Couple
• Lemon Curd Mousse Sugar Cookie Cups from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
• Cinnamon Coffee Cake from Jen’s Favorite Cookies

Disclaimer: As a Brunch Week participant, I received several samples from our sponsors to use in my recipes. For this recipe, I used sugar from Dixie Crystals.