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Home » Recipes » Alcohol-Free Drink Recipes

Rhubarb Shrub

Published: May 16, 2021 · Modified: Oct 4, 2024 by Emily · 2 Comments

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This Rhubarb Shrub Recipe is a perfect way to celebrate spring flavors. Made with just a few simple ingredients, it is a fresh, tart, and bright addition to many drinks (alcoholic or non).

champagne pouring into a glass of sparkling rhubarb shrub

Rhubarb Shrub Recipe FAQ

What can I do with excess rhubarb?

Make shrub. It is a great way to use up your rhubarb; it uses a lot in one recipe - 4 full cups (500 grams)!

What is shrub, anyway?

A shrub is a concentrated syrup traditionally made by combining equal amounts of fruit, sugar, and vinegar that are then slightly fermented. Its name is derived from the Arabic sharb, which means "to drink." This version of the shrub has origins in 17th century England, where it was used to preserve produce in the winter months. As refrigeration came into vogue, shrubs became less popular.

How are shrubs used in cocktails?

Drinking vinegar shrubs act as the base flavoring in a variety of cocktails; the ratios used in shrub syrups are flexible and can be customized to personal preference.

What do I do with fruit leftover from shrub?

After straining the shrub, the leftover rhubarb pieces are still completely edible. You can use pickled rhubarb on top of salads, mixed with yogurt, or on top of oatmeal. You may want to slice it once more as some thicker pieces will not want to soften much. Alternatively, pickled rhubarb can be cooked down into a sauce that could be treated as a chutney.

In the early 2010's, drinking vinegar began becoming more commonplace in American bars. Since a shrub drink is so acidic, it pairs very well with cocktails and can act as a stand-in for bitters.

plate of sugared rhubarb prior to adding to glass jar

Do you love rhubarb? Be sure to check out this round up of Other Great Rhubarb Recipes.

Ingredients and Steps to Make a Rhubarb Shrub

  • Fruit of choice (berries, citrus , or of course rhubarb)
  • Apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • White sugar
  • Salt
  1. Combine sliced rhubarb with sugar and salt. Pour into a large jar.
  2. Seal the jar and let sit at room temperature for an hour or two. Place the jar in the fridge overnight.
  3. Twenty four hours later, add vinegar to the jar, seal, and shake to combine. Let sit at room temperature for a couple more hours.
  4. Strain rhubarb pieces out of jar and store shrub liquid in a sealable container.

The photo below illustrates what happens in Step 2 of the recipe. While rhubarb/sugar mixture is left to sit at room temperature for a couple of hours, it releases a fair amount of liquid and softens.

side by side view of rhubarb in a glass jar before and after liquid has released

The most common use of shrub is of course in a cocktail. It can be mixed with sparkling wine, vodka and seltzer, or gin and juice. In a "mocktail," the shrub can be mixed with sparkling water and fresh herbs to create a delicious and non-alcoholic beverage.

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champagne pouring into a glass of rhubarb shrub

Other Rhubarb Recipes

Brown Butter Rhubarb Crumble

Roasted Rhubarb Sandwich

Tessellated Rhubarb Almond Cake

Strawberry Rhubarb Margaritas

Other Pink Cocktail Recipes

Strawberry Limeade

Rosé French 75

Strawberry Peach Frosé

The Garden Party Mocktail

champagne pouring into a glass of sparkling rhubarb shrub

Rhubarb Shrub and Cocktail

Emily
This Rhubarb Shrub Recipe is a perfect way to celebrate spring flavors. Made with just a few simple ingredients, it is a fresh, tart, and bright addition to many drinks (alcoholic or non).
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Course Drink
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 110 kcal

Ingredients
  

For shrub base:

  • 4 cups sliced rhubarb from 3-4 large stalks (500 grams)
  • 1 ½ cups organic cane sugar 300 grams
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1.15 grams
  • Optional add-ins: 1 sprig mint 1 sprig lavender, 1 TBS grated ginger
  • 1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar 287.5 grams

For cocktail option (makes two):

  • 1 oz rhubarb shrub
  • 2 oz gin
  • 1 sprig mint to garnish

For mocktail option:

  • 1 oz rhubarb shrub
  • 4 oz flavored sparkling or soda water of choice
  • 1 sprig mint to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Combine sliced rhubarb with sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add in optional additional flavoring component. Pour into a large, sealable container, like a jar.
  • Seal the jar and let sit at room temperature for an hour or two. You will see the liquid from the rhubarb begin to collect in the jar (pictured above). Place the jar in the fridge overnight.
  • Twenty four hours later, add vinegar to the jar, seal, and shake to combine. Let sit at room temperature for a couple more hours.
  • Strain rhubarb pieces out of jar and store shrub liquid in a sealable container. It will last for a few weeks in the fridge!
  • To make a cocktail or mocktail, combine remaining ingredients in an ice-filler shaker and strain into a chilled glass

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1ounce shrubCalories: 110kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 0.4gFat: 0.1gSodium: 52mgSugar: 25g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

More Alcohol-Free Drink Recipes

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    Vegan Butterbeer

Comments

  1. Sue0523 says

    May 18, 2021 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    One of my favorite drinks! Word to the wise - red wine vinegar really works best. I used some cider vinegar I had on hand - still delicious, but not as smooth. Thanks for this great spring refresher!

    Reply
    • Emily says

      May 19, 2021 at 12:19 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for the comment, I agree!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Emily! I have been a plant-based food blogger since 2017. Garlic Head is a recipe website for anyone who wants to easily, affordably, and sustainably incorporate more vegetables into their diet. I am a lifelong vegetarian and 10+ year vegan.

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