Wheat Free Classic Berry Shrub
Tart, fruity, and endlessly refreshing, this berry shrub is a drinking vinegar syrup that transforms a simple glass of sparkling water into something genuinely special. The whole thing comes together with just four pantry-friendly ingredients — fresh mixed berries, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of kosher salt — making it naturally free of any grain-based ingredients without a single substitution required. The process is mostly hands-off: crush the berries with sugar, let them macerate in the fridge for a couple of days, strain, and stir in the vinegar. That slow cold maceration is what pulls out a deep, jewel-toned syrup that tastes like concentrated summer. The apple cider vinegar adds a bright, tangy backbone that balances the sweetness beautifully and gives the finished drink a lively, almost effervescent quality even before the sparkling water hits the glass. It keeps in the fridge for up to four weeks, so you can mix up a batch and enjoy it all month long — over ice with a sprig of mint whenever the mood strikes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 cups fresh mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries), hulled and halved if large
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
For serving
- sparkling water, for serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the berries and sugar in a medium bowl. Use a muddler or the back of a fork to crush the berries thoroughly, releasing their juice and working the sugar into the fruit until a wet, jammy mixture forms.
- 2
Stir in the kosher salt, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to a glass jar. Refrigerate for at least 48 hours, stirring or shaking once or twice, until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture has released a deep, syrupy liquid.
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