Introduction
This stunning cocktail features a sweet-tart blackberry and thyme drinking vinegar, also known as a shrub. Paired with gin and lemon juice, you get a beautifully balanced sour cocktail with lovely herbal notes.
With just 10 easy minutes of prep time, one can have this impressive 3-ingredient cocktail ready to mix up. The key is taking the time to make the flavored vinegar or “shrub” so that it can infuse for a few days before using.
Read on for the full recipe, including tips on getting the most flavor out of the shrub and suggestions for using it in mocktails. Cheers!
Equipment Needed
Here are some Equipment needed for this recipe:
Make Blackberry-Thyme Shrub
- Lightly muddle blackberries and thyme in a mason jar.
- Add vinegar and sugar. Shake or stir to dissolve sugar.
- Refrigerate 3-7 days to infuse, shaking occasionally.
- Strain out solids before using.
Mix the Cocktail
- To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 2 oz gin, 1 oz lemon juice, and 2 oz blackberry-thyme shrub.
- Shake vigorously until very cold, about 20-30 seconds.
- Strain over fresh ice into an old fashioned glass. Enjoy!
Shrub Tips for Maximum Flavor
- Lightly muddle berries and herbs to release juices and oils.
- Use a mild vinegar like apple cider so it doesn’t overpower the fruit.
- Allow shrub at least 3 days to fully infuse, up to 7 days for very intense flavor.
- Fine strain for elegantly smooth texture with no bits.
- Store infused shrub refrigerated for up to 6 months.
Make it a Mocktail!
For an alcohol-free shrub drink:
- Replace gin with equal parts seltzer water or ginger beer
- Use cranberry or pomegranate juice instead of lemon
- Sweeten with a bit of honey or maple syrup
- Top with soda water, lemonade, ginger ale
Creative Shrub Flavor Combos
Infuse your shrub vinegar with:
- Peach + basil
- Raspberry + rosemary
- Strawberry + lemon verbena
- Cherry + vanilla
- Pineapple + mint
The possibilities are endless!
