Blueberry Shrub with Basil Mocktail (Simple and Refreshing)

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe 

If you’re new to the fruit shrub syrup world, you’re in for a treat! This Blueberry Shrub recipe is particularly perfect for summer and easy to make with fresh berries, basil, sugar, and vinegar. After a 1 week preservation time, this delicious shrub drink is ready to be enjoyed!

Just like homemade flavored simple syrup, berry shrubs add a hint of balancing flavors to blueberry cocktails and mixed drinks. I love it mixed in with a tall glass of sparkling water or club soda next to a plate of my blueberry macarons with blueberry frosting! It has that refreshing burst of berry goodness that’s a must during the hot summer weather, next to a passion fruit margarita!

❓ What is shrub syrup?

Shrub syrup (or drinking vinegar) is a definite must in the creative’s kitchen in the early spring. It’s a non-alcoholic preserved fruit syrup made with ​​​​fruit, sugar, and vinegar. When using the cold-pressed method, it takes at least 1 week for the fruity, tangy flavors to get to know each other. Afterward, use the syrup to enhance your favorite drinks like sparkling St Germain cocktails and refreshing roasted strawberry lemonade drinks in the summer.

🍴Ingredients

• Blueberries - Technically, you can make a shrub with any type of berry or fruit. Blueberries are one of my favorites, especially for summer. You’ll see cartons of seasonal berries pop up in grocery stores and farmer’s markets during the middle and end of summer here in the US, which are sure to give your shrub the very best flavors. Extra blueberries on hand? Try making some blueberry simple syrup!
• Sugar - Granulated white sugar is best but turbinado sugar, caster sugar, or demerara sugar should work as well.
• Basil - Fresh basil leaves give the finished shrub an unmatched aromatic flavor that’s perfect on hot summer days.
• Apple cider vinegar - All shrub recipes are made with vinegar as it’s the key to preserving the fruit syrup and gives it its signature tart finish. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, replace it with another mild flavored vinegar like white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, or champagne vinegar. Don’t use white vinegar as it’s too sour and acidic.

⚒️ Equipment

• Fruit muddler - If you don’t have a muddler, use the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher instead.
• Straining Utensil -You can use cheesecloth, a nut milk bag or a mesh strainer here!
• Airtight containers - To store the blueberries, basil and sugar while they macerate.
• Bottles - To store the shrub in the fridge.

📖 Step by Step Instructions

You can make shrub syrup two ways: the hot way and the cold way. This recipe uses the cold or room temperature method, which is lengthier, but truer to a classic shrub. Putting in the time and patience is so worth it because the finished berry shrub is beautifully flavored! Plus, the method is practically foolproof:

Step 1: Muddle the berries. Place the whole blueberries in a small bowl and muddle them until there aren’t any whole berries left.

Step 2: Let the berries macerate. Stir the sugar and basil leaves in with the muddled blueberries. Transfer to an airtight container and let the berries macerate for 1 day for best results.

Step 3: Squeeze out the juice. Use cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer to strain the macerated blueberries the next day. Squeeze out as much blueberry juice as possible.

Step 4: Let the juice and vinegar mingle. Pour the vinegar in with the blueberry juice. Cover the container and keep it in the fridge for 1 week.

Step 5: Pour over sparkling water and adding fresh blueberries, serve with a straw and enjoy!

Step 6: Serve and enjoy! The shrub is ready to use after 1 week and can be enjoyed as-is with soda water, a craft beverage or in cocktails. Enjoy!

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• What to do with the leftover berries - Either discard the macerated berries or toss them in a pot of simmering water and sugar to make blueberry and basil simple syrup.
• If the syrup doesn’t look clear - Strain the blueberries twice or three times total to remove as many solids as possible.

❓ Ways to use blueberry shrub syrup

The best way to serve blueberry shrub is to stir 1 or 2 tablespoons in a glass filled with ice and soda water. Top with fresh blueberries and basil, then enjoy! You can also use the base to make a salad dressing, or an ice cream beer float with berry syrup!

Craving an adult beverage? Add 1 to 1.5 ounces of gin, vodka, tequila, or white rum to the glass.

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