Preparing a shrub hot or cold completely changes the result

With spirits, sugar, and citrus, cocktails already offer a wide variety of flavors, but there's always room to add complexity. One way to achieve this is with shrub, a drink that combines fruit, sugar, and often vinegar, and which kept well long before refrigeration. Vinegar might seem daring, but it balances the excessive sweetness of fruit juices. Thus, shrub achieves a delicate balance between acidity and sweetness, and is delicious even on its own.

There are two main methods for making syrup: the hot process and the cold process. The hot process is faster and produces a syrup-like consistency because the fruit is simmered in syrup and the vinegar is added at the end. The cold process works like an infusion: the fruit is macerated in sugar and then mixed with acid for several days. The result blends the flavors better, but it takes longer and carries some risk.

Hot shrubs can start with a pre-made syrup, in which fruit and vinegar are combined, or with a mixture of vinegar and sugar that yields a more acidic syrup. Since the shrub should be liquid, not syrupy, it's usually diluted with water before straining out the solids. Its main advantage is its quick assembly. Some ingredients improve with cooking, especially those that release oils with heat, such as cinnamon, cloves, or rosemary, as well as hardy fruits like apples, rhubarb, and pears. More delicate fruits, on the other hand, change flavor with heat, and hot syrups offer fewer nuances because the vinegar, fruit, and aromatics don't have time to meld.

Bartenders generally prefer the cold process. It requires more time and technique, but it yields a more intense and vibrant flavor, where the fruit's initial tastes are better appreciated, with a pleasant acidity that harmonizes with the rest of the cocktail. Most recipes begin by letting the fruit steep in sugar for two days, which softens it and releases its juices. The mixture is then strained, combined with vinegar, and left to rest for several days. Others combine all the ingredients from scratch.

In any case, the resting time is essential, because the acids liquefy the sugar crystals and transform the shrub into a more homogeneous mixture. Since it's not cooked, the fresh and intense flavors of berries, pineapple, and stone fruit are preserved. Whether you're adding a distinctive twist to a New York sour or creating a new drink, chilled shrub delivers a vibrant acidity.