Ready to take your cocktails to the next level? We know just the thing to make that happen. Cheesy infomercial lines aside, we’re a little obsessed with these cocktail mixers and are excited to tell you more about them.
Shrubs, or drinking vinegars, unsurprisingly aren’t new. But like combat boots and biker shorts, they’re here for their 2018 resurgence. Just a note -there are many different beverages classified as shrubs, but the ones we’re talking about here are the tangy vinegar and fruit syrups. These syrups can be added to any beverage to give it an extra dose of flavor and unique complexity. Not only do they make delicious drinks, they add a gorgeous pop of color, so they’re perfect for entertaining.
While you can buy shrub online, we’ve also found it really fun and easy to make your own (click here for the recipe we’ve been using). Once we made our shrub, we went to town mixing drinks for our family and friends. Luckily, the shrub does most of the heavy lifting, so there’s nothing too fancy about the rest of the ingredients. Okay, without further ado, here’s our go-to cocktail recipe this holiday season:
Raspberry-Thyme Shrub Cocktail
- Pour 1 oz gin (or vodka) into a coupe glass
- Add 1 oz raspberry-thyme shrub
- Fill the rest of the glass with club soda
- Garnish with a sprig of thyme
Variations: If you like things a little sweeter, you can add a splash of ginger beer, or if you want a little more fizz, you can add a splash of champagne or prosecco. You could also add a few raspberries to garnish (perhaps frozen they could be used as mini ice cubes). These drinks also look pretty in champagne glasses or DOF lowballs.