A historic quaff experiences a renaissance.
There’s nothing like kicking back and relaxing with a nice, tall glass of … vinegar? Colonists mixed vinegar with fruit and sugar to create a drink they called shrub, popular because of its tart and sweet flavor when diluted in water or liquor, and because it helped preserve fruit. Now, shrub—also called drinking vinegar—is making a modern comeback on grocery store shelves and craft cocktail menus. The Daily Kitchen and Bar in Richmond uses a raspberry shrub in its Daily Negroni, and 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church employs a grapefruit shrub to make its Tahoe Tweezer. Drinking vinegar has also received attention for its potential health benefits, including regulating blood sugar, aiding digestion and soothing sore throats.
Midlothian resident Meredyth Archer makes her own shrub and will soon sell the brew commercially. She first encountered it as a child when her grandmother would drink a mixture of vinegar and honey each day.
“It’s a good alternative to having a mixed drink at a bar—it has that zing, but it’s alcohol-free,” she explains.
Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is available at most natural food stores and many groceries in Virginia. Bragg.com
