Cherry Vanilla Maple Shrub {Drinking Vinegar}

I stopped drinking soda and juice around a decade ago when the media was all like, "Soda is Satan! It makes people obese! Don't drink soda or you'll die!!!" Drinking a soda, even a healthier version of one (say Fentimen's Rose Lemonade...) felt like the ultimate indulgence, like I may as well have been mainlining corn syrup-sweetened heroine right into my veins. I still enjoyed beer, wine, and cocktails, however, and after a while I realized that I was drinking alcohol when what I simply wanted was a tasty iced beverage to refresh on a warm day.

So I was thrilled to discover kombucha a few years ago, which despite being made from tea and sugar, was drunk by healthy people for healthy reasons. I began lugging bottles home from the grocery store, which would sometimes leak from the carbonated pressure, making a mess. Wanting to make my own, I inherited a scoby from a friend, which I promptly neglected and killed.

Then shrub came into my life via Carey's lovely site Reclaiming Provincial. Shrubs are old-fashioned drinking vinegars made from fruit, sweetener, and vinegar. When made with raw cider vinegar, they provide some of the same good bacteria present in kombucha. Shrubs can be mixed with ice and fizzy water for a simple soda of sorts, not too sweet and flavored with whatever you like.

You can also add booze.

As a way to extend cherry season a bit further, I've been whipping up this simple shrub with sweet cherries, vanilla bean, and maple syrup. I add raw cider vinegar and a splash of balsamic. Mixed with ice and sparkling water, it tastes surprisingly like cherry-vanilla soda.

I've found that adding alcohol can sometimes give shrubs a medicinal edge, but rye whiskey was pretty perfect here. Highly recommended!

I'm looking forward to sharing (and drinking) more shrubby concoctions. In the meantime, I wish everyone a lovely summer filled with plenty of refreshing beverages, healthy and otherwise.

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Good Libations: Lavendar Kumquat Shrub One For the Money Cocktail {with Cocchi Americano, Saffron and Cardamom} Grapefruit, Ginger and Lemongrass Sake Cocktails
One year ago: Maple Sugar, Bourbon, and Brown Butter Peach Crisp Two years ago: Chocolate Bourbon Banana Cream Tart Three years ago: Cherry Frangipane Tart Four years ago: Zucchini Tomato Tart
Cherry Vanilla Maple Shrub {Drinking Vinegar}
Inspired by Carey's Cherry Balsamic Shrub
Use grade A maple syrup here if you want a lighter flavor and brighter color (as pictured); grade B will have a deeper maple taste and the sodas will look a bit muddier, but they'll still be super tasty. Give yourself 1-2 days to make this recipe as the mixture needs to infuse for at least 24 hours. To drink, mix 1 part shrub with about 4 parts soda water, top with ice, and add a splash of rye whiskey or bourbon if you like.

All ounce measurements here are by weight.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
2 cups (10 ounces / 280 grams) stemmed sweet cherries 1/2 vanilla bean 1/2 cup (5.25 ounces / 150 grams) maple syrup 1/2 cup (4 ounces / 115 grams) apple cider vinegar (preferably raw, such as Bragg's) 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Place the cherries in a large jar or bowl (it's fine to leave the pits in). Add the vanilla and maple syrup, and use a muddle stick (or other blunt object) to mash the cherries to a pulp. Stir in the vinegars. Cover and let the shrub sit for 24 to 48 hours. Strain the shrub, pressing on the solids to extract all the good stuff. Discard the pulp.
Pour the shrub into a jar or bottle and store in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least 1 month.