Fresh mocktails and vinegar-based lemonades are HOT at the moment. Vinegar has the health benefits of lemon juice and although you can also drink vinegar straight - as a shot - why not do yourself an (even) greater favour perhaps by adding fresh fruit, water, spices and herbs? Discover why vinegar drinks are hip - again -, how you can make a shrub yourself and who produces the most delicious ready-to-serve variations.

What the shrub is a vinegar drink?

Drinking vinegar, also known as shrub (from the Arabic sharbah, which means drink), is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. In Japan, drinking vinegar shots has been commonplace for years, but now vinegar drinks are also beginning to crop up here in growing numbers in restaurants or genuine (pop-up) vinegar bars. Vinegar drinks are nothing new, however. Long ago, the Romans and Babylonians mixed vinegar with water. Even sailors from the 16th-18th centuries drank shrubs to prevent scurvy! Until lemons and limes became widely available and affordable, vinegar was usually the basis for fresh drinks.

Vinegar as an age-old tonic for better digestion

For centuries, vinegar has been renowned worldwide as a tonic for better digestion and a stronger immune system. A shot of vinegar before your meal balances the pH value in your body, stimulating your appetite. A little vinegar after the meal is also good to settle your stomach. Apple cider vinegar contains valuable enzymes, vitamins and folic acid, and has been used since ancient times to detox the body and restore a natural balance. Genuine balsamic vinegar from Modena, in turn, contains extra polyphenol antioxidants from fermented (Trebbiano) grapes.

Vinegar drinks as an alternative to (non-alcoholic) cocktails

The modern shrub is a fast-growing superstar among both cocktail lovers and teetotallers with a refined taste. Colonial Americans brought the inspiration for shrubs from England with them, where vinegar was used to preserve fruit. Eventually, it became trendy to drain the vinegar, add sweetener and use the syrup as the basis for a distinctive drink with an infinite number of variations. An added advantage is that crushed or aged summer fruit is quickly transformed into a delicious taste explosion, so that extra sugar is unnecessary and that you don't have to throw anything away.

This is how you make a shrub or mocktail based on vinegar

Use a good apple cider vinegar as a base. Mix this with your favourite fruit, some coconut blossom sugar or honey and extra flavourings such as herbs and spices. Pour into a large bottle or jar that can be closed tightly. Put in the fridge and allow to stand for at least a couple of nights up to several weeks. The longer you leave it, the more intense the flavours will be. Shake occasionally. Add sparkling water and, voilà, your shrub is ready.

Recipe for Strawberries & Rhubarb Shrub

INGREDIENTS (for 1 litre of syrup)

350 gr rhubarb, unpeeled, cut into pieces
350 gr of strawberries
250 g coconut blossom sugar
120 ml of honey
250 ml apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp rose water
To top it off: sparkling water and ice cubes

PREPARATION

Place the rhubarb and strawberries in a large, spotless jar that can be closed tightly. Add the coconut blossom sugar and crush the mix with a wooden spoon. Seal the jar and place in the fridge for 2 days. Shake regularly so that the sugar dissolves well.

AFTER 2 DAYS: Pour the syrup through a sieve, crushing the pulp well so that you get all the syrup through. Return the syrup to the jar and add the honey, vinegar and rose water. Put the shrub back into the fridge and allow to stand for at least 6 days. Shake the syrup well before drinking.

AFTER A MINIMUM OF 6 DAYS: Pour the syrup to taste into a glass, add ice cubes, and fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water.

Organic drinking vinegars from Bongiorno

If other fermented drinks such as kombucha or kefir are still a step too far for you and wine is also not your cup of (healthy) tea, why not try the drinking vinegars from Bongiorno? Italy's first craft vinegar drink contains the health benefits of apple cider vinegar (including the mother) AND Modena balsamic vinegar. Organic drinks are low in calories and rich in vitamins and minerals. These are available in five delicious flavours: Lime & Ginger; Orange, Honey, Red berry & Pomegranate and Apple & Cinnamon and only contain sugars from fruit (or honey).