I’ve got a tantalizing sour cherry shrub that will knock your socks off! Cocktail shrubs don’t always use alcohol, and I’ve been loving an ice-cold shrub mocktail when I get home from work. Calling all cocktail, kombucha, preservers, and soda fans!

A woman with red nails holding a glass with red cocktail up to camera.

A shrub is a vinegared syrup that is most commonly used in beverages. You can mix a shrub into cocktails or with water. I like to drink mine with sparkling water…it is almost kombucha-like, and I get to enjoy it as a fun, after-work mocktail. I also use shrubs in these 4 ways:

Sour Cherry Shrub Mocktail: Add 1-2 tbsp of the shrub to 1 cup of sparkling or flat water. Serve over ice.

Salad Dressings: Mix a little of the shrub with some olive oil, salt, and pepper to make a unique and delicious salad dressing. 1 part shrub, 3 parts olive oil.

Cocktails: Use the shrub instead of regular simple syrup.

Marinades: Mix a few tablespoons of the shrub into your marinade, or use the shrub as a glaze for meat & poultry.

This is one of my favorite ways to preserve sour cherries so I can enjoy them all year round. I also preserve them in sour cherry-infused vodka and this sour cherry syrup. All three of these recipes combine ridiculously well for mocktails and cocktails.

How to Make a Sour Cherry Shrub

First, pit your sour cherries in my recipe for sour cherry gin limeade.

Lots of sour cherries on a black plate on a concrete surface.

Muddle together the cherries and sugar in a mortar and pestle. Let them sit at room temperature for 2 hours.

Step by step photos showing a hand muddling cherries with sugar.

Add the apple cider vinegar (photo 1). Muddle well (photo 2). Transfer to a quart-sized jar or container (photo 3). Cover and refrigerate for 2 days.

A gray mortar and pestle with a red liquid inside.

After the 2 days, open your jar and muddle again, very well (photo 1). Strain and discard the skins (photo 2). Use your hands to squeeze out as much of the shrub liquid as possible (photo 3). Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator (photo 4).

Step by step photos showing muddling and straining cherry shrub.

To enjoy a shrub mocktail, mix 1 tbsp of the shrub with 1 cup of sparkling water. Serve over ice.

A woman holding a dripping cherry over a red cocktail in a glass

Sour Cherry Shrub Storage

A shrub does not have to be refrigerated but I prefer to refrigerate them. They can last for years. I have some shrubs in my refrigerator from a large batch I made two years ago and I still use it regularly! They last so long because the acid and sugar act as preservers.

Cherry skins in square glass bowl.

Other Sour Cherry Recipes You’ll Love

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Sour Cherry Shrub

5 from 11 votes
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Calling all cocktail, kombucha, preservers, and soda fans! I’ve got a sour cherry shrub that is sure to knock your socks off! Cocktail shrubs or drinking vinegars don’t always use alcohol, and you can use this sour cherry shrub either way!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Resting Time2 days 2 hours
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American, Persian
Servings: 20
Calories: 61kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sour cherries destemmed and pitted
  • 1 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar or sub. champagne vinegar

Instructions

  • Muddle together the cherries and sugar. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
  • Add the apple cider vinegar. Muddle well. Transfer to a quart-sized jar or container. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days.
  • After the 2 days, open your jar and muddle again, very well. Strain and discard the skins. Use your hands to squeeze out as much of the shrub liquid as possible Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Notes

To enjoy a shrub mocktail, mix 1 tbsp of the shrub with 1 cup of sparkling water. Serve over ice.
If you do not have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute for champagne vinegar.
The shrub can sit in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so if you forget it after the 2 resting days, it is OK.
Save the discarded cherry skins. They are delicious in salads or grains like rice & farro. You can also use them as a relish over duck, grilled steak, or chicken!
A shrub does not have to be refrigerated, but prefer to refrigerate them. They can last for years. I have a some shrub in my refrigerator from a large batch I made two years ago and still use it regularly. Be sure to use a sterile bottle and avoid contamination of the shrub.

Nutrition

Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 35mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.

2 Comments

  1. I have found leaving pits in makes for better cherry flavor and almond notes ( when I have made cherry vodka) maybe it would be better in this recipe as well?

    1. I’ve never tried it, but it sounds interesting, Kathleen. Thank you so much for sharing… definitely something I’d love to try out!

5 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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