SO what is a "Shrub" and why should I be drinking it?

In this context, the word "shrub" comes from the Arabic word "sharāb" meaning "to drink". Historically, vinegar was used (instead of citrus) in colonial America as a way to preserve fruit with sugar prior to advent of refrigeration.

In our case, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the "mother" (not all shrubs are made this way) is the base for everything we make. To this, we add whole, fresh fruit (no juices, no concentrates, no extracts, no oils), organic cane sugar and herbs and spices. This allows us to achieve the perfect balance of sweet, savory, tangy and an almost umami complexity made with 100% real, simple, all-natural ingredients.

For us, our story began because Charlie and his wife couldn’t find a drink that was healthy, complex, made with real ingredients and non-alcoholic while she was pregnant with their first child. That said, shrubs are incredibly versatile and can be used for making craft cocktails and even to incorporate into your cooking.

for when you are not drinking

THE ULTIMATE NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK

We embrace the spirit-free movement and believe that every non-alcoholic drink should be as special as a proper cocktail made at a bespoke bar. It's why we started this in the first place.

There are a million reasons not to drink, whether you are a pregnant mom, designated driver, have a meeting in the morning or just don’t feel like it for whatever reason, shrubs are everything you never knew you wanted.

FOR YOUR HOME BAR & CRAFT COCKTAILS

It seems odd to put vinegar in a cocktail right? But if you think about it functionally, shrubs provide acid (think lemon juice) from the vinegar & sweetness from the whole fresh, fruit and organic cane sugar. As a bonus, you get a bunch of complexity from the organic herbs and spices. All of these are important components to a balanced drink.

Experiment on your own or check out some of the recipes below and support your local distilleries whenever and wherever possible.

As a rule of thumb, we recommend a 1:2 ratio of shrub to spirit.

FOR THE CURIOUS AND ADVENTUROUS CHEF, SHRUBS ARE GREAT TO USE IN THE KITCHEN

Shrubs are a simple way to add a ton of flavor to your cooking. Use them wherever you would vinegar or citrus. They are also great for baking (vinegar + baking soda makes cakes fluffier). 

Try them drizzled over roasted or raw vegetables, over ice cream or fresh fruit, or as a base for a salad dressing, marinade or (Carolina-style) BBQ sauce. 

the most refreshing drink you’ll ever have

Our award-winning Element Shrub & Club® (as in shrub + club soda) is a sparkling, tart and refreshing, non-alcoholic, apple cider vinegar drink made with fresh fruit & herbs and spices. No ambiguous "natural" or "artificial" flavors or colors. No juices, no concentrates, no extracts. Just clean, simple refreshment for only 42-60 calories per bottle. Cheers to that!