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Photos: R. Lopez

Summer Means Shrubs for These D.C. Bars and Shops

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A new cocktail ingredient is showing up at several area bars this summer: shrubs. Also known as drinking vinegars, they were developed as a way for colonists to help preserve bountiful harvests of fruit, by combining fruit juice with sugar and vinegar.

For some the tang of shrubs is an acquired taste. But for others the astringency is a refreshing palate cleanser. Mixed with club soda, they make for a perfect light summery drink. But they also do well with a splash of booze. Here are some places to purchase shrubs to enjoy at home, or to try them out on the town.
—Jamie Liu

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GBD (Golden Brown Delicious)

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You might not be able to get apple cider donuts at GBD, but you can get their apple shrub based cocktail, Shrub it Off. The shrub is paired with Tuthilltown Half Moon Orchard Gin, which is distilled from wheat and apples.

The Gibson

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Though The Gibson is not named after the cocktail, they do feature a version of the original Gibson (6 parts gin and 1 part vermouth garnished with an onion) called The Gibson Gibson. Their version is a mix of Bols Aged Genever and a red onion shrub.

Drinking vinegars have become really popular in Asia for assumed health benefits, like aiding digestion, and increasing the sensation of fullness to help dieters. At H Mart you can pick up a variety of flavors, including pomegranate, blueberry, and apple.

Range features a variety of house made sodas on the menu, including mango, cranberry, and ginger. But most interesting is the pineapple shrub, which is included in the barrel-aged cocktail Wonder of Neglect with gin and carpano antica. This aging process intensifies the tang of the shrub, as would have occurred in Colonial times.

Ripple features a shrub-based cocktail that is a nod to Greek mythology. Persephone in the Underworld combines bourbon and fernet branca with a pomegranate balsamic shrub. Or try a non-alcoholic mix of pomegranate, balsamic and ginger with a Bitter Betsy.

Salt & Sundry

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Amanda McClements' Salt & Sundry always has the best new products. Along with other cocktail ingredients, her store features Liber & Co's Texas grapefruit shrub, and recently started carrying Shrub & Co's tart apple, spicy ginger, and grapefruit shrubs.

Smucker Farms of Lancaster Co.

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Smucker Farms sells produce and food products from Pennsylvania, and they feature Tait Farm's shrubs. Tait Farm started making shrubs in the late 80s, two decades before they became popular. You can pick up a wide variety of flavors including raspberry, cranberry, ginger, and lemon.

Radius Pizza

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This Mount Pleasant pizza joint makes its own shrubs in flavors such as pear for cocktails and punch bowls, and also sells them on Saturdays at the nearby neighborhood farmer's market.

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GBD (Golden Brown Delicious)

You might not be able to get apple cider donuts at GBD, but you can get their apple shrub based cocktail, Shrub it Off. The shrub is paired with Tuthilltown Half Moon Orchard Gin, which is distilled from wheat and apples.

The Gibson

Though The Gibson is not named after the cocktail, they do feature a version of the original Gibson (6 parts gin and 1 part vermouth garnished with an onion) called The Gibson Gibson. Their version is a mix of Bols Aged Genever and a red onion shrub.

H Mart

Drinking vinegars have become really popular in Asia for assumed health benefits, like aiding digestion, and increasing the sensation of fullness to help dieters. At H Mart you can pick up a variety of flavors, including pomegranate, blueberry, and apple.

Range

Range features a variety of house made sodas on the menu, including mango, cranberry, and ginger. But most interesting is the pineapple shrub, which is included in the barrel-aged cocktail Wonder of Neglect with gin and carpano antica. This aging process intensifies the tang of the shrub, as would have occurred in Colonial times.

Ripple

Ripple features a shrub-based cocktail that is a nod to Greek mythology. Persephone in the Underworld combines bourbon and fernet branca with a pomegranate balsamic shrub. Or try a non-alcoholic mix of pomegranate, balsamic and ginger with a Bitter Betsy.

Salt & Sundry

Amanda McClements' Salt & Sundry always has the best new products. Along with other cocktail ingredients, her store features Liber & Co's Texas grapefruit shrub, and recently started carrying Shrub & Co's tart apple, spicy ginger, and grapefruit shrubs.

Smucker Farms of Lancaster Co.

Smucker Farms sells produce and food products from Pennsylvania, and they feature Tait Farm's shrubs. Tait Farm started making shrubs in the late 80s, two decades before they became popular. You can pick up a wide variety of flavors including raspberry, cranberry, ginger, and lemon.

Radius Pizza

This Mount Pleasant pizza joint makes its own shrubs in flavors such as pear for cocktails and punch bowls, and also sells them on Saturdays at the nearby neighborhood farmer's market.

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