Sharon Vanorny
Janet Chen’s Mad Maiden Shrub is Madison’s premier local drinking vinegar. But you can also make your own.
You may have seen something surprising popping up on drink menus across town, at the farmers’ market, or on the shelves of your local grocery store or co-op. Drinking vinegars, commonly called “shrubs,” are making a comeback.
Famously popular in colonial America, a shrub is a sweetened vinegar infused with fruit or other natural flavors. Mixed with water (sparkling or still), it becomes a tart drink with infinite possibilities. Shrubs make excellent additions to alcoholic beverages — they can replace any citrus or acid ingredient — but also offer a delicious alternative to calorie-laden, booze-free beverages like soda.
Ricky Pajewski, bar manager at Oliver’s Public House, 2540 University Ave., is a big fan of using shrubs in mixed drinks. Oliver’s bar features shrubs in many of its specialty drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic. The “Lee Trevino,” from Oliver’s “No ID Required” menu, incorporates two different shrubs: strawberry and Thai rose-rhubarb.
Pajewski is enthusiastic about what shrubs have to offer. “Shrubs are super-versatile and deliver a concentrated flavor profile,” he says. “The flavors are usually super-bright and potent. A shrub will deliver a flavor that pops, but doesn’t overwhelm and is a great delivery of the essence of that fruit or vegetable.”
He and his staff make the shrubs they use in-house, infusing a variety of vinegars to find the right flavor profile. “If we want a delicate strawberry shrub we might try white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar to not consume the brightness of the strawberries,” he says. “If we want some depth, we can use balsamic or sherry vinegar.” He says he is “constantly testing the boundaries” of what will make the best shrub possible.
While it doesn’t call any of its products “shrubs,” Vom Fass offers a wide variety of fruit vinegars at both its Madison shops that “shine in sparkling water,” says Justin Gibson, who is based at the University Avenue location.
Carolyn Fath
Calamansi Balsam vinegar from Vom Fass works especially well as a tart and sweet shrub.
Gibson’s customers are sometimes wary about trying drinking vinegar, but are surprised at how delicious it can be. After a sip, he says, “Our customers feel like kids in a candy store.” Flavors range from classic — berry and citrus — to the tropical. Mango, fig and calamansi (a fruit found in the Philippines) are some of the more exotic vinegar options that make for great mixers.
Madison resident Janet Chen got into shrub-making about five years ago after reading an article about drinking vinegars in The New York Times. After a few batches of her homemade hard cider turned to vinegar, she was looking for something to do with gallons of apple cider vinegar. She started flavoring it with unusual fruits — cherry plums, cornelian cherries, goumi (a small tart fruit native to Asia) and mulberries — from a friend’s hobby orchard.
In June 2013, her passion moved from a hobby to business with Mad Maiden Shrub. Today, Mad Maiden shrubs are widely available in the Madison area, sold at retailers like Jenifer Street Market, Willy Street Co-op and Hy-Vee.
Chen says her shrubs are most popular with people looking for nonalcoholic, natural drink options. She recommends mixing one part shrub to four to six parts sparkling or still water, and serving over ice. They aren’t very sweet, so sweeteners like honey or cane sugar can also be added to taste.
“I love shrubs and making shrubs,” says Chen. “I get enormous pleasure out of processing, experimenting, playing with, reading about and consuming things from my yard, garden and the orchard.”
Chen uses a “hot infusion” process to craft her shrubs, beginning with a base of organic cider vinegar from Turkey Ridge Organic Orchard in Gays Mills. She compares the process to making a hot tea. Heated vinegar is infused with local fruits like mulberry, strawberry, raspberry and cranberry. Cane sugar or honey is also added. The result is a slightly sweet flavored vinegar that, when mixed with sparkling water, makes a tart, refreshing drink. In flavor, it’s quite similar to kombucha.
Chen says that a lot of people who love shrubs are also interested in making their own. Her words inspired me to give shrub making a whirl. Turns out, it’s not too hard!
A quick look around my kitchen and I easily found what I needed — cane sugar, apple cider vinegar and some ripe peaches. Here’s what I did:
I heated the apple cider vinegar until it was just under a boil. Next, I poured it over two cups of chopped peaches in a mason jar. After letting the mix cool to room temperature, I popped a cover on the jar and put it in the fridge.
About 24 hours later, I removed the fruit (which I’ve heard makes a great chutney) using a cheesecloth-lined strainer and added sugar — about 1/2 cup — to the liquid. The finished product (after a sample, of course) went back in the refrigerator.
The result? The peaches infused the vinegar with a wonderful fruitiness, and the sugar kept the acidic edge of the vinegar at bay.
With their versatility and bright flavors, shrubs are an exciting addition to Madison’s beverage culture. Whether you buy them off the shelf, sample them at your favorite watering hole or make them yourself, shrubs are a delightful blast from the past. I hope they’re here to stay.
