Pittsburgh mixologist Alyssa McGrath creates a bright and beautiful concoction paradoxically dark and rich in the color and flavor of fresh blackberries.

A shrub is a vinegar and fruit based beverage often used in cocktails as a fruity and acidic element. This version of a shrub originates in 17th Century England; where its intent was to preserve fruit in the off-season. The variations are endless, starting with experimentation around different vinegars depending on the fruit used. The most shrub friendly vinegars are champagne-, white wine-, and apple cider-based.

 
Ingredients

2 oz. Hendricks Gin 

2 oz. BlackBerry Shrub

Seltzer

Mint for garnish

Pour gin and shrub over ice in a double-old-fashioned glass. Stir to combine. Top off with seltzer and stir once gently. Garnish with mint, and enjoy!

For Shrub

1Pint blackberries. 

¾ cup champagne Vinegar

¾ cup Demerara sugar

Mix blackberries and sugar in a glass bowl. Muddle and cover in fridge for up to 24 hours. 

Add champagne vinegar to mix and stir well. Let the melange soak for a few days in a sealed mason jar or glass storage container. Strain fruit off and store liquid covered in fridge. 

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