Strawberry Balsamic Shrub Mocktail Recipe
Strawberries with a splash of balsamic and soda — the vinegar is what stops it tasting like a milkshake.
- Category: Mocktail
- Glass: Old fashioned glass
- ABV: 0%
- Difficulty: Medium
- Prep time: ~3 min
- Alcohol-free: ✓
Ingredients
- Strawberries5 piece
- Simple syrup25 ml (0.8 oz)
- Balsamic vinegar10 ml (0.3 oz)
- Fresh lemon juice15 ml (0.5 oz)
- Soda water90 ml (3 oz)
How to Make It
- Muddle the strawberries with the syrup and vinegar.
- Add lemon juice and ice, then shake.
- Double-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top with soda and grind black pepper over the top.
Garnish
Strawberry half and black pepper
What it tastes like
The citrus acidity leads, fruit notes come forward and it is layered, giving you something different each sip.
The technique
Shaking. Anything with juice, syrup, egg white or cream gets shaken: the shaker chills the drink and adds roughly 20% water, and that water is what takes the edge off. Twelve to fifteen seconds, until the tin frosts over. Under-shaking leaves the drink harsh because it never got enough dilution.
Glass and ice
A heavy-bottomed, wide old fashioned glass. Wide enough for one large cube, which is the point: a big cube has less surface area, so the drink gets cold without getting watery.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Simple syrup
- One part sugar to one part water, stirred until it dissolves — no need to boil it. Keeps a month in the fridge. No syrup? Use the same amount of honey, loosened with a little water.
- Fresh lemon juice
- Freshly squeezed lemon; one lemon gives 30-40 ml. It can swap with lime, but lemon is softer and less aromatic, so use a touch more.
- Soda water
- Plain carbonated water. It goes in LAST and nothing is stirred after it. An open bottle goes flat fast, so small bottles make more sense than big ones.
The Story
Shrubs are colonial-era preserves — fruit kept in vinegar before refrigeration — and the format came back precisely because it gives non-alcoholic drinks a backbone.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Strawberry Balsamic Shrub mixed?
- It is shaken and served in an old fashioned glass.
- Does a Strawberry Balsamic Shrub contain alcohol?
- No. It is safe to serve to children, to anyone pregnant, and to whoever is driving.
- Is a Strawberry Balsamic Shrub hard to make?
- Moderate. A shaker or mixing glass plus a strainer covers it.
759 recipes in your pocket
Cocktails and mocktails from 55 countries — ingredients, steps and the story behind each drink. Works offline too.
Similar recipes
Collections
Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.