Yield: 32 glasses (1 tbsp syrup each; our estimate)

Apple Cider Vinegar Shrub Soda Recipe (Sugar Counted)

A make-ahead apple cider vinegar shrub syrup you dilute into sparkling water, with the sugar per glass counted and fridge storage based on extension guidance.

Prep Time10 minutes

Total Time10 minutes

Ingredients

Shrub syrup

• 1 cup apple, chopped small, 240 mL measured chopped; weight varies, so no gram figure
• 1 cup granulated sugar, 200 g (USDA); the sugar is the structural ingredient
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 240 mL; our untested 1:1:1 starting ratio

Each glass

• 1 tbsp shrub syrup, 15 mL; adjust to taste, but each extra tablespoon adds more sugar
• 8 fl oz cold club soda or seltzer, 240 mL; seltzer has no added sodium, club soda does
• as needed ice cubes, as many as fit your glass

Instructions

Make the syrup

1. Combine in a jar. Put 1 cup (240 mL) of chopped apple and 1 cup (200 g) of granulated sugar in a clean jar. Pour in 1 cup (240 mL) of apple cider vinegar, seal the lid and shake until the sugar dissolves.
2. Steep in the fridge. Refrigerate the jar. University of Maine Cooperative Extension, as quoted by the Bangor Daily News, says flavor should develop in the refrigerator, not on the countertop. We found no sourced steeping time, so shake it now and then and decide by taste.
3. Strain well. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean jar, letting the liquid drip through, then discard the solids. Strain again if the syrup looks cloudy.
4. Adjust the balance. Stir a little syrup into sparkling water and taste. If it's too sweet, add a little more vinegar; if it's too sour, add a little sugar or a splash of water. Change one small thing at a time.

Build a glass

1. Add syrup and ice. Put 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the syrup in a low glass and fill the glass with ice. Never drink the syrup straight.
2. Pour the fizz. Pour in 8 fl oz (240 mL) of cold club soda or seltzer slowly down the side of the glass to keep the bubbles, and stir once.
3. Sip it now. Drink it while it's fizzy. Build one glass at a time, because fizzy water goes flat.

Notes

This recipe is untested by us. Nothing here comes from tasting the drink or trying the batch. The 1:1:1 fruit, sugar and vinegar start and the 1 tbsp of syrup per glass of sparkling water follow a University of Maine Cooperative Extension guide as quoted by the Bangor Daily News. The 8 fl oz glass is our choice.

Inspired by Wendy Polisi's ginger apple shrub. We adapted the idea and wrote our own steps.

The yield of 32 glasses assumes the batch ends up as about 2 cups (32 tbsp) of syrup. That volume is our estimate, not a sourced figure, and it changes with how much juice the fruit gives up. A different volume changes the sugar per glass.

Nutrition is our calculation from USDA FoodData Central values for granulated sugar and cider vinegar plus one club soda label. It counts the added sugar and vinegar only; sugar from the apple is not counted because the fruit is discarded and we have no sourced figure. Protein, fat, saturated fat and fiber are shown as 0 because sugar and vinegar are not meaningful sources of them.

Metric amounts are rounded.