Black Currant Shrub Drinking Vinegar

# Components:

→ Fruit

01 - 1 cup fresh or frozen black currants, rinsed and stemmed

→ Sugar

02 - 1 cup granulated sugar

→ Vinegar

03 - 1 cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

# Directions:

01 - In a bowl or jar, combine black currants and sugar. Stir well, lightly mashing the berries to release their juices.

02 - Cover and refrigerate for 24–48 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the fruit juices are fully released.

03 - Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bowl, pressing firmly to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.

04 - Pour the fruit syrup into a clean jar. Add the vinegar and stir thoroughly to combine.

05 - Seal and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using, allowing the flavors to meld completely.

06 - Mix 1–2 tablespoons shrub with still or sparkling water, or use as a cocktail mixer. Adjust concentration to taste preference.

# Chef Secrets:

01 -

It transforms three humble ingredients into something that tastes like you've been tinkering with it for weeks.
You get to feel like a proper home mixologist without needing any fancy equipment or special skills.
One batch makes enough to experiment with for months, and it honestly gets better as it sits.

02 -

Don't skip the macerating step or rush it; the berries absolutely need that time to release their juice, or you'll end up with something thin and one-dimensional.
The quality of your vinegar matters more than you'd think—use something you'd actually taste on a salad, because it will directly affect the final flavor profile.

03 -