What’s a “Shrub”?

Shrubs (aka “drinking vinegar”) are an ingredient to create fresh and zingy cocktails. They are made with vinegar and are very acidic, so you don’t want to mix them with citrus or other acidic ingredients. They can really brighten up a cocktail.

Typical shrubs are made with equal parts: vinegar, fruit and sugar. Check out these flavor suggestions:

  • Apple shrubs: mix with mezcal, tequila, vodka, and whiskey.
  • Try an apple-fennel shrub with a shot of bourbon and a splash of ginger beer.
  • Use a cranberry-fig shrub with aged rum, ruby port, and ginger ale.
  • Make a daiquiri using a blueberry shrub made with apple cider vinegar and agave nectar.

Shake your mixes or use soda water to further enhance the flavors.
Experiment and have some fun!

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Cino

Ingredients
Ice Cubes
1½ Parts Cuban Rum
⅓ Part Maraschino Liqueur
4 Dashes Orange Bitters
1 Twist Orange

How to make
Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Stir and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with orange.

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French 66

Ingredients
1 Part Lemon Juice
6 Dashes Orange Bitters
Champagne
Lemon

How to make
Add lemon juice and orange bitters into a champagne glass. Top up with champagne. Garnish with lemon.

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Princeton

Ingredients
Ice Cubes
2 Dashes Orange Bitters
1 Part Port, Red
2 Parts Gin
1 Twist Lemon Zest

How to make
Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Stir and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon zest.

Hot Line

Ingredients
Ice Cubes
1 Part Vodka
1 Part Calvados
1 Dash Orange Bitters
1 Whole Maraschino Berry

How to make
Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Stir and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino berry.

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Orange Martini

Ingredients
2 ounces gin, or vodka
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
1/2 ounce triple sec
1 dash orange bitters
Orange twist, for garnish

How to make:
In a cocktail shaker, pour the gin or vodka, dry vermouth, triple sec, and orange bitters. Fill halfway with cracked ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange twist. Serve and enjoy.

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The Revolver

(Makes 1)

Ingredients

2 oz Bourbon

1/2 oz Coffee liqueur (Kalua or TIa Maria)

2 dashes Orange bitters

Garnish: Flamed orange peel

Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir until chilled.

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with a wide strip of orange peel. (Bend the peel and light the oil over the glass)

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Sazerac Cocktail

(makes 1)

2 oz. rye whiskey 

dash of orange bitters 

1 tsp. Pernod (or other pastis, like Absinth) 

1 tsp. sugar (or 2 sugar cubes)

sliver of lemon peel 

Pour the pastis into a chilled cocktail glass, rolling it around to coat the sides, and then pour out the excess. 

In a mixing glass, add the sugar, muddle with a few drops of bitters, and then add the rye. Add several ice cubes and stir gently. Strain into the cocktail glass. 

Twist a sliver of lemon peel over the glass, but do not add it to the drink

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Classic Champagne Cocktail

(makes 1)

champagne

2/3 oz cognac

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1 sugar cube

Orange slice garnish

Cocktail cherry

Place sugar cube in a champagne glass and soak with Angostura bitters. Gently layer in the cognac. When you are ready to serve, open the champagne and top up the glass. 

The sugar cube will dissolve and mix as part of the presentation. Garnish with an orange slice and a Maraschino cherry.

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Manhattan

(Makes 1 large drink)

3 oz Bourbon or Rye whiskey

1.5 oz Sweet Vermouth (red)

3 dashes orange bitters

Cocktail cherry

On the rocks preparation: Fill the glass with ice cubes and add whiskey and vermouth. Add 3 dashes of orange bitters. Garnish with cocktail cherry (I like 3).

Straight up: Fill cocktail shaker with ice, add whiskey, vermouth and bitters. Shake vigorously. Pour into cocktail glass and garnish

Enjoy before dinner!

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Old Fashioned

(Makes 1)

1.5 oz Bourbon or Rye whiskey

3 dashes orange bitters

1 sugar cubes (or 1/2 teaspoon sugar)

Few dashes plain water

Orange peel garnish

Cocktail cherry

Preparation: Place sugar cube in old fashioned glass and saturate with bitters, add a few dashes of plain water. Muddle until dissolved. 

Fill the glass with ice cubes and add whiskey. Garnish with orange peel, and a cocktail cherry.

Enjoy before dinner!

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Using Orange Bitters

How To Use Orange Bitters

  1. Soothe an upset stomach. Just a drop of bitters on the tongue, or in a glass of sparkling water, will soothe indigestion and bloating. 
  2. Elevate vanilla ice cream with a few drops on top
  3. Mix with honey and stir into greek yogurt or tea.
  4. Add a dash to strong black coffee.
  5. Cure hiccups: Soak a lemon or lime wedge in bitters, dip into sugar, then bite down on the flesh of the fruit.
  6. Mix up some proper cocktails!
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