A Short History
WHAT'S A
SHRUB?
A fruit-and-vinegar drink that's been around for about six hundred years.
1400s
Ancient Roots
Long before refrigeration, vinegar was the trick that kept fruit from going to waste. Somewhere along the way, those preserved fruits turned into a drink that was sharp, sweet, and surprisingly refreshing.
Medieval Europe
A Medieval Marvel
Shrubs caught on across Europe. Nobles an commoners savoured these concoctions, relishing the infusion of fruits, spices, and vinegar, making it a coveted drink of the time.
The Colonies
Crossing the Atlantic
Shrubs travelled to the Americas on long sea voyages. Sailors loved them: shelf-stable, tangy, and a welcome break from the monotony (and the scurvy) of life at sea.
Today
A Quiet Revival
Bartenders rediscovered shrubs as a secret weapon and a way to add depth and acidity that citrus alone can't pull off. We just thought: why keep it behind the bar?
How It's Made
FIVE STEPS,
A FEW WEEKS.
Pick your fruit
Almost anything works — berries, citrus, stone fruit, even vegetables and warm spices.
Add a sweetener
Sugar, honey, maple — something to draw out the juice and balance the bite.
Let it rest
A cool, dark spot. Time does the heavy lifting until the fruit breaks down into syrup.
Strain and add vinegar
The vinegar joins the party and mellows for a few more weeks.
Open. Pour. Enjoy.
What you get is a shrub: sweet, sharp, and unlike anything else on the shelf.
Why Drink Them
Good for the palate. Kind to the gut.
Beyond the taste, shrubs have a quietly good reputation. Vinegar is long associated with digestion, and the fruit brings its own nutrients and antioxidants. Mostly though, they're just delicious — and they make every other ingredient in your glass taste a little more like itself.
Our Take
AN OLD IDEA,
IN A NEW CAN.
At Stickler, we honour the tradition with real fruit, real vinegar, and zero shortcuts. Every flavour is blended to deliver a sip of history that happens to taste like a cocktail you'd actually order.
Find a Stickler near you