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Get Your Shrub On With These 19 Cocktails

Cocktail Week continues with a round-up of shrub-based drinks.

by Katie Chudy
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by Katie Chudy

While the term "shrub" can refer to an old-fashioned fruit liqueur usually made from rum or brandy, sugar, and peels of fruit, nowadays it typically refers to "drinking vinegar." The latter is a sweetened vinegar syrup that is used in cocktails. Here are some places throughout the city where you can give shrub-infused cocktails a try.

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Estragon Tapas Bar

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Delta Dawn - One of the cocktails available is comprised of bourbon, amaretto, peach-ginger shrub, lemon juice, and Angostura bitters. A second cocktail, The Francis, combines pineapple shrub and ginger beer with your choice of Fernet Branca or Averna. [Photo: Facebook]

700 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118
(617) 266-0443
(617) 266-0443

Also featured in:

Trina's Starlite Lounge

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Shrub-a-Dub-Dub - Smooth Ambler rye, mulled apple shrub, and bitters combine to make this cocktail. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

3 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 576-0006
(617) 576-0006

Also featured in:

Merrill & Co.

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Baby Bird - One of two shrub cocktails, this combines amber rum, pineapple shrub, aperol, and lime. The second cocktail, the Grafoni, consists of gin, campari, sweet vermouth, and orange shrub. [Photo: Katie Chudy]

1 Appleton St, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 728-0728
(617) 728-0728

Also featured in:

Hungry Mother

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#76 - A combination of apple shrub, Becherovka, cinnamon syrup, lemon, and beer. [Photo: Yelp]

233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave, Cambridge, MA 02141
(617) 499-0090
(617) 499-0090

Also featured in:

Eastern Standard

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Pomme d’Amour - Tanqueray Malacca Gin is mixed with a tomato/thyme shrub, grapefruit juice, cinnamon syrup, cava, and a pinch of salt. [Photo: Meg Jones Wall]

528 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215
(617) 532-9100
(617) 532-9100

Also featured in:

Blue Dragon

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Jamaica to St. Croix - Combines pineapple shrub, rums, and dry orange. [Photo: Yelp]

324 A St, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 338-8585
(617) 338-8585

Also featured in:

Grill 23 & Bar

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Our Old Fashioned - This classic drink gets a modern day twist with High West Campfire whiskey, Michigan cherry tart (a shrub), house bitters orange, and Luxardo cherries. [Photo: Chris Coe]

161 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116
(617) 542-2255
(617) 542-2255

Also featured in:

Commonwealth

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The Magic Word - Combines Laird’s Apple Brandy, yellow chartreuse, creole shrub, and tiki bitters. [Photo: Meg Jones Wall]

11 Broad Canal Way, Cambridge, MA 02142
(617) 945-7030
(617) 945-7030

Also featured in:

The Sinclair

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Coquette - A blend of Deep Eddy Vodka, house-made raspberry and herb shrub, and lime. A second drink, Ship in a Bottle, combines Privateer Amber Rum, house-made pear and cardamom shrub, pear liqueur, and lemon. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

52 Church St., Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-5200
(617) 547-5200

Also featured in:

Alden & Harlow

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Sandhill Crane - St. George Terroir Gin, cranberry/sage shrub, lime, and maple make this drink a success. [Photo: Meg Jones Wall]

40 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 864-2100
(617) 864-2100

Also featured in:

Foundry On Elm

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New Madras - Combines vodka, cinnamon tequila, and a cranberry orange shrub. [Photo: Facebook]

255 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 628-9999
(617) 628-9999

Also featured in:

51 Lincoln

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The Shrub-a-Dub-Dub - Rye whiskey, plum and black pepper shrub, absinthe rinse, orange bitters, and orange zest, served chilled and without ice in a rocks glass (aka ‘down’). “The drink is essentially a marrying of ideas between a sazerac and a carthusian shrub,” says lead bartender Emmet Kelty. “It is a strong drink with hints of dark fruits and spice that immediately ends with a warming effect from the shrub and absinthe. Not a drink to be taken lightly.” [Photo: Official Site]

51 Lincoln St, Newton, MA 02461
(617) 965-3100
(617) 965-3100

Also featured in:

Ribelle

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Rebel on Acid - “The Rebel on Acid is my play on that shitty 90s shot, back when jager made its way over and everyone went nuts for Surfers on Acid,” says bar manager Sean Woods. “For this cocktail, I make coconut rum, add a generous amount of fernet, and rice fermented pineapple.” [Photo: Nick DiNatale]

1665 Beacon St, Brookline, MA
617-232-2322
617-232-2322

Also featured in:

Craigie on Main

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Roald’s Traveler - A peach shrub, bourbon, honey, orange, and nutmeg combination. A second drink, the Sherry Cobbler, combines Fino & Amontillado sherry, housemade mango shrub, and seasonal fruit. [Photo: Cal Bingham]

853 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 497-5511
(617) 497-5511

Also featured in:

The Kirkland Tap & Trotter

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Chet Manly - Combining Plantation 5yr Barbados Rum, housemade melon shrub, mint, lime, and French cider. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

425 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143
(857) 259-6585
(857) 259-6585

Also featured in:

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Highball Lounge

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Khaleesi - Pierda Almas mezcal, Lillet Blanc, house orange vermouth, and Hellfire shrub. [Photo: Meg Jones Wall]

90 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 772-5834
(617) 772-5834

Also featured in:

Toro

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Caribbean Exile - Combines vodka, pineapple shrub, citrus, and a splash of cava. [Photo: Cal Bingham]

1704 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118
(617) 536-4300
(617) 536-4300

Also featured in:

Pastoral

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Autumn Press - Applejack, fall apple shrub, amaro, and lemon. [Photo: Katie Chudy]

345 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 345-0005
(617) 345-0005

Also featured in:

Park

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Fireside Poet - This cocktail combines Corner Creek Bourbon, Creole Shrubb, Santa Maria al Monte, Marasche Syrup, and Whiskey-barrel aged bitters. (A reader writes in to say that Creole Shrubb is not vinegar-based; it's an orange liqueur with agricole rhum and spices.) [Photo: Facebook]

59 JFK St, Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 491-9851
(617) 491-9851

Also featured in:

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Estragon Tapas Bar

700 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118

Delta Dawn - One of the cocktails available is comprised of bourbon, amaretto, peach-ginger shrub, lemon juice, and Angostura bitters. A second cocktail, The Francis, combines pineapple shrub and ginger beer with your choice of Fernet Branca or Averna. [Photo: Facebook]

700 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118
(617) 266-0443
(617) 266-0443

Trina's Starlite Lounge

3 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143

Shrub-a-Dub-Dub - Smooth Ambler rye, mulled apple shrub, and bitters combine to make this cocktail. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

3 Beacon St, Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 576-0006
(617) 576-0006

Merrill & Co.

1 Appleton St, Boston, MA 02116

Baby Bird - One of two shrub cocktails, this combines amber rum, pineapple shrub, aperol, and lime. The second cocktail, the Grafoni, consists of gin, campari, sweet vermouth, and orange shrub. [Photo: Katie Chudy]

1 Appleton St, Boston, MA 02116
(617) 728-0728
(617) 728-0728

Hungry Mother

233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave, Cambridge, MA 02141

#76 - A combination of apple shrub, Becherovka, cinnamon syrup, lemon, and beer. [Photo: Yelp]

233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave, Cambridge, MA 02141
(617) 499-0090
(617) 499-0090

Eastern Standard

528 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215

Pomme d’Amour - Tanqueray Malacca Gin is mixed with a tomato/thyme shrub, grapefruit juice, cinnamon syrup, cava, and a pinch of salt. [Photo: Meg Jones Wall]

528 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215
(617) 532-9100
(617) 532-9100

Blue Dragon

324 A St, Boston, MA 02210

Jamaica to St. Croix - Combines pineapple shrub, rums, and dry orange. [Photo: Yelp]

324 A St, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 338-8585
(617) 338-8585

Grill 23 & Bar

161 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116

Our Old Fashioned - This classic drink gets a modern day twist with High West Campfire whiskey, Michigan cherry tart (a shrub), house bitters orange, and Luxardo cherries. [Photo: Chris Coe]

161 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116
(617) 542-2255
(617) 542-2255

Commonwealth

11 Broad Canal Way, Cambridge, MA 02142

The Magic Word - Combines Laird’s Apple Brandy, yellow chartreuse, creole shrub, and tiki bitters. [Photo: Meg Jones Wall]

11 Broad Canal Way, Cambridge, MA 02142
(617) 945-7030
(617) 945-7030

The Sinclair

52 Church St., Cambridge, MA 02138

Coquette - A blend of Deep Eddy Vodka, house-made raspberry and herb shrub, and lime. A second drink, Ship in a Bottle, combines Privateer Amber Rum, house-made pear and cardamom shrub, pear liqueur, and lemon. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

52 Church St., Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 547-5200
(617) 547-5200

Alden & Harlow

40 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Sandhill Crane - St. George Terroir Gin, cranberry/sage shrub, lime, and maple make this drink a success. [Photo: Meg Jones Wall]

40 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 864-2100
(617) 864-2100

Foundry On Elm

255 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144

New Madras - Combines vodka, cinnamon tequila, and a cranberry orange shrub. [Photo: Facebook]

255 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144
(617) 628-9999
(617) 628-9999

51 Lincoln

51 Lincoln St, Newton, MA 02461

The Shrub-a-Dub-Dub - Rye whiskey, plum and black pepper shrub, absinthe rinse, orange bitters, and orange zest, served chilled and without ice in a rocks glass (aka ‘down’). “The drink is essentially a marrying of ideas between a sazerac and a carthusian shrub,” says lead bartender Emmet Kelty. “It is a strong drink with hints of dark fruits and spice that immediately ends with a warming effect from the shrub and absinthe. Not a drink to be taken lightly.” [Photo: Official Site]

51 Lincoln St, Newton, MA 02461
(617) 965-3100
(617) 965-3100

Ribelle

1665 Beacon St, Brookline, MA

Rebel on Acid - “The Rebel on Acid is my play on that shitty 90s shot, back when jager made its way over and everyone went nuts for Surfers on Acid,” says bar manager Sean Woods. “For this cocktail, I make coconut rum, add a generous amount of fernet, and rice fermented pineapple.” [Photo: Nick DiNatale]

1665 Beacon St, Brookline, MA
617-232-2322
617-232-2322

Craigie on Main

853 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Roald’s Traveler - A peach shrub, bourbon, honey, orange, and nutmeg combination. A second drink, the Sherry Cobbler, combines Fino & Amontillado sherry, housemade mango shrub, and seasonal fruit. [Photo: Cal Bingham]

853 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 497-5511
(617) 497-5511

The Kirkland Tap & Trotter

425 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143

Chet Manly - Combining Plantation 5yr Barbados Rum, housemade melon shrub, mint, lime, and French cider. [Photo: Rachel Leah Blumenthal]

425 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143
(857) 259-6585
(857) 259-6585

Related Maps

Highball Lounge

90 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108

Khaleesi - Pierda Almas mezcal, Lillet Blanc, house orange vermouth, and Hellfire shrub. [Photo: Meg Jones Wall]

90 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108
(617) 772-5834
(617) 772-5834

Toro

1704 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118

Caribbean Exile - Combines vodka, pineapple shrub, citrus, and a splash of cava. [Photo: Cal Bingham]

1704 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118
(617) 536-4300
(617) 536-4300

Pastoral

345 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210

Autumn Press - Applejack, fall apple shrub, amaro, and lemon. [Photo: Katie Chudy]

345 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 345-0005
(617) 345-0005

Park

59 JFK St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Fireside Poet - This cocktail combines Corner Creek Bourbon, Creole Shrubb, Santa Maria al Monte, Marasche Syrup, and Whiskey-barrel aged bitters. (A reader writes in to say that Creole Shrubb is not vinegar-based; it's an orange liqueur with agricole rhum and spices.) [Photo: Facebook]

59 JFK St, Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 491-9851
(617) 491-9851

Related Maps