If you’d like to add acidity into a cocktail but don’t have any citrus lying around, shrubs, switchel, and vinegars can be excellent alternatives!

Let’s define what each is (and also what kombucha is, because they’re often mistaken for one another).

• Vinegar is a liquid made up of acetic acid (which gives vinegar its characteristic sour flavour) and is made by fermenting dilute alcohols (i.e. wine, Champagne, cider, etc.).

• Shrubs (for our purpose, as there are several different beverages to which this name refers) are also called drinking vinegars, and were created in colonial America as a means to preserve fruit and berries. They are made by combining fruits and vinegar (a solvent), and left to macerate for several days. The resulting liquid is strained and mixed with a sweetener (most commonly white sugar or honey), is reduced to make a syrup, and can be drank alone, or added to soda water or cocktails.

• Switchel is similar to shrub, but instead of using fruit as a base, it uses ginger as the main flavouring agent, and is usually sweetened with richer sugars (i.e. molasses or maple syrup), and can sometimes include spices in the mix. It is drank alone, or added to soda water or cockails.

• Kombucha is a sweetened, fermented black or green tea liquid that is slightly alcoholic (.5% - 2% ABV), and is lightly effervescent.

Let’s say you don’t have the time to create + wait for a shrub to steep, never fear! You can use a little vinegar (we suggest apple cider vinegar or Champagne vinegar for their delicacy) into a cocktail to create something interesting.

• 1 oz 100% cranberry juice

• .5 oz your choice of liqueur (my suggestions are KOVAL Rose Hip Liqueur or Apologue’s Aronia Berry Liqueur)

• 1.25 oz CH Vodka (or any vodka you like!)

• 1/8 tsp (a couple drops) of apple cider vinegar

• 1 egg white

Optional: 1/2 oz. sugar syrup to taste, Lavender Tinctures

For this cocktail, we’ll be doing a reverse dry shake to achieve the maximum merengue effect. Combine everything BUT the egg white and shake vigorously WITH ice for 12 seconds.

Strain and discard the ice, and re-shake the cocktail, this time adding the egg white, and NO ice. Shake for 30 vigorous seconds.

Strain into a glass by tipping the glass at an angle and pouring the libation slowly down the side. Shake out any remaining egg white over top. 

What results is something tangy, airy, slightly bitter, and aromatic. It’s delightful.

If you have more time, you can create a variety of shrubs, and they can all be incorporated into cocktails beautifully.

This strawberry shrub is pretty and easy to make, and even makes for a great gift. Unlike kombucha, there is no alcohol in a shrub, so this makes a great mixer to give to anyone, whether or not they drink alcohol!

This will make around 8 oz. of shrub (or enough to make 4 cocktails).

• 4 oz. fresh or slightly overripe strawberries, hulled and quartered

• 5 oz. white sugar

• 3-4 oz. apple cider vinegar (this will depend on taste)

1. Combine strawberries and sugar in a large measuring cup (like a Pyrex). Toss the sugar with the strawberries and cover the bowl. Refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours (or max of 48 hours), stirring a couple times to re-incorporate the sugar.

2. Once you’re ready to add the vinegar, remove the solid strawberry pieces from the measuring cup, making sure to press them against the side to extract any excess juice.

3. Whisk the vinegar into the strawberry mixture. Start with three ounces, then taste. If the mixture is too sweet for your taste, then add more vinegar, not exceeding 4 oz. You can then pour the resulting shrub into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a month!

You can drink this shrub with a splash of soda water if you want a no-proof (read: non-alcoholic) cocktail, drink it on its own, or incorporate it with alcohol - it’s incredibly versatile.

• 2 oz. dry gin

• 2 oz. strawberry shrub

• Splash of Champagne

• Edible Flowers to garnish

Shake the gin and shrub with ice vigorously for 12 second. Strain into a glass and top with a splash of Champagne (any bubbles will do!) and an edible flower. For extra aromatics, you can garnish with fresh basil or mint!

Next time you find yourself without any citrus - never fear(!) - you can create acidity from pantry ingredients that add a different twist to your mixology game.

That’s the whole idea of HOLLOW LEG: Creating unique drinks from local, forgotten and oftentimes underused ingredients to please your palate and inspire you to keep reaching for the weird. 

Because weird can be amazing.