Here's how shrub drinks, a historic favorite, are finding a new audience in Bradenton
Tony Zook, 40, is reintroducing something so old that it seems new.
His shrub fruit flavorings, which were known to Colonial America and even earlier in Europe, are beginning to find their way into local libations, marinades and dressings.
About a year ago, Zook began making shrubs, using seasonal fruits. The fruit is cut up, mixed with sugar and allowed to ferment, turning to syrup. Once Zook removes the solids, he adds organic apple cider vinegar.
After five to six weeks, he bottles the shrub and sells it to local outlets.
The result is a refreshing natural additive that also has health benefits, Zook said, citing probiotics that can assist in digestion.
Swiggs are fermented fruit beverages made from shrub syrups that have a bit of carbonation and can be consumed as an alternative to soft drinks.
"These have a slight flavor from the shrub as well as natural carbonation from the fermentation process," Zook said.
A 16-ounce bottle of Zook's Colonial Shrubs can be used to flavor about 16 cocktails, he said.
At enRich Bistro, 5629 Manatee Ave. W., chef/owner Rich Knowles uses shrubs in cocktails, marinades and dressings.
"It makes the flavor bright and bold without using artificial flavorings," Knowles said. "It's a fresher, healthier way of adding flavors to cocktails."
"I am always looking for new local items I can use on my menu," Knowles said.
Zook got the idea for making shrubs from his friend and business partner Keith Pratt, who makes organic sauerkraut.
"Keith asked me whether I had ever heard of a shrub," Zook recalled.
"You mean like a plant in my yard?" Zook said. "He said, 'No, the drink.' He described to me what they were. They sounded intriguing, sounded tasty. So I did a little research, made some at home in my kitchen and brought a few in for him to try."
"Wow, those are really good. You should make start making them,'" Zook recalled Pratt saying.
"Since then I have just run with them and have been making them for almost a year now," Zook said.
Colonial Shrubs products can be found at the Chop Shop, 5906 Manatee Ave. W., and at Oneco Meats, 6132 15th St. E.
In addition, Zook sells his shrubs and swiggs at the Coquina Beach Market from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays, and at the Motorworks Moonlight Market, the last Friday of July. He is planning to add more markets and vendor events in the future.
Zook makes his Colonial Shrubs products in a Bradenton-area industrial park facility using traditional cold process maceration. To macerate is defined as to soften by soaking, leaching the flavor and color from the fruit.
The final product is unpasturized and gluten-free.
"We use all organic ingredients and some wild harvested fruits and vegetables," he said.
Currently, Zook is working with mangoes, watermelons, lychees, cucumbers, honeycrisp apples and starfruit.
"Shrubs are great for cocktails, mocktails (non-alcoholic), salad dressings, marinades, iced tea flavoring and also as a healthier soft drink alternative when added to club soda or other carbonated waters," Zook said.
Jason Schneider, a bartender at enRich Bistro, keeps bottles of Colonial Shrubs alongside the restaurant's spirits.
"People are always asking what they are. We offer them a sample with soda water," Schneider said. "My favorite of the drinks I have made so far is the shrub apple pie, but I also like the shrub margarita." Schneider said.
Ingredients in the Colonial Apple Pie cocktail include Old Overholt Rye Whiskey, house-made cinnamon simple syrup and the Colonial Honeycrisp Apple Shrubs, Schneider said.
Zook suggests using an ounce of shrub, an ounce of spirits and filling the remainder of the glass with club soda. When he uses vodka, he calls the drink a vodka sparkler.
For more information about Colonial Shrubs, visit https://colonialshrubs.com/.
This story was originally published June 15, 2018 at 7:46 AM with the headline "Here's how shrub drinks, a historic favorite, are finding a new audience in Bradenton."