Rum Shrub

[ThinkingBartender]

Does anyone know why Rum Shrub is called Rum Shrub (in particular the "shrub" part of the equation)?

Who drank it?

What were the prodominent recipes over time?

I see that some Rum Shrub is made with rum, lime juice, and sugar, which is kind of Daiquiri-like, while some Rum Shrub is made with orange juice instead of lime juice, and then of course there are some recipes with both.

The people who advocate orange juice only Rum Shrub usually do so as the lime juice doesn't keep as long as the orange juice version, when stored up in bottles.

Is a Lime-only Rum Shrub the fore-runner of the Daiquiri? Did they drink lime-only Shrub alot in the Caribbean?

I have tried Clement Creole Shrub, which is orange based, but what about other brands?

Can you make Shrub with other fruit juices? Pineapple? etc

Was Rum Shrub (or Brandy Shrub) made a la minute or was it always mixed up for bottling?

What type of Rum would have been used in 1815? Dark or Light?

What books to people recommend on Shrub? Old, Ancient or new.

Cheers!

George

[rlibkind]

Shrubs date back to at least the 18th century. Raspberry, iirc, was the most common flavor, but others existed. Since they were so popular in Colonial America, one would assume it would have been combined with the Colonials' favorite firewater, rum.

There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal's Weekend Journal a couple of months ago about the history of shrubs (along with some recipes); I'd link to it but it's behind the wsj.com subscribers-only wall.

If you are interested in buying some shrubs here's a link to Tait Farm Foods, which makes an excellent product. I particularly like the raspberry and ginger varieites. (They also make an excellent flavor for salad dressings.)

[ThinkingBartender]

Shrubs date back to at least the 18th century. Raspberry, iirc, was the most common flavor, but others existed. Since they were so popular in Colonial America, one would assume it would have been combined with the Colonials' favorite firewater, rum.

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Do I take it that you mean that Shrub was originally non-alcoholic syrup? The only Shrubs that I have seen are Whisky Shrub, Brandy Shrub and Rum Shrub, with the flavours mainly being orange, lemon, lime and raspberry.

Would anyone be able to say what the difference is between Shrub and Ratafia?

Cheers!

George

[rlibkind]

Do I take it that you mean that Shrub was originally non-alcoholic syrup? The only Shrubs that I have seen are Whisky Shrub, Brandy Shrub and Rum Shrub, with the flavours mainly being orange, lemon, lime and raspberry.

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I think as it was used in the Colonial era, when you said "Lemme hav' another shrub, Joe", you didn't have to specify you wanted a rum shrub. Some dictionary definitions, however, say a shrub is the actual beverage (whether with or without alcohol) produced from an acidulated fruit syrup, rather than the syrup itself, while other sources define the shrub as the syrup itself. So take yer cherce. In England (up until the time in the 19th century when the temperance movement went into full gear) a shrub was always thought of as an alcholic beverage made with the vinegared fruit (usually citrus) syrup.

[KarlK]

Shrub is amazingly popular in Journals of traders in the Great Lakes, and many mention the ways of producing this drink. It was for Traders and laborers as well as native Trade.

Records indicate "Juices" coming into the country, like lemon, lime and in very limited amounts orange. Even when barreled, these have a limited shelf life. Also berries grow around the lacks and Raspberries dominate, so records exist of this too, but nearly to the amount of lemon and lime shrubs.

When these "juices" start to "turn" a quick fix can be remedied. Simply doing a quick fix ferment or stabilizer=

This means adding High Wine and Fine Sugar, when added to these juices it stops the turning of the juice and creates a cordial beverage called shrub.

High Wine of course is simply un-cut rum, the main liquor in use at the time. So for a true shrub:

Refined White Sugar

Lime/Lemon Juice (most common)

and HW/ an OP Rum, lightly aged, pot-stilled

I have another thread on historic rums and am narrowing down choices available in the States "As closest historic rums"

Maybe:

Prichards

Jack Iron (US availability?)

Clarkes Court OP

Forres Park Puncheon

Wray and Nephew OP

Screech

Still working on this dilemma, have heard Antoine River/Grenada too, but seems that is unavailable here in the states?

KAK

[Ed Hamilton]

River Antoine and Jack Iron are definitely not available in the US. In the French islands, Shrubb refers to a spirit infused with orange and generally some sugar cane juice.

[eje]

Ah, I was wondering if clement's shrubb had anything to do with the soured fruit based shrubs.

There was a thread over in the soft drinks forum a while back about the soured fruit versions:

Fruit vinegar drinks

Edited September 24, 2006 by eje (log)

[Ed Hamilton]

Clement Shrubb is a sweet, orange flavored 80 proof spirit made from rhum agricole, sugar cane syrup and orange flavorings made from orange peel and pulp.

[The Old Foodie]

It seems like everyone is correct. I checked with the word expert (the OED of course) and it says “Shrub” comes via the Arabic word for beverage (sharab), so has the same origin as “Sherbert”.

It gives the definition of Shrub as:

“A prepared drink made with the juice of orange or lemon (or other acid fruit), sugar, and rum (or other spirit)”. The first usage is given as 1747.

The US usage is “A cordial or syrup made from the juice of the raspberry, with vinegar and sugar”. The first usage is given as 1860.

And under the heading “Rum” it refers to 1864 TOVEY Brit. & For. Spirits 283 “Rum Shrub should be made with the freshest lemon juice, and a portion of Seville orange juice, the finest Jamaica Rum, and sweets from good loaf sugar.”

And just to confuse things further, there is a recipe in William Kitchiner’s “The Cook’s Oracle” (1845 edition) for “Shrub or Essence of Punch”. He says

“Brandy or Rum, flavoured with (651) (651 is a recipe for a lemon syrup with citric acid and “quintessence of Lemon-peel”) will give you very good extempore ‘Essence of Punch’” and then observes “The addition of a quart of Sherry or Madeira makes “Punch Royal”, if instead of Wine, the above quantity of Water be add, it will make “Punch for Chambermaids”, .... "

[KarlK]

Here are some earlier references to Rum.

Jean Baptiste Perrault Journal 1780's

Charles Chabboillez Journal 1796

NW Company Grand Portage Fur Depot Inventory 1797

John McKay's Journal 1799

Archibald McCloud Journal 1801

James Porter Journal 1801

Francios Victor Malhiot Journal 1804

NW Company Fort William Depot Inventory 1816

These are all from Fur Trade Journals of the Great Lakes and Canada. All the above mention "Shrub", drinking it, trading it, gifting kegs to workers* etc...

*wishing I had a boss like that

Karl

[KarlK]

I meant to say, early references of RUM SHRUB;

Here are some earlier references to Rum.

Jean Baptiste Perrault Journal 1780's

Charles Chabboillez Journal 1796

NW Company Grand Portage Fur Depot Inventory 1797

John McKay's Journal 1799

Archibald McCloud Journal 1801

James Porter Journal 1801

Francios Victor Malhiot Journal 1804

NW Company Fort William Depot Inventory 1816

These are all from Fur Trade Journals of the Great Lakes and Canada. All the above mention "Shrub", drinking it, trading it, gifting kegs to workers* etc...

*wishing I had a boss like that

Karl

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