What are Weathertop Farm Shrubs and Switchel?
Shrubs are concentrates made from a combination of organic fruit, sugar, vinegar, and sometimes herbs. Switchel is similar, though it always contains lots of spicy ginger.
Sweet and tart, the vinegar and sugar balance each other to make an astonishingly good mixer!
They are used to make a variety of drinks; from adding a splash to seltzer for a homemade organic soda, to a white wine spritzer, or your favorite cocktails. In addition to the benefits of being made with organic and local ingredients, the fact that you add as much as you like is a big benefit for people who are looking to manage their sugar intake.
Recipes:
Love Potion
2 oz Raspberry Tulsi Rose Shrub
1 oz of your fave local Vodka
20 drops C3 Chocolate bitters
a general handful of fresh snow (or shaved ice, whatevs)
shake the first three ingredients, pour into a martini class over ice or add snow. Garnish with chocolate curl.
The following three Cocktail recipes courtesy of Jason Bowers at The Excelsior Pub.
Blackberry Breeze
1.5 oz Tommy Rotter Gin
.5 ounce Weathertop Farm Blackberry Lavender Shrub
Top with Club Soda
Garnish with 3 Blackberries
Hot Toddy
1.5 ounces of Taconic Rye or Taconic Bourbon
Splash of Weathertop Farm Hibiscus Ginger Maple Switchel
4 to 5 drops Weathertop Farm Orange Elecampane bitters
Top with boiling water
Garnish with an Orange twist
Upstater
In a mixing glass add 2 pieces of cooked apple, 1/2 ounce of sweet vermouth and 5 drops of Weathertop Farm Cardamom Scented Hawthorne and Hops bitters
Muddle those ingredients, Add 2 ounces of Springbrook High Rye Bourbon
Stir and strain into a glass either straight up or with ice.
Elderberry Sunset
2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce elderberry switchel
5 drops Elderberry Rose Juniper Bitters
2 ounces Seltzer
Squeeze of fresh Lemon Juice
Mix, pour over ice. Lemon twist for garnish
Strawberry Basil Daiquiri
1 1⁄2 oz Aged Puerto Rican or Jamaican rum
1 oz Weathertop Farm Strawberry Basil Shrub
1 Strawberry, cut in half for garnish
3 ice cubes.
Combine rum, shrub and ice in blender, blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and top with fresh strawberry slice.
Raspberry Tulsi Rose Collins
2 oz Fenimore Gin (from Cooperstown Distillery)
.5 oz Raspberry Tulsi Rose Shrub
2 Raspberries
.5 oz Fresh lemon juice
1 oz Club soda
In a highball glass, combine shrub, gin and lemon juice, and stir. Fill with ice and top with the club soda.
Garnish with a lemon wheel and two raspberries.
Ginger Blast
1 bottle Fentiman’s Ginger beer
.5 oz Turmeric Ginger Honey Switchel
Pour Ginger beer over ice, add switchel, stir once to combine.
White Wine Shrub
Add .5 ounces shrub (we prefer the Blackberry Lavender) of your choice to a glass of prosecco, vinho verde, champagne, or any wine and add a splash of your favorite bubbles. Throw in an ice cube or two and relax!
Strawberry Cardamom Sour
2 Tbs Strawberry Basil Shrub
5 cardamom pods
3/4 oz Aperol
1 3/4 oz vodka
4-5 drops Cardamom Hawthorn & Hops Bitters
1 oz Lemon Juice
Muddle strawberry shrub, cardamom pods, and lemon juice. Add Aperol, Vodka, bitters, & egg white. Dry shake for 10-15 seconds, add ice and shake another 10-15 seconds. Double strain into coup and garnish with cardamon pods.
Elderberry Mule
1 ounce Elderberry Ginger Honey Switchel
2 oz Coopers Daughter Vodka
6 oz Fever Tree Ginger Beer
Juice of 1 lime
Squeeze the lime juice into a copper Moscow Mule mug, dropping in the spent rind. Add Elderberry Ginger Honey Switchel. Fill until overflowing with ice cubes and pour in the vodka. Finish with the ginger beer and serve with a stirring rod.
Rhubarb Marg
salt rim
2 oz Cooper’s Daughter Rhubarb & Honey Vodka
1/2 oz Cooper’s Daughter Peony Liqueur
1/2 oz Blackberry Lavender Shrub
1 lime squeezed
garnish with lime wheel
Lavender Lemonade
1 oz Blackberry Lavender Shrub
1 oz Cooper’s Daughter Diamond Street Vodka
1/2 lemon squeezed
top with seltzer
garnish with edible flower and lemon wheel
Bearded Wonder
2 oz Cooper’s Daughter Smoked Maple Bourbon
2 tsp Luxardo syrup
10 drops Weathertop C3 (Chaga, Coffee, chocolate) bitters
top with cola
garnish with Luxardo Cherries
Not interested in cocktails?
Coconut Blackberry Lavender Popsicles
1 can (approx. 14oz) full fat coconut milk
3 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1 lime, zest and juice
8 tablespoons Weathertop Farms Blackberry Lavender Shrub
4 tablespoons honey (more if sweeter popsicles are desired)
1 pinch salt
Add 2 tablespoon honey, 4 tablespoons Weathertop Farms Shrub, & pinch of salt to blackberry puree. Adjust to taste.
Zest and juice 1 lime
Mix lime juice, zest, coconut milk, 4 tablespoons Weathertop Farms Shrub, & 2 tablespoon honey. Taste and adjust sweetener if needed.
Carefully added blackberry and coconut milk mixture to popsicle molds, alternating to create a marble effect
Freeze for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
To enjoy leave at room temperature for 15 minutes or run the mold under hot water until the popsicle releases.
Still want something different? Try these ideas!
Fire Cider Vinaigrette
1/3 cup Weathertop Farms Fire Cider
1 clove garlic, minced
1” knob fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons fresh Thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
Mix all ingredients in mason jar or other container with tightly fitting lid. Shake vigorously to combine and immediately pour over salad. Can be stored in the refrigerator.
or......
- Throw a dash of your Weathertop products into lemonade, sparkling water, or club soda
- Use the shrubs straight up over pancakes or ice cream.
