Tait Farm Foods
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Gift Collections >
      • Gifts Under $25
      • Tait Farm Collections
      • Pennsylvania Made Collections
      • Penn State Inspired
      • Breakfast Collections
      • Create A Custom Gift Collection
    • Shrubs >
      • What Is Shrub?
    • Grill & Sauté Sauce
    • Fruit Spreads
    • Savory Condiments
    • Baking Mixes & Pantry Items
    • Dessert Sauces
    • Vinaigrettes
    • Local Foods
    • Gift Cards
    • Merchandise
  • Recipes
    • Craft Cocktails
    • Appetizer >
      • Cheese Pairings
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Main Dish
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Dessert
    • Favorite Recipes
  • The Farm
    • Demonstrations & Virtual Events
    • Our History
    • Local Pickup
  • Online Farmers Market
  • Connect With Us

What is Shrub?

Kim Tait shares the history of shrub and the story of how Raspberry Shrub became the first Tait Farm Foods product.

A Shrub Cocktail Guide

If you go back in time and open a 19th-century cocktail book, you’ll find references and recipes for Shrub.  Before refrigeration, the fresh fruits of summer would spoil quickly, so resourceful colonists discovered they could pile their extras into big crocks with some sugar and after a few weeks the mixture would ferment into vinegar. The results were bright with fresh fruit flavor, and when some additional sugar was added, Shrub was born!

Since 1987, Tait Farm Foods has been producing Shrub. What began as an overabundance of fresh raspberries was transformed into Raspberry Shrub, and the rest is history! Our Original Shrub offers an ever-expanding line-up of flavors that are fast becoming a cutting edge cocktail ingredient for micro-distillers and inventive mixologists alike.  Shrub is embraced as "the other acid" and works perfectly as an alternative to the same old lemons and limes, or splashes of cranberry.
Kim Tait mixes up a basic non-alcoholic Shrub Spritzer. This refreshing, thirst quencher is a drink for all ages from kids to seniors and everyone in between!
Picture

How to use Shrub


For "Mocktails"

​The mixture of fruit, sugar and vinegar results in a beverage ‘add-in’ that’s sweet with a slight spike of tartness. Shrubs can be consumed alone with a bit of sparkling water, or paired iced tea or lemonade.  Since they are already acidic, they need to be carefully balanced with citrus juice so if you're adding juice or lemonade, use a light hand, and taste as you're building your ingredients.

Vinegar is claimed to have all sorts of health benefits, some of which are supported by science. This includes weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, increased hydration, fever reducer and improved symptoms of diabetes.  We don't profess to know these to be true.  We just find it to be a tangy, tongue tickling thirst quencher!

For Cocktails

One simplified formula for successful Shrub mixology is:

Base spirit + Shrub + complementary liqueur + bitter.

You'll have to consider how the sweetness of the Shrub balances out with the sweetness of the liqueur—just experiment until you have the right flavor.
 
Finally, for a light and refreshing cocktail that is perfect for summer sipping, pair a small amount of Shrub (about half an ounce) with 2 ounces of vermouth or sherry. Top that with some seltzer or club soda, and you have a light and lovely treat. And it's so low in alcohol and sugar, you can indulge in more than one (we won't tell)!
The sky’s the limit when it comes to Shrub Mixology!
View our exciting shrub recipes!
Picture

Visit Us:

Harvest Shop & Greenhouse

179 Tait Rd., Centre Hall, PA 16828
(814) 466-3411
harvestshop@taitfarmfoods.com


Harvest Shop Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 10am - 5pm
​Sunday: Noon - 4pm

​Preview our flagship location on our local website offering pre-purchase and/or curbside pickup.

Connect With Us:


Tait Farm Foods Business Office:
(814)466-2386
​office@taitfarmfoods.com
Shipping and Refund Policy

WHOLESALE INQUIRIES


To Place an Order Direct:

Those ordering for the first time are encouraged to  email us at: sales@taitfarmfoods.com, so that we may get all of the appropriate information to set up your wholesale account. First time orders require a credit card. For more of the details about a wholesale relationship, click the orange button below.

We are also proudly represented on the wholesale portal Faire. Shop us on Faire by clicking the button on the right.


LEARN MORE
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Gift Collections >
      • Gifts Under $25
      • Tait Farm Collections
      • Pennsylvania Made Collections
      • Penn State Inspired
      • Breakfast Collections
      • Create A Custom Gift Collection
    • Shrubs >
      • What Is Shrub?
    • Grill & Sauté Sauce
    • Fruit Spreads
    • Savory Condiments
    • Baking Mixes & Pantry Items
    • Dessert Sauces
    • Vinaigrettes
    • Local Foods
    • Gift Cards
    • Merchandise
  • Recipes
    • Craft Cocktails
    • Appetizer >
      • Cheese Pairings
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Main Dish
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Dessert
    • Favorite Recipes
  • The Farm
    • Demonstrations & Virtual Events
    • Our History
    • Local Pickup
  • Online Farmers Market
  • Connect With Us