Shrub Blackcurrant Syrup

Black Currant Shrub Syrup for Aperitif and Lemonade

The Black Currant Shrub Syrup by Schusters Shrub is a vinegar-based fruit syrup made from black currants. Mixed with sparkling wine, it becomes a deep red aperitif; with sparkling water, a fruity lemonade. It has been awarded Gold by the gourmet magazine Selection.

Black Currant Shrub Syrup is an intensely berry-flavored, vinegar-based fruit syrup from the Schusters Shrub manufactory in the Steigerwald region. Fresh, aromatic black currants set the tone, while apple cider vinegar provides natural acidity. The gourmet magazine Selection has awarded it a Gold medal.

Deep red, berry-flavored, and fizzy in the glass

The nose detects the dark, tart-sweet fruit of the black currant, intense and deep. The color alone promises flavor. It is one of those dark berries that you can practically smell before you see them.

On the palate, a dense cassis aroma unfolds, carried by the lively acidity of the apple cider vinegar. Fruity, tangy, and fizzy—that is how the syrup sits in the glass, and it even retains its beautiful character when mixed with sparkling wine. The flavor and color come 100 percent from the fruit, with no artificial flavors or dyes.

The finish leaves a delicate, berry-like acidity. Per 100 ml, there are about 61 g of carbohydrates and only 0.004 g of salt; the fruit clearly takes center stage. Cassis lovers will recognize this shrub by its scent alone.

As a deep red aperitif with sparkling wine

Mixed in a 1:10 ratio with well-chilled sparkling wine or Prosecco, the shrub becomes a deep red aperitif for the terrace. A classic that should be at every summer party and a real eye-catcher in the glass.

If you swap the sparkling wine for fizzy mineral water, you get a fruity lemonade with a black currant flavor that even children enjoy. This way, the syrup provides the right glass for every guest, from an aperitif with a kick to a thirst quencher with water. The deep red color makes a great impression in the glass, without any coloring, and remains even in sparkling wine.

In the kitchen, it is a fine companion for salads, such as in a dressing for a peach-feta salad, and pairs well with game and strong cheese. In desserts, it is excellent as a dark drizzle over vanilla ice cream or panna cotta; a spoonful is enough for that fruity note. The 250 ml bottle is enough for many glasses, as even a small splash brings rich fruitiness into play.

Hanna processes the berries by hand

Year after year, Hanna Schuster processes the aromatic black currants by hand and lets them steep in apple cider vinegar for months until their aromas transition into the vinegar naturally. Only ripe, carefully selected berries go into the barrel for this process.

Afterward, the berries are pressed, the fruit vinegar is sweetened with sugar, and it is bottled hot. This is how fruit has been preserved for over 200 years, and without preservatives, the 250 ml bottle lasts for about three years. "The fruit should set the tone in a shrub," Hanna emphasizes, and that is exactly what you taste.

The gourmet magazine Selection awarded the shrub Gold, a nice reward for the manual labor involved. You don't win an award like that with shortcuts, but with good fruit and a little patience. You can find more from the manufactory under the syrups from Schusters Shrub. Beyond the dark cassis, the range also opens up lighter paths, towards lemon and grapefruit.