Summer Spritz Syrup Rosemary-Grapefruit

Summer Spritz Syrup Rosemary-Grapefruit for balmy evenings

The Summer Spritz Syrup Rosemary-Grapefruit from Schusters Shrub is a fruit syrup with a vinegar base made from grapefruit and rosemary. With sparkling wine, Prosecco, or fizzy mineral water, it becomes a tart, aromatic aperitif, with or without alcohol.

Summer Spritz Syrup Rosemary-Grapefruit is the tart and fizzy aperitif syrup from the Schusters Shrub workshop in the Steigerwald. Tart, fresh grapefruit provides a clear citrus bitterness, ethereal, spicy rosemary balances it out, and apple cider vinegar adds natural acidity. This variety was newly launched for the 2025 season and quickly became an insider tip.

Tart grapefruit, spicy rosemary, clear freshness

On the nose, there is grapefruit, juicy and tart, accompanied by the resinous, green hint of fresh rosemary needles. The scent alone evokes a summer mood; you can practically smell the garden where the rosemary grows.

On the palate, citrus bitterness and herbal spice meet. Fruity, spicy, and fizzy—that’s how the syrup sits in the glass, with the fine acidity of the apple cider vinegar holding it all together. The two get along brilliantly; the grapefruit provides the fruitiness, the rosemary the depth, without one overpowering the other.

In the finish, a pleasant bitterness remains, which makes the syrup so sophisticated and thirst-quenching. There are only four honest ingredients behind it: apple cider vinegar, grapefruit, rosemary, and sugar. There are about 60g of sugar per 100ml, which carries the fruit rather than masking it.

With sparkling wine, with gin, or completely alcohol-free

2cl over ice cubes, topped with well-chilled sparkling wine, and you have an aperitif with character for the patio.

If you prefer it non-alcoholic, dilute the syrup in a 1:7 ratio with sparkling mineral water, perhaps as a "Pink Herb" with a slice of grapefruit. Fizzy, spicy, lively—it becomes a sophisticated lemonade completely without alcohol.

With gin, it becomes a Grapefruit Fizz, where the gin’s botanicals and the rosemary complement each other perfectly. In this way, the syrup finds the right glass for every guest, from an aperitif with a kick to a crisp thirst-quencher with water. The 250ml bottle is enough for many glasses, as even a small dash adds plenty of flavor.

The syrup also cuts a fine figure in the kitchen. A splash in a vinaigrette for bitter leaf salad, a spoonful over fennel and orange, or some in a marinade for fish and poultry, where the grapefruit provides a bright, fresh note. That is how summer moves from the glass to the plate.

Hanna macerates grapefruit and rosemary in apple cider vinegar

In her small workshop in the Steigerwald, Hanna Schuster macerates grapefruits and rosemary sprigs in apple cider vinegar for months until their aromas transition into the vinegar naturally.

Afterward, the fruit and herbs are removed, the fruit vinegar is seasoned with sugar, and it is bottled hot. This is how fruit has been preserved for over 200 years, and without preservatives, the 250ml bottle will last for about three years. "The fruit should set the tone in the syrup," emphasizes Hanna, and that is exactly what you taste in every sip.

Once opened, the syrup does not need to be refrigerated; it should just be kept in a dark place so that the color and aroma are preserved. As a newcomer to the 2025 season, the rosemary-grapefruit quickly captured its place. If you prefer something more berry-like, reach for the classic hibiscus-raspberry; the entire range is available under Schusters Shrub syrups.