Get ready to impress your guests (and yourself!) with this unique and incredibly refreshing Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail! This drink is the perfect way to celebrate fresh fig season, combining the sweet earthiness of figs with aromatic thyme and tangy vinegar in a homemade “shrub,” which is then shaken with vodka, lime juice, and topped with club soda. While the original inspiration mentions late summer figs and early fall, delicious figs often start appearing in late spring (like right now, early May!), making this Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail a perfect taste of the changing seasons. It’s a sophisticated mix of tangy and sweet with an unexpected, delicious herby note. Plus, the shrub itself keeps well, making future cocktails a breeze!
Why You’ll Love This Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail
- Unique & Sophisticated Flavor: The combination of sweet fig, savory thyme, and tangy vinegar shrub creates a complex and refreshing taste.
- Highlights Fresh Figs: A fantastic way to use beautiful seasonal fresh figs.
- Make-Ahead Shrub: The fig thyme shrub (vinegar syrup) can be made ahead and stored, making cocktail prep quick.
- Impressive Yet Easy: Looks and tastes gourmet but involves simple techniques.
- Versatile Shrub: The leftover shrub is delicious mixed with just sparkling water for a non-alcoholic drink!
Ingredients for Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail
Here’s what you’ll need to make the shrub and the final cocktail. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Fig Thyme Shrub
- Diced fresh figs (Fruit)
- Granulated sugar (Sweetener)
- Apple cider vinegar (Acid)
- Fresh thyme sprigs (Herb)
Cocktail
- Vodka (Liquor)
- Freshly squeezed lime juice (Acid)
- Fig thyme shrub (from above) (Syrup)
- Club soda (Soda)
- Ice (Ice)
Garnish (Optional)
- Halved fresh figs
- Fresh thyme sprigs
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I adore the specific fig-thyme-lime combination in this Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail, but feel free to experiment:
- Different Vinegar: Use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar in the shrub for a slightly different tang. Balsamic could work but would create a much darker, differently flavored shrub.
- Different Herbs: Try rosemary or basil instead of thyme in the shrub.
- Different Spirit: Use gin instead of vodka for a more botanical cocktail. Light rum could also work.
- Add Spice: Add a star anise or a cinnamon stick to the shrub mixture while it infuses.
- Sweetness Level: Adjust the amount of sugar in the shrub or the amount of shrub used in the cocktail to suit your taste.
How to Make a Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail
Making this unique Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail starts with preparing the flavorful shrub:
Make the Fig Thyme Shrub (Requires Overnight Infusion)
- First, I prepare the shrub base. In a medium non-reactive bowl (glass or plastic works best, avoid metal with vinegar), I combine the diced fresh figs, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, and fresh thyme sprigs.
- I stir everything together well to ensure the sugar starts to dissolve and the figs are coated.
- I cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.
- I place the bowl in the refrigerator and let it sit overnight (or for at least 8-12 hours). This allows the sugar to draw out the juice from the figs and infuse the vinegar with fig and thyme flavor.
Strain the Shrub
- The next day (or after sufficient infusion time), I strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over another bowl or jar, pressing gently on the solids (figs and thyme) to extract as much liquid as possible.
- I discard the figs and thyme solids left in the strainer. The resulting liquid is my delicious Fig Thyme Shrub! (This shrub will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several weeks).
Mix the Cocktail
- When I’m ready to make a cocktail, I add crushed ice to a serving glass (like a highball or rocks glass).
- In a cocktail shaker filled with regular ice cubes, I add the vodka, fresh lime juice, and the prepared fig thyme shrub (1 ½ ounces per cocktail).
- I secure the lid and shake well until the mixture is thoroughly chilled (about 15 seconds).
- I strain the shaken mixture into the prepared glass filled with crushed ice.
- I top the drink with club soda (about 2 ounces, or to fill).
- I give it a gentle stir to combine.
Garnish and Serve
- Garnish with figs and thyme.
- Serve!
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Shrub Cocktail
Here are my secrets for making this Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail truly special:
- Use Ripe Fresh Figs: Choose figs that are soft, fragrant, and ripe for the best flavor infusion in the shrub.
- Allow Proper Infusion Time: Don’t rush the overnight (or at least 8-hour) infusion for the shrub – this is key for developing the flavor.
- Use Non-Reactive Bowl: Vinegar can react with metal bowls (like aluminum or copper), so use glass, ceramic, or plastic for making the shrub.
- Taste the Shrub: Before making cocktails, taste the shrub. If it seems too tart or too sweet, you can adjust the amount you use in the final drink.
- Shake Well: Shaking the cocktail ingredients (vodka, lime, shrub) with ice before adding soda chills and dilutes them perfectly.
How to Serve
This Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail is best served immediately after mixing! Enjoy it:
- Chilled: In a glass filled with crushed or regular ice.
- Garnished: With halved fresh figs and a fresh sprig of thyme for aroma and visual appeal.
- For Entertaining: A unique and sophisticated cocktail perfect for spring or summer gatherings.
- As an Aperitif: Its balance of sweet and tangy makes it a lovely pre-dinner drink.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Shrub: The Fig Thyme Shrub itself is the make-ahead star! Store it in a sealed glass bottle or jar in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks (or potentially longer).
- Cocktail: The finished cocktail with club soda is best made fresh just before serving to maintain its fizz and perfect chill.
FAQs about Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail
- What is a shrub in a cocktail context?
- A shrub is essentially a vinegar-based syrup infused with fruit, sugar, and sometimes herbs or spices. It adds a complex sweet and tangy element to drinks and dates back to preservation methods before refrigeration.
- Can I use dried figs?
- Dried figs have a very different, concentrated flavor and texture and won’t release juice in the same way when macerated with sugar and vinegar. Fresh figs are essential for this specific shrub recipe.
- Can I make a non-alcoholic version?
- Yes! The Fig Thyme Shrub itself is delicious mixed with just club soda or sparkling water for a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage. Add a squeeze of lime too!
Enjoy this unique, refreshing, and sophisticated Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail! It’s a fantastic way to celebrate fresh fig season.
Print
Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- inactive Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Cocktail, Drink, Shrub
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Fig Thyme Shrub Cocktail is a perfect way to celebrate late summer figs and the beginning of fall! A homemade fig and thyme shrub (a tangy, sweet, vinegar-based syrup) is combined with vodka, lime juice, and club soda for a refreshing and unique cocktail.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Fig Thyme Shrub (Makes enough for approx. 8-10 cocktails):
- 2 cups diced fresh figs (about 10–12 figs)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
For the Cocktail (per serving):
- Crushed ice (or regular ice cubes)
- 1 1/2 ounces vodka
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 1/2 ounces Fig Thyme Shrub (from recipe above)
- 2 ounces club soda, chilled
Optional Garnishes:
- Halved fresh figs
- Fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
1. Make the Fig Thyme Shrub (Prep Ahead – Overnight):
- In a medium glass or plastic bowl (do not use metal with vinegar), combine the diced fresh figs, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, and fresh thyme sprigs.
- Stir well to combine, ensuring the sugar begins to dissolve.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate and let the mixture sit (steep) overnight (or for at least 8-12 hours) to allow the flavors to infuse.
- The next day, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean jar or bottle. Press gently on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids (figs and thyme).
- Seal the jar/bottle. The shrub is now ready to use and can be stored in the refrigerator.
2. Make the Cocktail:
- Fill your serving glass with crushed ice (or regular ice cubes).
- Add the vodka, fresh lime juice, and 1 1/2 ounces of the prepared Fig Thyme Shrub to the glass.
- Stir gently to combine the ingredients.
- Top off the drink with the chilled club soda.
- Stir gently one more time.
- Garnish with halved fresh figs and a fresh sprig of thyme, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Shrub: A shrub is a vinegar-based syrup infused with fruit and herbs. It adds a unique sweet and tangy flavor to drinks.
- Figs: Use ripe fresh figs like Black Mission, Brown Turkey, or Calimyrna.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar works well. You could experiment with white wine vinegar for a slightly different profile.
- Steeping Time: Allowing the shrub to steep overnight yields the best flavor infusion.
- Shrub Storage: Leftover Fig Thyme Shrub will keep well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several weeks.
- Serving the Shrub: Besides cocktails, the shrub is delicious mixed with just sparkling water or club soda for a refreshing non-alcoholic drink.
- Vodka Substitute: Gin would also pair nicely with the botanical notes in this drink.