Nobody planned it. It just kept happening.
It starts the same way every year. The heat finally breaks, everyone ends up on the porch with no real plan, and somebody starts mixing something. A little of this, a splash of that. By the second glass, it has a name. By the second summer, people are asking for it before they have even sat down.
A porch drink is about the ritual
That is the whole idea behind a good porch drink. It is less about the recipe and more about the ritual. Ours is built on two locally made favorites from our shelves:
- Dandy's Shrubs, in Tropical Ginger and Lemon Raspberry. Tangy, fizzy and local.
- The Syrup Project Organic Simple Syrup, made with just cane sugar, water and citrus.
What is a shrub?
If you have not had one, a shrub is a drinking vinegar: fruit, sugar and vinegar, made to be mixed. It sounds unusual, but the result is bright, tart and incredibly refreshing, somewhere between lemonade and a fancy soda. Shrubs are an old-fashioned way of preserving fruit, and they make it easy to build a drink with real flavor without reaching for alcohol.
The Granville Porch Fizz
Everything but the ice and soda water is sitting on our shelf. This makes one porch-worthy glass. Double it, you will need to.
You will need
- 2 oz Dandy's Tropical Ginger Shrub
- 1/2 oz The Syrup Project Organic Simple Syrup
- A handful of fresh mint
- Cold soda water, to top
- Ice
- Optional: 1.5 oz gin or bourbon
How to make it
- Gently muddle the mint in the bottom of a tall glass.
- Add the shrub and simple syrup, then fill the glass with ice.
- If you are making it a cocktail, pour in the gin or bourbon now.
- Top with soda water, stir once and garnish with another sprig of mint.
Make it your own tradition
Try the other half of the debate. Not sure Tropical Ginger is your tradition? Swap in Lemon Raspberry. At our house, people take sides.
Make a pitcher. Multiply the shrub and syrup by the number of guests, stir them together in a pitcher with the mint and let everyone top their own glass with ice and soda.
Keep it zero-proof. Without the spirit it is a grown-up mocktail that everyone at the table can enjoy, which is half the reason we love it.
Whether it is a summer porch or a fall evening by the fire pit, a good shrub drink makes any gathering feel a little more intentional. You can find more makers like these in our locally sourced collection.
Visit Granville General Store
Come pick up the shrub that might start your own tradition. You can shop locally made drinks and provisions, or stop in and see us at 134 N. Prospect St., Granville, OH 43023. We would love to see you.