Summer Spritz Hibiscus Raspberry Syrup

Summer Spritz Hibiscus-Raspberry Syrup. The first variety in a line for aperitif glasses.

Summer Spritz Hibiscus-Raspberry Syrup is an aperitif syrup made from raspberries, hibiscus blossoms, and organic cloudy apple cider vinegar – the first variety in the Summer Spritz line. It’s not a dressing syrup for salads, not a berry liqueur, and not a syrup designed to be diluted with plain water.

Summer Spritz Hibiscus-Raspberry Syrup is Schusters Shrub’s aperitif syrup, in which a berry and a blossom take on strictly separate roles. The classic shrubs from the house are aimed at water glasses and plates. This line is designed for a glass that is already sparkling and has its own acidity. Therefore, it has a more pronounced flavor. Pour four centiliters with Prosecco, and the red will be in the glass before anyone at the table has even asked.

Why the blossom doesn’t replace the fruit here

The hibiscus blossom brings neither fruit pulp nor berry aroma. It provides two other things, both intended: acidity and color.

In the aroma, therefore, only the raspberry stands out, ripe and rich, with the bright note of apple cider vinegar beneath. On the palate, the berry comes first and broadly. Then the blossom acidity sets in, alongside the acetic acid. Two acids from two sources keep a single fruit in shape. This explains why the syrup doesn't turn sweet even when mixed with sparkling wine.

In the glass, it glows ruby red, and this red comes entirely from the berry and blossom. Those expecting a soft, round raspberry syrup will find the blossom acidity too dominant. It is prominent, and it should be. This variety is not suitable for a mild lemonade in the afternoon; it is too highly concentrated for that.

Four centiliters on ice and a carafe

Calculate four centiliters per glass with ice and top up with about 100 milliliters.

This is the dosage for the entire line, and it is much higher than that of a classic shrub. A classic shrub is mixed one part to ten or fifteen parts with water. However, sparkling wine is not water. It brings carbonation, its own acidity, and its own flavor. Against so much resistance, a syrup must speak louder.

For a non-alcoholic version, use non-alcoholic sparkling wine and a splash of soda; with alcohol, use Prosecco. For a group of guests, prepare a carafe: 8 cl shrub, 400 ml orange juice, a bottle of soda, a few orange slices, plenty of ice. With Lillet, you get the natural version of the well-known berry aperitif, without artificial flavors or colors. Alcohol-free, the same syrup can be served as a modified Virgin Mojito, with lime and mint.

Good to know: The bottle should be stored in a dark cabinet. Without coloring, the red has nothing to hold it, and will turn brownish over the months. This doesn't change the taste, but it does change the appearance in the glass. An opened bottle tolerates room temperature without problems, thanks to the acidity. If you prefer the berry flavor without the blossom, you can find it in the single-variety shrub for cooking and water glasses.

Two raw materials, one extract, no artificial coloring

Raspberries and hibiscus blossoms steep together for four to six weeks in organic cloudy apple cider vinegar. Both release their color, and both release it completely.

This is why no artificial coloring is needed in the end, and also the reason for the dark cabinet. A red from plant parts is not designed to look the same for years. An added dye would be designed precisely for that. The manufacturer prefers to accept the discoloration rather than the additive.

After extraction, the berry and blossom are pressed. The fruit vinegar is given enough sugar until fruit, blossom, and acidity are balanced, and then it is bottled piping hot. After that, it lasts about three years, and no preservative is needed.

Untersteinbach in Steigerwald is where Hanna and Gabi Schuster have been producing since 2012. The Summer Spritz line is a newer development there alongside the classic shrubs, and this variety was at its beginning. A new recipe only goes into production in the house after the whole family has tasted it.

The prototype of a line for the glass

This variety answered the question on which the entire line hinges: What does a shrub taste like that doesn't go into water, but into a glass of sparkling wine?

The answer was: more acidic, higher dosage, with a second acid source besides vinegar. What came after follows this guideline. The tart variety of the line with a real bitter note follows the same path via grapefruit. As a hostess gift, the Hibiscus-Raspberry is the most reliable of the three, as it requires the least explanation. A bottle stands on the table, with sparkling wine and soda next to it, and guests help themselves. The one number you should keep in mind is just under 61 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters. Four centiliters per glass is the calculation, not the bottle.

The syrup with which the manufacturer began to take the aperitif glass seriously — and which still sets the benchmark for the line.