Dandy's Shrubs and Switchels

Dandy’s is a local shrub manufacturer located in central Ohio. Amy Pausch, founder and local entrepreneur in Licking County, spends countless hours tasting and curating the perfect concentrates. I was recently invited to her home for a tasting. All of Dandy’s Shrubs have health benefits and are created with purpose. Each shrub is created with a vinegar base. Amy uses balsamic vinegar as she believes the quality of the vinegar is key to a good shrub.

At the store, you buy Dandy’s shrub concentrate. You don’t drink the concentrate on its own. Instead, you use a small amount of concentrate mixed with sparkling water. Some flavors are delicious mixed with just water to create a hot tea, but most are meant to be enjoyed cold with sparkling water.

A large part of the consumer base uses shrub as an alternative to alcohol. Think of it as a virgin cocktail with health benefits. It’s safe to say I’m a fan of Dandy’s. So, instead of rating the flavors, I want to discuss some amazing dinner pairings.

First, Tropical Ginger. Amy describes the concentrate as a “coconut and lime blend with a zesty ginger… sweetened with reb- A stevia.” This is a very summery flavor, which will be a theme throughout my review. Tropical Ginger is best with sparkling water. A hot summer day with a cold, Tropical Ginger drink might pair best with grilled watermelon and feta salad. Grilled watermelon on a hot day is an absolute must. A grilled burger, veggies and corn with a watermelon salad is my ideal pairing to the Tropical Ginger Shrub.

Honey Persimmon is another must. It’s blended persimmon with winter spices, sweetened with raw honey. The forefront flavor is honey. Obviously, honey is naturally sweet. The natural sweetness is not overpowering. It feels lighter than many of the other flavors. I think it would pair well with a white fish. A cod dinner with pineapple glaze, and mushroom risotto is what comes to mind. I think it would be the perfect pairing for this tea-like shrub.

For versatility, the Elderberry Plum is by far the coolest. All of these drinks are best served cold, and Elderberry Plum can certainly be served like the others. However, it also makes an amazing hot beverage. The vinegar base is generally hidden in these shrubs, but there are notes of vinegar that come through. Not in Elderberry Plum. I could not taste the vinegar at all. The shrub is thick, hearty and rich.

I could not think of a great pairing for this shrub, and then Amy suggested red meat. My mind started racing with ideas. It would make a delectable drink pairing. I also think using this shrub to make a glaze is a creative way to incorporate it with red meat. I think it would make for a thick, rich and fruity glaze for a steak, or better yet, pork chops.

I simply cannot dive into all of the flavors in this review, but I hope this has given insight into the wonderful world of shrubs. Amy has many flavors of shrub that I hope you take the time to enjoy. Get creative with the shrubs. It’s versatile; it can be a cold drink, hot drink, mixer, or used in your cooking. If you’re looking to stop drinking alcohol, it’s a great substitute.

Check out Dandy's here: https://dandysshrubsandswitchels.com/