Strawberry drinking vinegar is a fruity, refreshing way to make an apple cider vinegar drink without any 'burn'. Fresh strawberries, lime juice, coconut water, and both apple cider and balsamic vinegars make up this naturally-sweetened drink!
I'm a big fan of mixing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar ("with the mother") into one of my daily glasses of water, but it's not the most aesthetically pleasing looking beverage out there. My husband thought something was going wrong with our pipes the first time he saw the goldish hue of my apple cider vinegar drink.
But! With the warm weather approaching, I figured it was high time to revamp my daily drink into a company-worthy, fruity sipper. And I'm so glad I did.
Now I didn't get this idea all by myself. There's a store-bought juice company out there that offers bottled strawberry drinking vinegar with balsamic for a pretty penny. But a glance at the ingredients gave me the confidence that with just a few modifications, this $3 small bottle of goodness could pretty easily be made at home.
What is drinking vinegar?
The by-the-book definition of a 'drinking vinegar' or 'vinegar shrub' involves a vinegar-based syrup, so this strawberry drinking vinegar recipe already isn't super authentic right off the bat.
But what it does have going for it is simplicity, in which all of the ingredients are just stirred together and then ready to be enjoyed over ice. Just consider it a cheater's version.
Recipe ingredients
This strawberry drinking vinegar with balsamic is a refreshing and naturally-sweetened drink that features fresh strawberries, coconut water, and freshly squeezed lime juice in addition to two kinds of vinegar - classic apple cider vinegar as well as balsamic vinegar.
While I *never* add balsamic vinegar to my water, the strawberry and balsamic combination is a flavor match I love.
Strawberries and lime juice provide a bold and masking flavor that take the 'bite' out of the vinegars. Coconut water features natural electrolytes and other nutrients like potassium and magnesium to be an ultra refreshing and nourishing beverage. I'm not a huge fan of drinking coconut water by itself (in my opinion it can taste...slimy) but in a drink like this? It blends in perfectly.
Recipe steps
You'll get a big, bold strawberry flavor in this strawberry drinking vinegar, which I found to add all the sweetness you need. But first we'll need to break down the strawberries.
Using a juicer would be the #1 way to do this, but if you don't have one, you can blend the strawberries and then pour-slash-push the strawberry puree through a mesh sieve to separate out the seeds. The goal is to end up with a thin but ultra-flavored strawberry juice.
That's the tough part, as all that's left is to stir together the other ingredients and sip away!
If you're new to adding vinegars to your beverages, including fruit juices such as strawberry and lime is an excellent primer. With the quantities written into the recipe card below, you'll taste the vinegars without experiencing much 'burn' at all. Mission accomplished.
More strawberry balsamic inspiration
This recipe isn't the first time I've mixed up strawberries and balsamic vinegar. These strawberry balsamic baked brie bites make a fantastic, simple appetizer for entertaining. The fruity sweetness contrasts the tartness of the vinegar for a wholly satisfying recipe. Plus I mean...there's also puff pastry.
Recipe notes
- I suggest mixing up all of the ingredients but the vinegars at first, and then adding them a little at a time until you reach your preferred flavor. It's always easier to add more than to dilute.
Strawberry Drinking Vinegar
Ingredients
- 16 oz carton of strawberries, tops cut off
- 1 cup coconut water
- Juice from half a lime (about 2 tbsp)
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Add strawberries to a blender and puree until very smooth.
- Pour strawberry puree through a strainer to separate out the juice. I ended up with about 1 ¼ cups of thin juice.
- Stir together juice with coconut water, lime juice, and vinegars and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
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