Because shrub is vinegar-based, yup – that’s right, it has the flavor of vinegar in it. I like that biting tang, but it may or may not be to everyone’s taste. However it makes a nice base for a cocktail, or for a non-alcoholic alternative drink to pass around during the holidays. If you can get a good apple cider vinegar, perhaps from a local apple farm, use that. It’s more fruit-forward than the store-bought stuff. If you have another natural fruit vinegar, you could use that. If you don’t have either, white wine vinegar works instead. If you don’t have allspice berries, you can use a cinnamon stick, a few cloves, or another favorite spice. The cooked cranberries can be reserved and used to mix with apples or pears if you’re making a fruit crisp, or used as a replacement for some of the raisins (by weight or volume) in mincemeat or instant mincemeat. You could also be creative and turn it into cranberry sauce.