Gently wash and prepare your fruit. If using berries, leave them whole or lightly crush. For harder fruits like peaches or plums, chop them into small pieces.

In a clean glass jar (pint-sized or larger), combine the prepared fruit, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Stir well to ensure the fruit is coated and the honey begins to dissolve.

If using, add any optional herbs or ginger slices to the mixture.

Cover the jar tightly with a lid and refrigerate. Allow the mixture to infuse for 3 to 5 days, or even up to a week, shaking the jar once daily. The longer it infuses, the stronger the flavor will be.

After the desired infusion time, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bottle or jar, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the fruit solids (or compost them).

Your homemade fruit shrub is ready! Store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

To serve, mix 1-2 tablespoons of shrub with 6-8 ounces of sparkling water, or use it as a mixer in your favorite beverages.