We’re very fortunate here at Provenance Food & Wine to be able to engage with vintners and brewers…but what about vinegar makers? Bob Capshew of Capshew Cellars is actually all three of these things and he’s applying years of experience with fermentation into a thriving business based out of Lanesville, Indiana. Over the last several years he’s made it his mission to preserve America’s historical institution of making small-batch vinegars by using methods that celebrate tradition and embrace the Slow Food movement. Provenance staffer Nathan was able to talk with Mr. Capshew about shrubs, the Colonial Era, and why we should all be putting a splash of vinegar (and history) in our cocktails!
PFW: For starters Bob, thank you so very much for introducing us here at Provenance to your Capshew Cellars small-batch vinegar shrubs…we’re huge cocktail aficionados and they’re the perfect addition to not only our shelves at the shop, but our own bar carts at home. For our readers who may not have heard about these elixirs, can you give us an explanation of what exactly shrubs are?
CC: Shrubs date to the American colonial period when fruits were macerated in apple cider vinegar. After the fruit was removed, cane sugar was added to form a syrup with a stable shelf life. To make a drink, you only need a shot (1 ounce) to release the intense fruitiness of the syrup. Shrubs were also popular in temperance times when no alcohol was added.
PFW: I might imagine that for some, artisanal-grade vinegars and shrubs may be an overlooked or rarely considered category in the ‘world of fermentation’, with such focus of attention being given more towards wine and beer making as an example. For you, why is small-batch vinegar production just as important a trade as wine-making? Does the process of creating vinegars and shrubs have a history as lengthy as other forms of fermentation throughout history?
CC: Vinegar making is a lost art compared to wine making. Although information about vinegar making is now much more limited than wine making, both processes were commonly practiced in American households as recently as the 19th century.
PFW: Prior to founding Capshew Cellars back in 2010 had you always been making vinegars and shrubs at home or were you involved in other fermentables such as wine and beer?
CC: I started making beer in 1982 then expanded into fermenting wines, ciders and meads. My vinegar making started about 5 years ago after researching pre-Prohibition cider companies and realizing the importance of vinegar in these businesses.
PFW: As opposed to the commercially mass-produced vinegars made in factories, you and your team at Capshew Cellars pride yourselves on making small-batch vinegars “the old fashioned way” using a component known as Mother of Vinegar…who or what is this Mother and why is she so important to your methods?
CC: “Mother of vinegar” is a naturally occurring bacteria (acetobacter) that converts alcohol into vinegar. The development of vinegar flavors takes time which is not possible from most commercial producers when vinegar can be made in one day.
PFW: If big-box commercial producers are all about delivering very one-dimensional, pasteurized vinegars to the masses about as quickly as they can make them, what about Capshew Cellars products makes them deserving of their “slow-food movement” title? How long start-to-finish would you say it takes to create some of your vinegars and shrubs?
CC: Under ideal circumstances it takes approximately one week to convert one percent of alcohol in the vinegar base into vinegar. Many of the Capshew Cellars vinegars are then aged or blended before selling which adds even more time to the process.
PFW: While those of us on staff at Provenance are well-versed in savoring vinegar-based cocktails and beverages, sometimes we’ll get the quizzical expression on customer’s faces when we suggest shrubs over other cocktail additives. Are vinegar-based drinks (both alcoholic and non-) a relatively new concept in the beverage sector or is there more of a history there?
CC: Vinegar-based cocktails and beverages were not only popular in American colonial and temperance times but may have historical roots back to the Middle East or Asia.
PFW: A lot of our other vendors (especially those in the Midwest) gladly rely on local producers as a source of ingredients for many of their products. Does Capshew Cellars do the same?
CC: We are lucky to have several small breweries, wineries, maple syrup producers and farmers to source materials for vinegars and shrubs. I also own a commercial cider press for processing apples and pears in season.
PFW: What sort of brainstorming or experimenting do you do to settle on such awesome flavor profiles for your shrubs such as the Strawberry/Rhubarb, Pineapple, Blueberry, or Peach-Ginger that we love to carry here at Provenance?
CC: We have a wide circle of friends and food people that provide honest feedback on different concoctions.
PFW: With such versatility that comes along with shrubs, we’re always on the hunt for new ways to use them in cocktails…especially now that summer is in full swing and there’s something so refreshing about introducing sweet-tart acidic flavors. What are some favorite drinks or cocktail recipes you love to create using your shrubs that our customers and readers would enjoy hearing about?
CC: My favorite is adding shrubs to gin and tonics. It really a matter personal preference and keeping an open mind – try tequila and strawberry shrub for example.
PFW: And finally, are there any new and interesting shrubs or vinegars you’re experimenting around with that we might be able to look forward to seeing in the coming months?
CC: I’m always interested in making new vinegars and sometimes get unusual fruits or ingredients to use. Recent vinegars include a maple vinegar made from syrup produced by the Amish in Southern Indiana. I also have a very aromatic vinegar (Maggie’s Blend) made from a local food author’s recipe (Herbal Vinegars by Maggie Oster).
In the shrub category I’ve got a Medlar shrub which tastes like pear custard and is made from locally grown fruit. I also collected some elderflower blooms and plan to make a shrub with them.
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