They weren’t kidding when they said, “Behind every great man is a great woman!” This phrase definitely rings true when you talk about the birth of Element (Shrub). Meet Charlie Berkinshaw, the great man and the great woman, his wife, Angela. When Angela was pregnant with their first child, she had intense cravings for refreshing, non-alcoholic drinks that were more complex than the usual suspects and that were made with real ingredients. She became increasingly more and more dissatisfied with the choices on the market, where at that point, Charlie decided to take matters into his own hands, and help his wife. He set on a mission to satisfy Angela’s cravings. Who’s going to argue with a pregnant woman, right?

During that time, the couple was part of a group that foraged for local fruit in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After a harvest of 400 pounds of crabapples, Charlie researched tirelessly for different ways to use and enjoy their bounty. He stumbled upon the process of making shrubs, a way in which fruit was preserved during the Colonial Era using vinegar and sugar. While Charlie had never worked in the food and beverage industry prior, he had always been consumed by his love of food and drink and was determined to make his wife happy during her pregnancy and help satiate her thirst.

Well, low and behold, Charlie was able to come up with an amazing concoction that meticulously paired the fresh fruit with complementary herbs and spices. After adding the crabapple shrub to sparkling water, the result was a drink that satisfied every aspect of Angela’s craving.

They were both so taken with their beverage, that they were inspired to experiment with other combinations to create a product that is truly unique and wholesome enough to drink every day, either with sparkling water or as an added mixer to cocktails. And this, was when Element (Shrub) was born!

Each flavor in the Element (Shrub) lineup has been carefully curated and uses different fresh fruits that are too, matched beautifully with an array of herbs and spices with just the right amount of sugar and apple cider vinegar.

We too are taken with Element (Shrub) and have chosen their delicious Lemon Mint Shrub to be a part of our new summer gin cocktail, APUCKERLIPS. The delightful combination of the shrub and rose syrup works beautifully with the botanicals of the gin. It is so bright and breezy and your easy go to for summer entertaining.

Craving satisfied!