Oxymels use honey and vinegar to extract the medicinal properties of herbs. They are generally a tastier way to take herbal extracts, with additional benefits of heart soothing honey and gut healthy apple cider vinegar. This is also a great way to introduce botanical medicine to those who don’t tolerate alcohol - such as children and those in recovery. There are a few ways to make oxymels. One way is to make an infused honey and an herbal vinegar and then combine the two. This is a good option if you want to play with your proportions of honey to vinegar or want to use the infused ingredients separately for other recipes. A simple modification is just to do a 1:1 ratio of honey to vinegar in the same preparation. My favourite herb to use is wild roses but there are many herbs that make great oxymels such as hawthorn blossom, elderberry, nettle, tulsi, elecampane, devils club, hibiscus, and lemon balm.
Herbal Oxymel
Glass quart jar with plastic lid (or parchment paper to protect metal lid from vinegar)
Herbs of choice
Equal parts raw local honey ( I use Babes honey) and unfiltered apple cider vinegar.
How to:
Fill jar 1/2 full with herbs
Cover to the top with equal parts honey and vinegar
Stir well and cover with lid
Let sit for at least two weeks, shaking occasionally
Strain off herbs, making sure to squeeze excess liquid from the herbs
Take by the dropper full medicinally, by the ounce as an aperitif, or add to sparkling water for an herbal soda.
