Immune Boosting Elderberry Oxymel

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 4-6 weeks

Yields: 250g (475 ml) or 2 

What is an Oxymel?

Elderberry season is upon us and here in Germany, the elderflower bushes are bursting with bunches are dark purple berries. While many jump to making elderberry syrup or compotes, here is something even easier to make - an oxymel. An oxymel is an extraction of herbs and spices mixed with vinegar and honey. After a few weeks, usually a minimum of 4, the extraction is ready and the herbs can be sieved out, leaving you with a both sweet and sour syrup. Even the word oxymel, which is of greek descent can be broken down into "oxys" (acid) and "meli" (honey).  Sour and Sweet. Simple as that. 

A little background about Elderberries

Now onto the star of the show, the black elderberry, Samucus nigra. These beautiful bushes start becoming heavy with bushels of dark purple berries around the end of August and are harvestable until around the end of September. The clusters with red stems can be cut, shaken slightly for bugs, and placed in a basket. At home, remove all the dark purple berries from the stems, making sure to remove any green berries that are not yet ripe, rinse, and place in a single layer on a drying tray for all-round circulation (I just use the oven rack with a cheese cloth over). Now it is time to treat the berries with heat to remove the slightly poisonous components. I prefer to sun-dry them a couple of days (2 - 3 days) in the sun and then to finish them off for about 2-3 hours in the oven at 55°C (130°F).  Just be sure to watch out for the birds who will snag them up in an instant. Dry until wrinkly and firm to the touch. You can also dry them in a dehydrated or completely in the oven for about 12 hours at 57°C (135°F). Drying your elderberries instead of cooking them, helps to retain more of the vitamin C content, as well as other beneficial nutrients that can be easily destroyed from higher temperatures.

What benefits do Elderberries deliver?

They are rich in flavonoids, beta-carotinoide, vitamins A, B (1,2, and 6) and C, folic acid, tannins, antioxidants, and numerous minerals. When treated with heat (at least a little), they help to support the immune system, stop the spread of viruses in the body, anti-inflammatory, sweat-inducing if you have a fever, and overall help to shorten the amount of time one is sick. Raw, the berries are slightly poisonous as they contain cyanogenic glycosides and can cause nauseousness. Overall elderberries are great to ward off sicknesses or can be used while one is sick to soothe sore throats, help reduce fevers, and fights colds and flus. It’s amazing, that they come in September, so we have time to harvest the berries and turn them into immune boosting goodness for the fall and winter months to come. Coincidence? I think not….

Immune Boosting Elderberry Oxymel ingredients on table

Ingredients:

Preparation:

  • 1 Cup Elderberries, dried

  • 3 - 4 heads of dried Echinacea 

  • 1 Cinnamon Stick

  • 5 Cloves

  • 5 -6 slices of Ginger, sliced thin

  • 1 Vanilla bean, sliced down the middle

  • 1/4 Cup Tablespoons raw honey

  • 2 Cups organic unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions:

  1. Place the dried elderberries, echinacea, cinnamon stick, cloves, ginger, vanilla bean in a 500 ml sanitized mason jar (or 1/2 quart).

  2. Pour the honey and apple cider vinegar in the jar and place the cap on tightly. If you have a metal jar cap, then place a piece of parchment paper between the jar and cap to prevent the cap from rusting, and screw on tightly.

  3. Give it a good shake to thoroughly mix the honey with the vinegar. 

  4. Label and store in a dark, cool place for 4 - 6 weeks. Giving a gentle shake every few days.

  5. Strain through a sieve with a cheesecloth (careful, it stains) and pour into a clean glass bottle. Close and store in the fridge for up to 1 year or on the shelf for about 6 months. Enjoy! (Please see the notes for the proper intake and dosage) 

Elderberry Oxymel in glass jar on table

Notes:

  • Dosage:

  1. As a Prophylaxis

    Adults: 1 teaspoon - 1 tablespoon daily

    Children: 1/2 teaspoon daily

    During Illness

    Adults: 1 - 2 teaspoons every 1 - 2 hours

    Children (over 1 year): 1/2 teaspoon every 2 - 3 hours

    • Can be taken straight up, mixed into a glass of water or other refreshing drink, or even added to salad dressings. Avoid adding to teas, as the hot water can destroy some of the heat-sensitive nutritional benefits.

    • Either in addition or instead of Echinacea (another immune-supporting herb), add 1/2 Cup of dried rose hips. These add an additional vitamin C boost!

    • If the mixture is too tangy and not sweet enough for your taste, feel free to add more honey.