Glossary
A guide to making oxymel, the ancient honey-and-vinegar health tonic whose name derives from the Greek oxymeli (acid honey). Documented since Hippocrates (400 BCE), oxymel combines honey's antimicrobial and nutritive properties with vinegar's acetic acid benefits, often infused with medicinal herbs.
Simple oxymel: combine 3 parts raw honey with 1 part raw apple cider vinegar. Mix thoroughly and store in a glass jar. Take 1-2 tablespoons daily in warm water or tea. The combination provides honey's enzymes and antioxidants with vinegar's acetic acid and probiotic benefits.
Herbal oxymel: pack a glass jar one-third full with dried herbs (thyme for respiratory support, ginger for digestion, elderberry for immune support, or sage for sore throat). Fill with the 3:1 honey-vinegar mixture. Infuse for 2-4 weeks, shaking daily. Strain out herbs and bottle.
Fire cider: a potent oxymel variation containing raw garlic, fresh ginger, raw onion, hot peppers, horseradish, and citrus peel infused in apple cider vinegar for 4 weeks, then strained and sweetened with honey. Fire cider is used as an immune-boosting tonic during cold and flu season.
Shrub (drinking vinegar): a culinary oxymel variation using fruit (berries, stone fruit, citrus) infused in vinegar and sweetened with honey. Mixed with sparkling water, shrubs create refreshing, probiotic-rich beverages that showcase the versatility of the honey-vinegar combination.
For respiratory support: thyme, elecampane, horehound. For digestive support: ginger, fennel, peppermint. For immune support: elderberry, echinacea, astragalus. For sore throat: sage, marshmallow root, licorice root. Choose herbs based on your wellness goals.
The combination of honey (antimicrobial) and vinegar (acidic, antimicrobial) creates a naturally preserved product. Simple oxymel lasts 1-2 years at room temperature. Herbal oxymels may have shorter shelf lives (6-12 months) depending on the herbs used.
1-2 tablespoons daily is the traditional dose, either straight or diluted in warm water. During acute illness, some herbalists recommend increasing to 1 tablespoon every 2-3 hours. Listen to your body; the vinegar can cause stomach upset in some people if taken in excess.
Keep Learning
Browse hundreds of terms covering honey, beekeeping, and natural skincare.