Glossary
A traditional medicinal preparation made by combining honey and vinegar, used since ancient Greek medicine (the name literally means 'acid and honey' from Greek oxos + meli). Oxymels are used in herbal medicine as a delivery vehicle for herb extracts, a sore throat remedy, and a digestive tonic.
🏺 Storage Tip
Store raw honey in a sealed glass jar at room temperature. It will never spoil. If it crystallizes, place the jar in warm water (not boiling) for 15 to 20 minutes to return it to liquid form.
Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, prescribed oxymels for respiratory conditions, fever, and acute pain in the 5th century BC. The combination was logical even by modern understanding: honey provides antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and demulcent (soothing) properties, while vinegar provides acetic acid (antimicrobial) and aids in extracting medicinal compounds from herbs. Together, they create a stable, palatable, shelf-stable preparation that delivers multiple therapeutic actions.
Herbalists use oxymels as an extraction medium for medicinal herbs. Fresh or dried herbs are steeped in a mixture of raw honey and raw apple cider vinegar (or honey vinegar) for 2 to 6 weeks. The acetic acid extracts alkaloids and minerals that water alone cannot, while the honey extracts sugars, mucilage, and some volatile compounds. The result is a potent herbal preparation with a pleasant sweet-tart flavor that makes it easy to consume, especially important for children's remedies and people who dislike tincture alcohol.
Basic oxymel: Combine equal parts raw honey and raw apple cider vinegar (1 cup each). Stir until well blended. Take 1 tablespoon as needed for sore throat, diluted in warm water as a digestive tonic, or mixed into salad dressing. Herbal oxymel: Add 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (thyme for respiratory, ginger for digestive, garlic for immune) to the honey-vinegar mixture. Steep for 2 to 4 weeks, strain, and bottle. The popular remedy "fire cider" is essentially a spiced oxymel with horseradish, garlic, onion, ginger, and hot peppers.
The individual components have documented activity: honey is a proven cough suppressant and antimicrobial. Vinegar's acetic acid has mild antimicrobial properties. The combination delivers both in a palatable form. When herbs are extracted into oxymel, you add the specific bioactivity of those herbs. While clinical trials on oxymels as a category are limited, the pharmacology of the individual components is well-established.
A basic oxymel (honey plus vinegar, no herbs) lasts indefinitely at room temperature because both honey and vinegar are self-preserving. Herbal oxymels should be refrigerated after straining and used within 3 to 6 months for maximum potency, though they remain safe for much longer.
Straight from the Comb
Raw, unfiltered, and never blended with imports. Harvested by hand from our hives in Bradenton, Florida.