An oxymel is a simple preparation of honey and vinegar, often infused with herbs. The base recipe calls for equal parts honey and apple cider vinegar mixed in a clean glass jar. From there, you can add dried or fresh herbs and let the mixture steep for one to four weeks before straining. The whole process requires no cooking, no special equipment, and about ten minutes of hands-on work.
What You Need
The ingredient list is short. You need raw honey (any high-quality variety works, though manuka honey has additional antimicrobial properties), raw apple cider vinegar with the “mother” (the cloudy sediment of beneficial bacteria), and optionally, herbs of your choice. For equipment, grab a clean glass jar with a lid, a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, and a storage bottle.
One important note on the lid: vinegar corrodes metal over time. If your jar has a metal lid, place a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap between the lid and the jar to prevent rusting and off-flavors leaching into your oxymel.
The Basic Ratio
The standard oxymel uses a 1:1 ratio of honey to apple cider vinegar by volume. So if you measure out one cup of honey, you add one cup of vinegar. This creates a balanced blend where the honey’s sweetness tempers the vinegar’s sharpness.
You can adjust the ratio to taste. A 2:1 honey-to-vinegar ratio produces a sweeter, milder oxymel that works well as a daily tonic or for people who find straight vinegar too harsh. A 1:2 ratio (more vinegar than honey) yields a sharper, more medicinal preparation that some prefer for sore throats or digestive support. Start with 1:1 and adjust from there.
Step-by-Step Instructions
If you’re making a simple oxymel without herbs, combine the honey and vinegar in a sterilized glass jar and stir until fully blended. That’s it. You can use it right away.
For an herb-infused oxymel, the process takes a bit longer:
- Fill the jar with herbs. Pack your dried herbs loosely until the jar is about one-quarter to one-third full. If using fresh herbs, fill it halfway, since fresh plant material contains water and is less concentrated.
- Add honey. Pour honey over the herbs until the jar is about half full. Stir to coat the herbs thoroughly.
- Add vinegar. Pour apple cider vinegar over the honey-herb mixture, leaving about half an inch of headspace at the top. Stir or shake well to combine everything.
- Seal and store. Cap the jar (with parchment paper under a metal lid) and place it in a cool, dark spot out of direct sunlight.
- Let it infuse. Allow the mixture to steep for at least one week and up to 30 days. Shake or stir it every day or two to keep the herbs submerged and the ingredients well mixed. Longer infusion times extract more of the herbs’ beneficial compounds.
- Strain. When the infusion time is up, pour the oxymel through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean bottle. Press or squeeze the herbs to get every last drop of liquid. Discard the spent herbs.
Choosing Your Herbs
Almost any culinary or medicinal herb can go into an oxymel. The combination of honey and vinegar extracts both water-soluble and some alcohol-soluble compounds, making it a surprisingly effective medium for pulling flavor and beneficial properties from plant material.
Some popular starting points: garlic and thyme make a potent cold-season oxymel. Ginger and lemon peel work well for nausea or digestive discomfort. Sage and rosemary create an earthy, warming blend. Elderberry and rose hips offer a fruity version rich in vitamin C. Fire cider, a spicy oxymel variation, typically combines horseradish, hot peppers, onion, garlic, and ginger for an intense immune-support tonic.
If you’re new to herbalism, start with culinary herbs you already know and enjoy eating. They’re safe, accessible, and produce oxymels that taste good enough to take daily.
How to Use It
Most people take one to two tablespoons of oxymel per day, either straight or stirred into a glass of water. Clinical studies on oxymels have used doses ranging from 10 ml (about two teaspoons) to 30 ml (about two tablespoons) daily, often mixed into water. Taking it on an empty stomach may improve absorption, though there’s no strict rule.
Beyond the medicinal spoonful, oxymels double as a versatile kitchen ingredient. Use them as salad dressings, mix them into sparkling water for a shrub-style drink, drizzle them over roasted vegetables, or add a splash to cocktails and mocktails. A thyme-honey oxymel over grilled peaches is worth trying at least once.
Storage and Shelf Life
Both honey and vinegar are natural preservatives, which gives oxymels a reasonable shelf life without refrigeration. If you made your oxymel with dried herbs, it will keep for up to a year stored in a cool, dark place. Oxymels made with fresh plant material should be refrigerated and used within six months, since the water content in fresh herbs can dilute the preservative strength of the base.
Signs that an oxymel has gone off include mold on the surface, an unpleasant or fermented smell that differs from its original aroma, or a fizzy, carbonated quality (which means fermentation has started). When in doubt, make a fresh batch. The ingredients are inexpensive and the process is quick.
Safety Considerations
Oxymels are generally very safe for adults, but honey-based preparations of any kind should never be given to children under 12 months old. Honey can harbor spores that cause infant botulism, a serious form of food poisoning. This applies to all honey products, cooked or raw.
The vinegar component can aggravate acid reflux in some people, and over time, frequent consumption of undiluted vinegar can erode tooth enamel. Diluting your oxymel in water or drinking it through a straw helps protect your teeth. If you’re taking blood sugar medications, be aware that both honey and vinegar can influence blood sugar levels, so monitor accordingly.