Elderflower Oxymel (Sour Honey)

Oxymel (sour honey) is fermented honey with apple cider vinegar, to which herbs and flowers can be added as desired. Elderflower oxymel is delicious as a salad dressing or diluted with water. It’s great for the immune system, gut flora, and has additional health benefits depending on which herbs are used.

I prefer to use Oxymel as a salad dressing, especially in combination with rather bitter leafy vegetables and wild herb salads. (For example this nettle salad). The sweet and sour Oxymel harmonizes well with the bitter note and you also save time because you only have to mix Oxymel and oil for the salad dressing.

You can also drink 1-2 tablespoons dissolved in a glass of water daily on an empty stomach to strengthen the immune system.

Jump to:

• What is Oxymel?
• Collecting elderflowers
• Oxymel with elderflower Instructions
• Oxymel Shelf Life
• Oxymel Storage
• Recipe Card
• Elderflower Oxymel (Sour Honey)

What is Oxymel?

Oxymel (sour honey) is fermented honey with apple cider vinegar, to which herbs and blossoms can be added as desired.

Oxymel is said to be good for the immune system and intestinal flora and has additional positive properties depending on the herbs added. However, it is important to note that these effects have not been proven by comprehensive scientific studies.

Collecting elderflowers

There are a few things to bear in mind when collecting elderflowers. In this article I have collected all the information on how you can safely identify elderflowers and distinguish them from poisonous lookalikes.

You can find more recipes with elderflowers here:

Oxymel with elderflower Instructions

It's very easy to make Oxymel yourself: it usually consists of ⅔ honey and ⅓ vinegar, and (optionally), some blossoms or herbs of your choice, like e.g. elderflower. You can also use a bit more vinegar, up to a 1:1 ratio with honey, if you don't like it that sweet.

For a screw-top jar with a capacity of 500 ml (2 cups), you will need

• approx. 5 umbels full of blossoming elderflowers
• approx. 300 ml honey (raw)
• approx. 150 ml apple cider vinegar (unpasteurized)

1. Carefully remove the insects from the elderflowers: do not shake off the pollen too much and do not wash them, otherwise too much of the aroma will be lost.
2. Remove the green stalks from the blossoms. The stalks are slightly poisonous and not to be used (the very thin ones near the blossoms should be fine to a certain degree).
3. Put the flowers in the clean screw-top jar and fill it up with the honey and vinegar. Mix everything well with a clean spoon.
4. Cover with a lid and leave to ferment in a dark place (e.g. kitchen cupboard) for 4 weeks. Shake the jar from time to time to ensure that all the contents are well mixed.
5. After 4 weeks, the elderflowers can be strained and the Oxymel can be used.

Oxymel Shelf Life

Oxymel can be stored at room temperature for about 1 year - be sure to always use a clean spoon when taking sthg. out of the jar.

Oxymel Storage

Store your homemade Oxymel at room temperaturein a dark place (e.g. kitchen cupboard or cellar).

Recipe Card