Love your tea? Did you know you can make it into a syrup? You can! If you don't have a tea, you can use any herbs you feel that would be beneficial for your ailment. But why do a syrup? My number one reason: picky palettes. Kids and adults alike. Some herbs just don't taste very good and let's face it, Mary Poppins had it right... "Just a spoonful of sugar will help the medicine go down!" My second reason, you can customize it to you. If you are a vegan, perhaps you don't want honey, that's ok, you can use sugar, agave, or even maple syrup. Or on the flip side, you want honey as a healing ally since honey is anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and anti-viral. Whatever suits you, you can make it work for you and your family.
Now for the herbs, you can use a tea or you can use whatever you have on hand. It can be one herb, or it can be a combination. Again, customize it to your needs!
Now onward! Let's make some syrup!!
Items to have on hand:
Pot
Spoon or spatula
Bottle or jar for your finished syrup
Colander or strainer
Measuring Cups
Fabric such as cheesecloth, tea towel or hankerchief
1/2 cup of dried herb
2 cups distilled water (do not use tap water- it may contaminated and cause your syrup to spoil quickly)
Sweetener such as raw honey, granulated sugar, maple syrup or agave
Optional: alcohol such as brandy
Optional: dry erase marker
1. First, you are going to use 1 part dried herb to 4 parts of distilled water. I like to use 1/2 cup of herb from my tea such as the Apollo Tea (for cold/flu) place in pot with 2 cups of water.
2. Mark the side outside of the pot, if possible, with a dry erase marker of the current level of water. You will be reducing the water by half.
3. Bring just to a boil, then turn down the heat to a very low simmer. Let it simmer until the water is reduced by half. (this usually takes 30-45 minutes or so. Stir every 5-10 minutes.
4. Once water has been reduced by half, turn off heat and let cool.
5. While cooling, get a bowl and colander. Put the strainer in the bowl, and add a cheesecloth, tea towel or hankerchief.
6. Pour herb and liquid into the strainer with cloth. Squeeze the liquid out. The herb can be composted or put into the garbage. (don't put into the disposal- trust me on this).
7. Measure the infused liquid. Remember the exact quantity. You can round this off to an exact amount, ie) 1 cup or you can use all the liquid ie) 215ml
8. Clean out your pot to get out any herb or get a clean pot.
10. Remember the infused liquid measurement? We are going to match that with granulated sugar, agave, maple syrup or raw honey. ie) 1 cup infused liquid will add 1 cup of sweetener. (Don't use the crappy honey in the honey bear container. Raw honey is important). Pour sweetener into the pot with the infused liquid.
11. Stir quickly using a silicone spatula and keep stirring until the sweetener is completely dissolved (sweetener will burn if you don't stir). You should not have any thick syrup scraping off the bottom or sugar granules seen in the liquid.
12. Turn off the heat. Your syrup is done! This syrup can be bottled and put in the refrigerator and will keep for two weeks.
13. If you want it to last longer, add 2oz (1/4 cup) of brandy or other alcohol. (I love flavored brandy such as cherry or peach brandy). With alcohol, syrup will keep for 6-12 months in the refrigerator.
Now how much do I take?
For adults: 1 Tablespoon
For children 6-12: 2 teaspoons
For children 2-5: 1 teaspoon
For children 1-2: 1/2 teaspoon
For babies 3mo-12mo: 1/4 teaspoon (NO HONEY SYRUPS)
*Do not give to babies 1 year of age or younger if you use honey in your syrup.
Monarch Herbs makes teas that would make an excellent syrup. My three favorites:
Apollo Tea for cold & flu
Fend Tea for immunity boost
Cease Tea for allergies
Affiliate disclaimer: When you use products or links on this site that we have chosen to partner with, we will receive a small compensation when/if you purchase which helps us with our website costs. Thank you for your support!