DIY Fire Cider

Fire Cider is a traditional herbal remedy used to warm up the body during the cold months and support immunity during cold and flu season. Its striking blend of ginger, garlic, onion, horseradish, chilis and other herbs gives it a potent warming quality, while apple cider vinegar and honey give it a pleasant sweet-sour flavor.

Rosemary Gladstar in the late 1970s created this herbal remedy and it is still used today. People take it in winter months to support the immune system at the onset of a cold, to soothe the sniffles and as a warming tonic.Made with common ingredients that you can find at just about any grocery store, fire cider is both easy to make and affordable. Further, due to its reliance on highly accessible ingredients like ginger, onion, garlic and vinegar, fire cider is one of the easiest herbal remedies you can make.

Fire Cider depends upon five dominant herbs including ginger, onion, garlic, horseradish and hot chilis like cayenne. In addition, many home herbalists add turmeric which is strongly anti-inflammatory, rosemary which has anti-microbial properties and is a restorative tonic, or cinnamon for its warmth. I also include star anise which has a sweet, soothing quality.

When you make fire cider, you’ll also add apple cider vinegar and honey. Apple cider vinegar acts as an excellent digestive aid and which helps to extract the medicinal compounds of the herbs. And honey helps soothe the body, makes the tonic more palatable and helps buffer the intensity of the herbs.

How much should you take?

Most people take one or two tablespoons of fire cider at a time, often diluted in water or tea. Many herbalists recommend taking a shot every 3 to 4 hours if you feel a cold coming on.

However, more than a remedy, fire cider is also an excellent food – a delicious, spicy sweet-tart tonic that you can use in place of other vinegars in vinaigrettes and other culinary preparations. Accordingly, it’s a great way to consistently consume medicinal herbs regularly.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces diced ginger root
• 3 ounces yellow onion
• 1 ½ ounces garlic cloves
• 1 ½ ounce diced horseradish
• 1 ½ ounces jalapeños
• 3 star anise pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cups raw apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup honey

• Quart-sized Jar

Instructions

1. Layer the ginger, onion, garlic, horseradish and jalapeño into a quart-sized jar with the star anise and cinnamon stick. Cover with apple cider vinegar, adding additional vinegar to cover the contents of the jar as necessary.
2. Seal the jar, and store it away from direct sunlight at least 1 month and up to 6 weeks. Shake daily.
3. Strain the vinegar, discarding the solids. Next, stir in the honey until fully dissolved. Store at room temperature up to 6 months and in the fridge up to 18 months.