How to Make Fire Cider

Fire Cider is one of my favorite tonics for cold and flu season. It is a simple yet spicy apple cider vinegar infusion that’s safe for anyone to make at home. Fire Cider is easy to make in bulk and can keep for up to a year in the fridge, but it likely won't last that long as tonics are best taken regularly like a vitamin.  I love making my first batch of the year at the end of the summer or in the early fall so it's ready to go when cold and flu season come around. 

Fire Cider's origins are based on the 4 thieves' vinegar recipe used during the bubonic plague. Legend has it, four young grave robbers were brought to the king to provide the reason they had survived contact with the dead. The boys admitted they drank an herbal vinegar infusion. For logic and Herstory’s sake - I'm going to imagine that these boys had mothers, forgotten to history,  making this recipe to help keep them safe as they tried to provide for the family during a tragic point in time. Bubonic Plague Mamma infused her vinegar with garlic, sage, rosemary, and thyme as a medicinal tonic. It seemed to work, as the royal family wanted the recipe for themselves!  Herbalist and Educator Rosemary Gladstar reinvigorated the basic recipe and you can purchase it at Mountain Rose Herbs. 

All the ingredients are affordable, can be home growable and are available at most grocery stores. If you are sold on the benefits but don’t see yourself making it at home, I also highly recommend picking up a premade bottle from Wooden Spoon Herbs. A Tablespoon a day is all you need. If you have children, you can add as much honey as you like or leave out the extra spicy peppers and replace them with elderberries/extra citrus/extra herbs. Making this with your children can fun when they come of age and giving them the task to check on the jar and shake it everyday is a fun way to involve them in learning how to take care of their bodies. Adding a splash of fire cider to their lemonade is a great trick too.  Fire Cider can even be turned into kid friendly gummies!