How to Make Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry Syrup is a simple herbal remedy that can be made at home in under an hour. Don’t let the simplicity fool you, though… there are real health benefits!
Regardless of when you’re reading this in the future, I’m writing it at the beginning of September, which means that for some folks, Fall is about to start. And while Fall is an amazing season with changing leaves and everything, it also marks the beginning of Cold and Flu Season. If you take just a little bit of time to prepare yourself now, you can be ready with some delicious Elderberry Syrup before it hits.
What are Elderberries?
Black Elderberry, also commonly known as European Elder or scientifically as Sambucus Nigra, can grow as a shrub or small tree. It’s native to Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia, but has become widespread in the United States. Both the berries and flowers are used medicinally. The taste has been compared to blackberries or black currents, but with a slightly more earthy flavor. Keep in mind, however, that the uncooked berries can contain small amounts of a chemical that is similar to cyanide, so it’s important to cook them before ingesting.
Fresh Sambucus Berries
When we make Elderberry Syrup, we’re going to specifically be focusing on the berries. They are small, darkly colored, and smaller than peas. If you are lucky enough to live near some woods with a large Elderberry tree population, then go forth and harvest! For the rest of us, however, you can buy packages of dried berries online in bulk and they will work just fine.
Dried Elderberries on Amazon
Personally, I usually buy one or two pounds at a time (something like this). It’ll last for several batches of syrup.
Health Benefits
A quick Google search tells me that Eldeberries are rich in vitamins, micronutrients, and antioxidants. As with most things, however, I recommend you don’t just take my word for it and instead do your own research.
Scott Cunningham talks about the American Elder plant in his Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs, stating that it wards off attackers of all kinds. He also gives a variety of folk magic uses, including sticking a twig in the ground to ward off a fever or putting berries under your pillow to help you sleep.
I know… I know… some of that stuff sounds pretty easy to dismiss, right? But don’t worry, there are plenty of mundane organizations that can also tell you how awesome Eldeberries are.
HealthLine says, “Elderberry extract has been found to help reduce the length and severity of symptoms caused by the influenza virus.”
NIH says, “Multiple pieces of evidence indicate that the consumption of berries is linked to enhancing human health and preventing or delaying the onset of chronic medical conditions.”
And the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, which is a government agency that I just learned existed, even states that it may relieve symptoms of flu, colds, or other upper respiratory infections.
And if you’re still not convinced, go ask an herbalist what they think.
Can’t I Just Buy It?
Yes, you can actually buy Elderberry Syrup. It’s a commercially made and widely available product that you can find at your local drugstore or pharmacy. And it’s all over Amazon (here’s Amazon’s “choice” for the search string). Aside from syrup, you can also get elderberry products in the form of lozenges or capsules.
Wouldn’t it be better to just buy it and save yourself some time?
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Well… no. Actually, it’s way better to make it yourself. For starters, you’re going to retain complete control over every single ingredient that goes into it. Plus, you’re going to save yourself a bunch of money. Buying the raw berries is way cheaper than buying the finished product.
But one of the biggest reasons to make it at home is because it gives you the opportunity to add your intentions — more on that later.
The Recipe
Alright, enough talk. Let’s make some already. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dried elderberries
- 1/4 cup dried echinacea
- 3 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick (altenatively: 1 tsp dried cinnamon powder)
- 4 whole cloves (alternatively: 1 tsp dried clove or a few drops of clove essential oil)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (alternatively: 1 tsp dried ginger or a few drops of ginger essential oil)
- 1 cup honey
To make the Elderberry Syrup, all you really need is the elderberries, but the other herbs and spices will improve the flavor — plus, they all have nice health benefits of their own.
Instructions
- Combine eldeberries, water, and all herbal ingredients in a large pot, then bring to a boil
- Reduce heat, cover with a lid, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half (about 30 minutes)
- Allow to cool, then strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer
- Press the berries, either with your hands or the back of wooden spoon, to get all of the liquid out of them
- Add honey and stir
- Place in a glass container and store for up to 2-3 months
The simmering process usually takes about 30 minutes. Be careful, though, because if you don’t pay attention and the water level gets too low, you’ll burn everything. The first time that I tried to make elderberry syrup, I wound up with a smoking mess!
Everything just after boiling
When the liquid has first cooled down, I like to use a wooden spoon to crush the berries as much as possible while they’re still inside the pot — I’ll press them up against the sides a few times until they start to make less of a crackling noise. This seems to make the straining process a little bit easier.
Crushing the berries with a wooden spoon
You can use whatever type of straining method is most convenient for you, but I usually set a mesh strainer over a large bowl and line it with cheesecloth. Once the liquid has all passed through, I gather the corners of the cheesecloth around the berries and start to twist. This creates a pressing force that will expel more liquid, but be careful because occasionally you might get a little squirt of juice off to the side… and it will easily stain clothing. And yes, it will also turn your hands purple… but if you wash them immediately, it’ll come right off.
Straining with cheese cloth and a mesh strainer
You’ll probably wind up with about 1 cup of liquid, which you’ll be combining with 1 cup of honey. If you find that a 1:1 ratio is too sweet, you can use less honey, but the sugar does help with longevity.
Pouring into a mason jar for storage
If you want to go one step further, you can also add alcohol as a preservative. The desired ratio here would be 1 part alcohol to 4 parts syrup. People will commonly use vodka or brandy for this purpose, but I always skip this step entirely.
Dosage
- Adults – 1 tbsp/day
- Children – 1 tsp/day
- If sick, dosage can be repeated 4x daily
There aren’t hard and fast rules for dosage. These are just recommendations.
Make It Magickal
As I mentioned before, one of the biggest reasons for making herbal remedies at home is because it gives you the opportunity to infuse your intention. As I stir my boiling ingredients, I talk to them! And sometimes, instead of just stirring, I use the wooden spoon to trace magickal symbols into the liquid. Yeah, I know that sounds crazy, but it works.
Don’t miss out. Here’s what’s coming up…
More Info
What’s your overall goal? Are you trying to give yourself or your loved ones an immunity boost? Are you trying to help someone specific recover from an illness? Whatever the intention, visualize its successful outcome. Take a few moments to be still and grateful for the plant allies that are aiding you. A little gratitude goes a long way.
Regardless of what you’re doing, try to make it magickal!
Conclusions
Making eldeberry syrup has become quite a seasonal ritual for me. I usually make a big batch and put it in the fridge. If anyone in our family starts to get sick, we grab it!
And you know what? I actually think it tastes really good, too.
By the way, in Episode 10 of Season 2, I chatted with Ellen Evert Hopman, a Master Herbalist. She described how she walks through the woods each year to harvest ingredients, then makes an Elderberry Tincture. It’s similar in effect to syrup, but a different method. Go and give it a watch if you’re curious!
Hello friends. Here is the fine print. First of all, let me thank you for making it all the way down here. Now a couple of orders of business to take care of: there are some Amazon links on this page. Those are referral links. If you use them to make a purchase, Amazon will pay me a small commission. Oh, actually that was the only order of business. I’m done!
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