There are many things blooming in the gardens, yard, and woods surrounding my home at the moment. It’s a beautiful site but it also means that I need to get to harvesting and preserving food and medicine to get us through our long Montana winters. One of the things currently blooming is the bee balm and my favorite way to make medicine from that flowering beauty is to make bee balm oxymel.
Bee Balm as an Herbal Remedy
These beautiful flowers are in the mint family and tasty in and of themselves but also pack a few medicinal punches. Use any of the bee balm (Mondara) flowers in these remedies, the color of the bloom doesn’t matter:
- Bee balm has antibacterial properties making an ideal herbal treatment for infections internally and externally
- Naturally high in thymol, it is used as an antiseptic in medical and dental applications.
- Infusing it in honey helps soothe sore throats
- As a native plant, it was historically used both as an external and internal remedy to treat everything from cuts with a poultice to colds with an infusion.
The Ancient Oxymel
An oxymel is a traditional drink that combines honey, vinegar, and herbs. It’s been used since antiquity and can be a soothing and fun way to get medicinal herbs into the system. It tastes good and for a sore throat especially it seems that the combination of honey and vinegar is healing even without the herbs.
How to Make Bee Balm Oxymel
This recipe couldn’t be easier:
- 1/3 Cup Chopped, Fresh Bee Balm Leaves & Flowers
- 1/3 Cup Honey
- 1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Combine everything in a glass jar and stir well. Put a lid on the jar and store in a dark cabinet for 1 month. At the end of the month, strain and store the liquid in another clean labeled jar.
This is recipe is easily scalable for larger or smaller batches, simply combine equal parts bee balm, honey, and vinegar in the jar.
To use take a spoonful as needed for relief from sore throats and coughs as well as to support the body as it heals from the common cold.
Before the summer blooms fade, harvest a few flowers to make bee balm oxymel and support your immune system and healing later this winter.
Disclaimer: I may receive compensation for products mentioned in this post. All opinions expressed are my own. I am not a doctor, always seek trained medical advice. No statements should be considered approved by the FDA or as a diagnosis or treatment for any illness. See my Full Disclaimer Here.
Just made some yesterday! They are interesting flowers, and love they have a long history of use. My jars aren’t as pretty as yours though.
I’m sure that jar was a thrift store or garage sale find! Yay for oxymel making.
Your jar looks gorgeous with those red bee balm flowers. Do you use the stem as well or strip the stem of the leaves for this?
My monarda didyma just opened this week and I’m going to make a small jar just for fun.
Thanks,
Chris
I just use the leaves and flowers. So yes, strip the leaves from the stems, I find the stems can be a bit bitter.
I have a red bee balm in my garden – is it okay to use ? Don’t know if it is a native?
The red is usually monarda didyma and yes it’s fine to use – all the bee balm (monarda) are good for this remedy to my knowledge.
thank you – I will give it a try – I will get some local honey at the framer’s market this weekend.
Thank you so much for the recipe. I’ve not heard of the term didyma before. We are beekeepers, so I’m excited to use our honey for this recipe!
We’re beekeepers too and there’s something even more special about using homegrown herbs with homegrown honey! Enjoy and thanks for stopping by and saying hello.
How long is it’s shelf life?
Use it up within a year – it’s vinegar and honey it should stay good for a quite a while, but still use it up within a year.
Does it need to be refrigerated?
Vinegar and honey are both great natural preservatives, I don’t refrigerate it and have never seen a need too.
Interesting, I’ve never heard of oxymel before. I grew some Monadra this year, but I didn’t realize it was a hybrid. It hasn’t attracted any pollinators, and I doubt it has much medicinal properties. I’ve pinned this to save for when I try again next year!
Can you use dried?
You could use dried bee balm. Use 1/2 as much dried as you would fresh.
I have first year from seed bee balm and didn’t flower this year. Will just leave work as well?
Yes the leaves will work just great!