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Bee balm oxymel is a tasty and easy way to make healing remedies from the flower garden.
And thankfully the we can use any of the bee balm (Monarda) flowers in this tasty concotion, the color of the bloom doesn’t matter – just be sure it’s Monarda.
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.
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.
Use Flowers & Leaves
To make bee balm oxymel feel free to use both the leaves and flowers. Skip the stems they can be just slightly bitter.
Simply strip the flowers and leaves from the stems and give them a wash.
Then heap the leaves and flowers into a pile on the cutting board. Roughly chop the pile with a sharp chef’s knife and use all those bits for the oxymel infusion.
How to Use Bee Balm Oxymel
For sore throats, adults can take a tablespoon as necessary throughout the day for relief.
To support the immune system during a cold, adults should take up to 3 tablespoons a day.
It’s truly not that much different than a shrub or drinking vinegar. Try drinking some over ice with sparkling water for a refreshing and healing drink.
This is recipe is easily scalable for larger or smaller batches, simply combine equal parts bee balm, honey, and vinegar in the jar.
Before the summer blooms fade, harvest a few flowers to make bee balm oxymel and support your immune system and healing later this winter.
Bee Balm Oxymel
Bee balm oxymel is a tasty and easy herbal remedy for the relief of sore throats and colds.
Ingredients
- 1/3 Cup Bee Balm Flowers & Leaves, Chopped
- 1/3 Cup Honey
- 1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
Instructions
- Combine everything in a glass jar and stir well.
- Put a lid on the jar and store in a dark cabinet for 1 month. Shake when remembered.
- At the end of the month, strain and store the liquid in another clean labeled jar.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 TablespoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 22Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 0g
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!
Just decanted my first try, thank you so much! I love my minarda plants for the pollinators they bring (especially the very strange “hummingbird moth”) and now I can take a little for myself!
Oh I’m so glad to know you tried it. Enjoy!
Do you use only the petals, or the middle part of the flower, too?
The whole flower head and leaves (not the the stem) get chopped and used when I make it.
Thank you Kathie:) just found your lovely site. I especially liked reading about your window as a child and seeing the hummingbirds:) I, too, have so much Bee Balm outside our large picture windows & love watching the hummingbirds compete for nectar. Your recipes sound great so giving them a go. God bless and thank you for sharing your wisdom 😉🙏🏻🐝 Robin Nolan
I am about to sample my first finished batch of Monarda Oxymel! I’ve got sooo much of it planted so that I can enjoy the color and the dozens of hummingbirds it attracts.
Tried your Oxymel recipe… was a bit worried about the vinegar as I can’t tolerate sour… but it’s surprisingly tasty. Gonna make a big batch now to share with my daughter as this is a great alternate for the grandkids since it is alcohol free! Thank you for sharing.
Oh I’m so glad to hear it.
I’m late to the party and the flowers on my bee balm are gone. Can I still do this? Or maybe something else with just the leaves?
Just use the leaves – it should be fine.
My bee balm plant got the same white looking dust on them that my cucumbers and squash got on them due to such wet conditions this year. Can they still be used?
I didn’t know that bee balm could suffer from powdery mildew – but I wouldn’t use diseased leaves.