FIRE CIDER

September 9, 2025

Entering Cold and Flu Season

As cold and flu season approaches, I like to prepare by stocking up on herbal remedies that strengthen the immune system. This supercharged herbal fire cider recipe is filled with vitamins, minerals, and natural antibacterial ingredients. Just 1 to 2 tablespoons a day will help fortify your immune system for the season ahead.

What is Fire Cider?

Fire cider is a traditional tonic made with immune-boosting herbs and warming ingredients. It is typically very spicy and prepared in advance of winter, when cold and flu season hits the hardest. The combination of herbs and spices strengthens your body’s defenses while also providing heat that soothes from the inside out.

The spicy kick comes from warming ingredients that increase the potency of the tonic and stimulate circulation. This physical warmth helps your body feel comforted, especially during colder months.

There are countless ways to make fire cider, but in this recipe we use the folk herbalism method.

Base Herbal Fire Cider Ingredients:

Almost every fire cider recipe contains these six staples: horseradish, oranges or lemons, jalapeños, onion, garlic, and apple cider vinegar.

Horseradish brings the most potent and spicy flavor. It is naturally antibacterial, making it a key ingredient. To prepare the cider, chop the ingredients, combine them with apple cider vinegar, and place the mixture in a mason jar. Let the jar sit in a cool, dark place for at least two to three weeks. With this base, you can customize and get creative. This year I added a echinacea flower head from my garden.

Fire Cider Benefits

While fire cider is well-known for its immune-supportive properties, it offers additional benefits too.

The spice warms the body and stimulates circulation.
Horseradish and jalapeño help clear congestion when you are feeling unwell.
Apple cider vinegar, along with the herbs, supports healthy digestion.

Together, these elements create a powerful, all-in-one tonic that helps your body stay resilient during the challenges of cold and flu season.

Full Recipe:

1 medium onion
3-4 garlic bulbs
Few sprigs rosemary
1 lemon
2-3 tbsp grated ginger
2-3 tbsp grated turmeric
1-2 jalapeño or other peppers
2-3 tbsp horseradish
Add anything else from the garden or find at the farmers market like thyme sprigs, calendula flower heads, pomegranate.

Once ingredients are placed in a mason jar, add apple cider vinegar to the very top! I like to keep it covered with a plastic cap. Be sure to give it a shake every other day and in 3-4 weeks you can strain and add local raw honey.

This potent potion calls on nature's strength to bolster your defences, calms inflammation and keep unwanted microbes at bay. At the first stirrings of a seasonal sniffle, reach for it as your chosen remedy. Sip it or add it to steamed veggies, a dressing or a spicy virgin bloody Mary.

Recipes to come using this fiery brew.