Though ‘vinegar’ might not currently be at the forefront of your mind when thinking of ways to hydrate and replenish, it might be once you try this homemade ginger switchel! It’s a super simple and refreshing drink made with fresh ginger root, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, water and sweetener – easy to make and surprisingly delicious!

What is a Switchel?

Switchel (also known as Haymaker’s Punch) is a traditional, non-alcoholic drink usually made from a mixture of water, ginger, vinegar and sugar or molasses.

It originated in the Caribbean but popularized in Colonial America as a tasty, hydrating health tonic.

‘Haymakers punch’ soon became the traditional drink to serve during hay harvesting season as a sort of natural gatorade. The sugar helps stabilize blood sugar while providing quick energy and the ginger helped settle unsettled stomaches overworked in the hot sun.

What Does Switchel Taste Like?

Switchel is tangy, crisp, sweet and gingery – imagine biting into a tart apple that’s been infused with ginger.

If you find the flavors to be too powerful for your tastes you can mellow it out by adding more water or sweeten it up with more sugar.

Ingredients

• Water – At its core, switchel is an infusion which means it needs water as the foundation to extract all the flavor and goodness out.
• Fresh Ginger Root – Grate the ginger first if you’re going for a cold infusion so the flavor comes out more readily. For a hot infusion, just chop or slice it up and let the heat do the work of extract flavor while you let the ginger steep.
• Apple Cider Vinegar – ACV is made from fermented apples. It’s quite sour and a bit sweet. You can’t substitute it with a different type of vinegar here as you need the fruity, mellow flavor of ACV.
• Sweetener – How you sweeten your switchel is totally up to you. Blackstrap molasses and honey are the more traditional choices. I love the taste with maple syrup, but also enjoy making it with local honey if I have it on hand.
• Lemon Juice – Lemon isn’t totally necessary here, but I do find that it’s a different, welcome kind of brightness and sweetness.

Hot or Cold?

When it comes to infusing your switchel, you can make this using hot or cold water. I found that hot water brought out more flavor, but with enough time, cold water does the job just as well.

You can also enjoy this hot or cold depending on your preference. While this was traditionally served on hot days in the summer, it’s also great a warming winter drink when heated up.

Still Thirsty?

• Lavender Lemonade (Naturally Sweetened)
• Shirley Temple Cocktails (Non-Alcoholic)
• Sparkling Cardamom Rose Mocktail
• Ginger Turmeric Tea With Lime
• Cold Brew Green Tea Lemonade
• Homemade Electrolyte Drink
• Healthy Frozen Lemonade
• Mint Cucumber Lemonade
• Brazilian Lemonade (Limonada Suíça)

Enjoy!

Let me know if you try this fresh ginger switchel recipe! Leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!

Yield: about 4 cups

Switchel Recipe (Haymaker's Punch)

5.0 Stars (4 Reviews)

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes

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A super simple and refreshing drink made with fresh ginger root, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, water and sweetener - easy to make and surprisingly delicious!

Ingredients

• 3 cups of water (720ml)
• 1/2 cup fresh ginger root, roughly chopped 60g)
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (80ml)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey (80g)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (60ml)

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

Hot Water Infusion

1. Combine water, ginger and vinegar to a medium sauce pan and bring to a gentle simmer over a medium-high heat.
2. Once simmering, add a fitted lid and turn off the heat. Leave the pot on the heat source for about 15-20 minutes then stir in the maple or honey and lemon juice.
3. Let the mixture cool until it's cool enough to transfer to a large, quart sized jar. Secure the lid then refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours).
4. Strain out the ginger and taste. Stir in more sweetener or add more water to tone down the intensity if needed. Serve over ice and enjoy.

Cold Water Infusion

1. Add all of the ingredients in a large, quart jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake the jar to combine ingredients then place in the fridge to infuse overnight.
2. Strain ginger then taste. Stir in more sweetener or add more water to tone down the intensity if needed. Serve over ice and enjoy.

Notes

• How to Store: Keep, switchel (ginger strained out) in the fridge up to a week.
• Hot Vs Cold Infusion: Hot water infusions will have a stronger flavor much quicker than cold.
• Sugar: You can use granulated white or brown sugar instead of maple or honey, but keep in mind that honey/maple are sweeter to taste than regular sugar. You may want to consider doubling the amount of sugar you use.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 85Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 16mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 17gProtein: 0g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© A Saucy Kitchen, Sarah Nevins

Course: Drinks Cuisine: American