Some nights call for a tasty little something with a kick. Something to warm you up and help you feel calm while enjoying a cozy book or board game with family and friends. This yummy herbal infused rum is full of warming botanicals that gently stimulate digestion and circulation. It also has relaxing nervine herbs which help to calm the nervous system.
Homemade herbal liqueurs like this recipe are easy to make, tasty to drink. Plus they make a wonderful little gift to give for the holidays too!
MYO Herbal Infused Rum
Ingredients
750 ml dark rum
3 tablespoons lycium berries (aka goji berries)
3 tablespoons skullcap
2 tablespoons passion flower
1 tablespoon hawthorn berries
1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon chips or 3 cinnamon sticks
2” sliced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon anise seeds
1 chopped medium-size apple
¼ to ½ cup honey
Directions
Combine the herbs and apple together in a quart-size jar.
Cover with rum and honey. If you like things on the sweet side, use ½ cup of honey. Otherwise start with ¼ cup and add more later if you wish.
Tightly cap your brew and give it a good shake.
Store in a cool, dry place and shake it at least once a day if you can remember, more often if you wish!
Taste the rum occasionally to see how it is coming on. When it tastes good to you, you are done infusing.
I like to pull the apples out after about 2 weeks and then continue infusing the herbs for another 2 weeks, at which point I strain out the herbs, bottle and label my rum.
Perfect and yummy!
About The Herbs In this Brew
Lycium Berries (Lycium chinense) are considered a tonic for the liver and blood. They have long been used for promoting longevity. They are deliciously tasty too!
Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) is a wonderfully relaxing herb from the mint family. It is useful for helping those with restless sleep, nervous irritation and exhaustion.
Passion flower (Passiflora incarnata) is another wonderful herb that is used for sleep; it gently supports those with trouble sleeping due to nervousness. It has also an antispasmodic action that herbalists call upon to soothe muscle cramping and discomfort.
Hawthorn berries (Crataegus spp.) are traditionally used to nourish, strengthen and protect the heart. Hawthorn is also said to comfort a sad or broken heart during times of grief.
Cinnamon Chips & Sticks (Cinnamomum verum) are warm and spicy sweet, cinnamon imparts a wonderful flavor and aroma. Cinnamon is mucilaginous and along with its warming, carminative properties, helps to ease stomach discomfort. Cinnamon is used to warm up a cold body and ease chills during seasonal discomfort as well.
Fresh Ginger (Zingiber officinale) supports the immune system through stimulation of circulation and digestion. This warms the body and increases nutrient absorption supporting overall health. It is excellent as a preventative or at the beginning of seasonal discomfort. Ginger helps to alleviate cramping and so can help a gassy stomach, menstrual cramps and headaches.
Anise Seed (Pimpinella anisum) is another tasty herb for supporting digestion as it is used to help ease gas and indigestion. Herbalists also turn to anise for its gentle expectorant action that assists in clearing mucous during spells of coughing.
Use this rum for a tasty herbal hot toddy base recipe to create the perfect night cap on a cold winter’s night and to help you feel a bit more relaxed during a bout of seasonal discomfort.
For another delicious DIY herbal rum infusion find a special Spiced Tulsi Rose Elixir that I formulated for the holidays over at the Herbal Academy here. It is based on one of my favorite herbal combos of tulsi, rose, and cinnamon!
Happy crafting!