Switchel is the original sports drink!
My favorite switchel recipe
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp lime juice
- add water to make 1/2 gallon and refrigerate
I use maple syrup from Wayside Maple in Cambridge, Vermont. That’s the best maple syrup! Made by my nephews on the farm where I grew up.
The vinegar matters a great deal. I use unfiltered and unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. For a special treat, I mix in pomegranate vinegar when I can find it. You may wish to experiment with different vinegars.
Proportions can be varied to suit taste. In summer, I go a little light on the maple syrup and a little strong on the vinegar, and the other way around in winter.
My mother’s switchel recipe
My mother made switchel by the gallon, and her recipe was simple:
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- add water and ice to make a gallon
She used the same maple syrup that I use, except made by prior generations of Putnams. The Putnams have been making maple syrup from the same hillside in Cambridge, Vermont, since the 1860s.
My mother made her own vinegar from maple sap. Alas, I don’t have that talent.
More recipe ideas
Every farm family had its own recipe for switchel (sometimes called by other names such as haymaker’s tea, ginger water, etc.). Some recipes included molasses, lemon juice, even oatmeal.
If desired, spirits can be added (I recommend rum). I discovered that variation later in life. My mother did not allow spirits on the farm.
The Switchel Philosopher 