Making herbal vinegars is a great way to preserve your herbs and make them last for years. I love making this pink floral Champagne vinegar for Valentine’s Day mocktails and shrubs. Both rose and hawthorn berry are heart strengthening herbs and help with our emotional health.
Rose: Roses are symbols of love, beauty, and passion so they are perfect for Valentine’s Day recipes. They can calm our nerves and reduce stress, helping create a relaxed and romantic atmosphere. They’re also rich in vitamin C and antioxidants and help strengthen our reproductive systems.
Hawthorn Berries: These berries support the heart, both physically and emotionally. They symbolize love, protection, and longevity, making them a perfect partner to roses for Valentine’s Day. Hawthorn berries help the heart by improving circulation and strengthening the cardiovascular system.
Vinegar is an excellent medium for extracting vitamins and minerals from herbs. The acid helps break down plant cell walls, releasing nutrients and beneficial compounds into the liquid. This method of extraction has been used for centuries in herbalism to create aceta (vinegar-based preparations) that are both flavorful and medicinal.
Grow Your Ingredients
Roses (Rosa spp.)
Two of my favorite rose varieties are Rosa rugosa or Rosa rubiginosa. Plant them in a sunny spot with well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Roses prefer a slightly acidic soil, so I give them fertilizer specific for acid-loving plants in the spring and summer. Space the bushes about 3 feet apart to allow good airflow and reduce the risk of disease.
Water the rose bushes deeply and allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Prune the bushes in early spring to remove dead or weak stems and encourage new growth. Harvest the petals when the blooms are fully open and fragrant. I use the flowers for teas, oils, salves, infused honey, vinegars, and beverages.
Hawthorn Berry (Crataegus spp.)
I don’t have a Hawthorn tree near me, so I order the berries from Mountain Rose Herbs. However, they are hardy in the US in zones 3-8. They can grow up to 22 feet tall and have thorny bark, though some varieties have been bred to be thornless. Hawthorn trees prefer moist, very well-drained soil. The white flowers appear in May through June and turn into dark red fruits with hard seeds that ripen in the fall.
Overview of Rose Hawthorn Berry Champagne Vinegar
For this herbal Champagne vinegar, I use rose petals and hawthorn berries. I use the ratio of two parts vinegar to one part dried herbs. The extraction takes about 2-4 weeks.
You can start using the vinegar after a few days but for best results, let the infusion sit for a few weeks.
Equipment Needed
- Glass jar with lid for infusion
- Wax paper to prevent corrosion
- Permanent marker and label
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cheesecloth
- Glass vinegar bottle for storage
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried rose petals
- 2 tablespoons dried hawthorn berries
- 1 cup Champagne vinegar
Instructions Summary
- Prep: Wash and sterilize your glass jar for the vinegar infusion. Add your dried herbs to the sterilized jar and pour in the vinegar. Make sure the herbs are fully submerged. Add more vinegar if needed. Line your jar lid with natural wax paper because vinegar will corrode a metal lid.
- Store: Label the vinegar infusion with the date and ingredients, then store in a cool, dark place for 2-4 weeks. Shake the jar once a day to mix everything around.
- Strain: After 2-4 weeks, strain the infused vinegar through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth.
- Long-Term Storage: Pour the strained vinegar into a sterilized vinegar jar or a glass jar with a lid that won’t corrode. Don’t forget to label the jar! Your finished vinegar should be good for 1-5 years.
Note: You can start using the vinegar after a few days but for best results, let the infusion sit for a few weeks.
How to sterilize your Mason jar or glass jar
- Wash the jar with hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly.
- Boil water in a large pot. Add a metal Mason jar ring to the bottom of the pot.
- Once the water is boiling, carefully lower the jar into the pot and have it rest on the metal ring.
- Let the jar sit in the boiling water for about 10 minutes to sterilize it.
- Use tongs to remove the jar from the boiling water and place it on a clean towel or drying rack.
- Let the jar air dry completely or dry it with a clean towel.
How to Use Rose Hawthorn Berry Champagne Vinegar
Use your herbal vinegar in oxymels, shrubs, and mocktails.
Rose Hawthorn Berry Mocktail 🩷
Other recipes with these herbs:
Rose Hawthorn Berry Mocktail 🩷
Rose Tea with Blackberry Leaves and Oat Straw
Rose Hawthorn Berry Champagne Vinegar
Equipment
- Glass jar with lid for infusion
- Wax paper to prevent corrosion
- Permanent marker and label
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cheesecloth
- Glass vinegar bottle for storage
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried rose petals
- 2 tablespoons dried hawthorn berries
- 1 cup Champagne vinegar
Instructions
- Wash and sterilize your glass jar for the vinegar infusion. Add your dried herbs to the sterilized jar and pour in the vinegar. Make sure the herbs are fully submerged. Add more vinegar if needed. Line your jar lid with natural wax paper because vinegar will corrode a metal lid.
- Label the vinegar infusion with the date and ingredients, then store in a cool, dark place for 2-4 weeks. Shake the jar once a day to mix everything around.
- After 2-4 weeks, strain the infused vinegar through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. You can start using the vinegar after a few days but for best results, let the infusion sit for a few weeks.
- Pour the strained vinegar into a sterilized vinegar jar or a glass jar with a lid that won’t corrode. Don’t forget to label the jar! Your finished vinegar should be good for 1-5 years.
Notes
Disclaimer: Many herbal vinegars are considered to be generally safe, although there are circumstances when you should not take a particular herb. I am providing a brief and general overview of these herbs for educational purposes only.
