It’s really a great feeling to make your own medicine, and this article is to reassure those who are hesitant about the brew process. Each of our 1 oz. packets of Essiac dried herbal mix has detailed instructions about the brew process. Here we will talk you through the process, step – by – step. Start with collecting the utensils you need. Here is a list:
- You will need a stainless steel, glass, or ceramic pot with a lid. Don’t use a toxic pot, such as aluminum or one with a non-stick coating.
- Wooden or non-toxic metal spoon to stir the tea
- A bowl to hold the tea when you strain it out of the pot
- 1 quart size strainer, medium to fine mesh
- Sterilized glass jars with lids to store the finished tea in the refrigerator
- OPTIONAL – some cheesecloth or other mesh bag to strain/squeeze herbs
We sell a brew kit with all the utensils you need to get you started here.
I usually start brewing my tea early in the evening, so I have plenty of time before I go to bed to do the initial boiling. There is a 12 – 14 hour steeping time, so I like to do this overnight.
Step 1. Start the process by adding 9 cups ( 2 quarts plus 1 cup) of the best water you can find to your pot. The water should not have been treated with chlorine, fluorine or other chemicals, or filter your water to remove any chemicals. It’s okay to use spring water or distilled water that you buy at the store.
Step 2. Add your packet of herbs, cover the pot with the lid and bring the pot to a gentle boil. After gently boiling for 5 minutes, stir the mixture, scraping down any herbs along the side into the water and re-cover the pot.
Step 3. Gently boil the tea for an additional 5 minutes, uncover the pot, and give it one more stir.
Step 4. Turn off heat, cover the pot (again), and note the time that you start steeping the tea.
Step 5. Many of the herbs in this mixture are bark and roots, tougher parts that take a substantial amount of time for the medicinal qualities to be extracted into the water. After 12 to 14 hours, it is time to strain the herbs from the water. I use a glass or stainless steel bowl to hold the tea, and pour the mixture from the pot through the strainer into the bowl. If you are using cheesecloth, you can lay the cheesecloth into the strainer before you pour the tea through the strainer into the bowl. The spent herbs will be inside the strainer/cheesecloth after you have poured all the liquid through, and you can squeeze the last of the tea out of the cheesecloth with your hands, or simply give the spent herbs a squeeze. Any slimy stuff is the slippery elm mucilage, which is great for your digestive system.
Step 6. Rinse out the pot, removing the last bits of the spent herbs. You are going to pour the tea back into the pot. You will bring the tea back to a boil. Gently boil the strained tea for 5 minutes to sterilize the tea, ensuring any pathogens that may have entered the tea during the steeping process are removed.
Step 7. Pour the sterilized hot tea into the sterilized glass jars. I use quart, and pint sized canning jars. The amber 16 oz jars we ship our bottles in can be reused for this purpose as well. Tighten the lids of your jars to seal, and refrigerate your newly made Essiac Tea!
The tea you make yourself will taste differently than the tea that we bottle and ship. When we bottle our tea, we add vitamin C to preserve the tea during shipping and storage, adding a slightly sour taste to the tea. Check out our article on uses of spent herbs here. Please let us know how you are doing with brewing your tea, and write or call us with any questions, and suggestions. Happy Brewing!
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