Superfoods like acai, goji, and matcha are now commonplace on supermarket shelves. Meanwhile, local superfoods like goutweed and yarrow have been forgotten. Annika and Thorben from kruut want to pass on their ancient knowledge and love for native wild herbs and show people that local herbs can be trendy too.
We discovered the millennia-old recipe for oxymel together with Thorben's grandfather in old books. He's a retired master gardener, and his garden is full of medicinal plants from all over the world, while his cellar is filled with tinctures for every imaginable ailment. Unfortunately, they all have a high alcohol content. This got us wondering if there weren't other extraction methods that could preserve the plants' beneficial properties without the negative effects of alcohol. And that's how we, together with Thorben's grandfather, came across the recipe for oxymel. Which, by the way, tastes fantastic, like a herbal lemonade.
Oxymel is a traditional recipe that extracts and preserves medicinal herbs using unfiltered apple cider vinegar and honey. No heating, additives, preservatives, or anything else are used – only nature goes into the bottle. Depending on the wild herbs selected, the mixtures have different uses and flavors.
Along with the valuable nutrients, the flavor compounds are also lost. Wild herbs contain many tannins and bitter substances, which not only taste good but are also essential for our digestion and metabolism. It's also important to us to bring these forgotten flavors back into the mainstream.
A good introductory book is the classic "What's Blooming There?". However, wild herb walks are especially helpful. There, you get to see the plants "live and in color" and learn a lot about their uses and potential look-alikes. Starting in April, we'll be offering walks again in Berlin and a few other German cities. It's always so wonderful to see how the participants suddenly wander through the meadows with their heads down, so as not to miss a single medicinal herb. At the beginning, it's incredibly helpful to create your own small herbarium to compare the herbs and retain the most important information.
Want to try our oxymels ? You can find our imperfect selection in the shop here.
Who is behind “kruut” and how did your product come about?
Behind kruut are us – Annika & Thorben. We both grew up with wild herbs and have made it our mission to bring them back into people's everyday lives. We find it absurd to destroy nettles in our fields while importing chia seeds from overseas.We discovered the millennia-old recipe for oxymel together with Thorben's grandfather in old books. He's a retired master gardener, and his garden is full of medicinal plants from all over the world, while his cellar is filled with tinctures for every imaginable ailment. Unfortunately, they all have a high alcohol content. This got us wondering if there weren't other extraction methods that could preserve the plants' beneficial properties without the negative effects of alcohol. And that's how we, together with Thorben's grandfather, came across the recipe for oxymel. Which, by the way, tastes fantastic, like a herbal lemonade.
What exactly are Oyxmels and what are they good for?
Oxymel is a traditional recipe that extracts and preserves medicinal herbs using unfiltered apple cider vinegar and honey. No heating, additives, preservatives, or anything else are used – only nature goes into the bottle. Depending on the wild herbs selected, the mixtures have different uses and flavors.
What is so special about wild herbs?
They grow right outside our door and are available for free most of the year. Ground elder, for example, has 20 times more vitamin C than a lemon, nettles have more protein than soy and more iron than a steak. That's why they've been part of our diet since the dawn of humankind. Only in recent years have they fallen into disrepute.Along with the valuable nutrients, the flavor compounds are also lost. Wild herbs contain many tannins and bitter substances, which not only taste good but are also essential for our digestion and metabolism. It's also important to us to bring these forgotten flavors back into the mainstream.
What do you both like to drink "kruut" with?
The classic way is with still, cool water. When we have guests or organize herb walks, we serve quince juice with water and a dash of oxymel. A dash in smoothies or salad dressing is also popular. It's a delicious way to incorporate your dose of local wild herbs into everyday life.How long does it take to make an Oyxmel?
Up to two months, depending on the variety. The tinctures need a long time to mature and infuse. They are never heated so that the valuable ingredients are preserved and gently released into the liquid. Handcrafted production therefore requires patience and time—two things that many producers today no longer have. But only in this way can we create a wild herb tincture that tastes like it was homemade by our grandparents.Do you have any other varieties or products planned?
Oh yes, there will be quite a few new things before the end of the year. We find it incredibly exciting to develop and refine new recipes. Wild herbs are so versatile, and our ancestors possessed a wealth of experience that must not be forgotten. We'll keep you posted :)Can you recommend a book for someone who wants to learn more about wild herbs?
A good introductory book is the classic "What's Blooming There?". However, wild herb walks are especially helpful. There, you get to see the plants "live and in color" and learn a lot about their uses and potential look-alikes. Starting in April, we'll be offering walks again in Berlin and a few other German cities. It's always so wonderful to see how the participants suddenly wander through the meadows with their heads down, so as not to miss a single medicinal herb. At the beginning, it's incredibly helpful to create your own small herbarium to compare the herbs and retain the most important information.
Want to try our oxymels ? You can find our imperfect selection in the shop here.
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