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Switchel ~ cheers to the teetotalers

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I was talking to my 80 year old Stepmother about switchel. She grew up on the hills of Pennsylvania. She remembers having switchel while bringing in the hay every year when growing up.
 
I used Bragg's organic apple cider vinegar. I don't have the capacity, nor desire, to make my own vinegar.


I just don't find it "refreshing". I'll have to continue to manage with just water. ;)

I found a black tea that I like, so I have been making ice tea lately.
 
I make a half gallon at a time, not a big fan of vinegar myself, but this stuff I like, I use 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1 tablespoon ground ginger. mix all together taste like a sour lemonade, use more syrup if desired.
 
I haven’t made it, but if I was to try, I would make apple cider vinegar by taking a gallon of apple juice, throw a pack of yeast in it and rubber band a piece of cheese cloth over the top. Once it stopped working (sitting in my pantry), I would take the cheese cloth off and set it outside until a couple of fruit flies landed in it. I would remove the flies, put the cheese cloth back on take it inside and let it sit for 4 to 6 months or when I can’t taste alcohol in it anymore. Don’t use apple juice with nitrates or it won’t ferment with the yeast. Anyone who’s actually made it, please critique my process.
 
I haven’t made it, but if I was to try, I would make apple cider vinegar by taking a gallon of apple juice, throw a pack of yeast in it and rubber band a piece of cheese cloth over the top. Once it stopped working (sitting in my pantry), I would take the cheese cloth off and set it outside until a couple of fruit flies landed in it. I would remove the flies, put the cheese cloth back on take it inside and let it sit for 4 to 6 months or when I can’t taste alcohol in it anymore. Don’t use apple juice with nitrates or it won’t ferment with the yeast. Anyone who’s actually made it, please critique my process.
Ok, I'll bite: Why the fruit flies? Canaries in your yeasty coal mine?
 
Well, I thought I'd make a stab at it and try it again. But, there's just no way I can make myself like it.... it's vinegar. Doesn't remind me of apple cider at all. :p No thanks.
I guess it has what they call "an acquired taste". That's the euphemism people use when something tastes like manure...........lol
 
Back when I was a refugee from the city in the 60's I lived in the country for the summers. I got to work on a farm, my sister and her husbands. Farm was in her husband's name as it had been since the first deed in the 18th century.

Haying was hot work!! Lifting and throwing bales was damn hard. Water did not help other than thirst. The switchel got rid of the cramps from the work and helped stem the thirst. Haying was a hard two weeks for Shure. repeated again end of July beginning of August.

Old cramp cure is to swig from the pickle jar two mouthfuls of juice. Still works today for leg cramps.
 
Haying was hot work!! Lifting and throwing bales was damn hard. Water did not help other than thirst. The switchel got rid of the cramps from the work and helped stem the thirst. Haying was a hard two weeks for Shure. repeated again end of July beginning of August.

Old cramp cure is to swig from the pickle jar two mouthfuls of juice. Still works today for leg cramps.

Yeah the electrolytes in either are important.
Just plain water eventually sweats a lot of stuff out of you, and you need to replace that.
We serve pickles during lunch in very hot weather at historic reenactments for that very reason too. Both dill and sweet gerkins or bread& butter slices, since some of the lads don't like the sour.
I like Posca (water with some vinegar) with cider vinegar, but traditionally it would be red wine vinegar.

LD
 

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