There are plenty of things to love about autumn. It’s a season for crackling fires, cozy sweaters and sweet pumpkin treats. It’s also the time of year when people get inspired to try seasonal recipes. TikTok’s latest fall trend — which gained over a million views in one video alone — is all about fire ciders. Check out what you need to know about them before potentially making a batch for yourself.

What Is Fire Cider?

Fire cider is a homemade beverage that people claim makes you healthier during the fall and winter seasons. People make it with whole foods and spices. Wellness gurus swear by the tasty concoction, which recently made people interested in trying it to support their health. Given how the flu affects 9.3-41 million people each year in the U.S. alone, it’s only natural to want extra immune support in addition to your annual flu shot.

How Long Does It Take to Make?

If you’re interested in making fire cider, prepare to spend a few minutes putting the ingredients together and a month for them to soak. After the ingredients ferment in the shelf-stable apple cider vinegar that makes up the majority of the recipe, you can keep the jarred concoction in the fridge for up to six months.

Does Fire Cider Go Bad?

Fire cider will go bad if you leave it unrefrigerated after opening your jar for the first time. While apple cider vinegar is shelf-stable, the bacteria and yeast within it will break down over time. Refrigeration slows that process.

You can always estimate if your vinegar is safe to use by checking the expiration date on the bottle. If you have any leftover after making your fire cider, you could use it to whip up a virgin amaretto sour and watch the leaves fall outside your kitchen window.

Health Benefits of Drinking Fire Cider

People are going crazy for fire cider because it offers multiple health benefits. See if you’d like to add them to your lifestyle to stay healthy this fall.

1. It Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Apple cider vinegar packs a powerful punch in small servings. It’s full of polyphenols that reduce cellular inflammation that can otherwise overload your immune system. Your white blood cells will be ready to fight seasonal viruses if you get your flu vaccine and keep it strong with apple cider vinegar.

2. It May Help Your Heart

Garlic is another key ingredient when you make fire cider. The all-natural veggie has lipid-fighting properties that support cardiovascular health. While you can enjoy this health benefit from eating garlic in daily meals, you’ll get a bit of extra support through servings of fire cider.

3. It Boosts Your Vitamin C Intake

Horseradish might not be a recurring part of your grocery list, but it’s crucial in fire cider. It contains three times the vitamin C of citrus fruits. While you enjoy a tasty beverage, your immune system will get stronger with the extra boost of vitamin C.

The Tastiest and Simplest Fire Cider Recipe

You’re on your way to enjoying your first sip of fire cider. Learn how to make it by following these steps. If you’re patient, you’ll have a zesty beverage ready to support your health in just four weeks.

Ingredients

• 10 garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ cup grated horseradish
• ½ cup grated ginger
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 5-6 cups of raw apple cider vinegar
• Raw honey to taste, if preferred

Instructions

1. Add the garlic, horseradish, ginger, onions and turmeric to a half-gallon mason jar.
2. Pour 5-6 cups of raw apple cider into the jar. When there are at least four inches of apple cider vinegar on top of your ingredients — and there may be up to six inches — you can set the bottle of apple cider vinegar aside. Your mason jar should be full enough to have nearly no oxygen underneath the lid.
3. Cover the top of the jar with parchment paper and twist the lid on. It will keep the metal lid from coming in contact with the vinegar. If you have a plastic lid, you can skip the parchment paper.
4. Label the jar with the date you made it and place it in a sunny or warm spot.
5. Shake it once a day for four weeks.
6. After four weeks, strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into another jar.
7. Throw away the solid ingredients.
8. Add as much honey to your fire cider as you prefer.
9. Store it for up to six months in the fridge or two to three months on your countertop.

Ways to Enjoy Your Fire Cider

There are so many ways to add fire cider to your daily routine. It all depends on how you prefer to enjoy it. After it has time to ferment, pour yourself a standard one- to two-teaspoon serving. Drink it from a tiny glass to see how the spicy drink interacts with your tastebuds.

You can amp up your serving if you feel a cold coming on. Give your immune system a helping hand by drinking one to two tablespoons once a day or every four hours, depending on the severity of your symptoms.

If the flavor is too strong for you, don’t worry. You can also dilute it in a glass of water. People sometimes enjoy this if they deal with frequent heartburn since it can ease acid-related discomfort by balancing the contents of your gut.

Get creative with your cooking to utilize your fire cider even more. It’s a perfect addition to a pan while you’re sauteeing veggies or rice. Top your salads with it, pour it into soup that needs some zest or add it to tangy sauces.

Support Your Wellness This Autumn

Learning how to make fire cider is just the first step in upgrading your fall traditions. Embrace the season and support your health by exploring how you like drinking it. Whether you sip it from a shot glass, dilute it in a beverage or add it to a recipe, the ingredients will help you feel your best alongside your flu vaccine.