Herbal Drinks for Summertime
a few tried and true herbal refreshments
With these sweltering summer temps, staying cool can be a challenge. I’ve been doing my best to hit the beach as often as I can or find water of anysort to take the edge off.
Sometimes it looks like filling up my outdoor tub with cold water and taking a soak. On days when I’m short on time, I’m outside taking mulitple quick cold showers and it’s heavenly!
I’m all about chilled drinks and trying to infuse as many bitter cooling herbs in them for extra support.
Usually, I’ll grab whatever is abundant in the garden from tulsi and tarragon to chamomile and lemon balm.
If you don’t have fresh herbs, making a big batch of tea is easy to make with tea bags or loose herbs. I love Traditional Medicinals organic tea and you can find them in most large retailers near you across the country.
To make a quart of tea simply add 3-4 tea bags to a quart-sized mason jar and fill with hot water. Sweeten with a little honey if you’d like so it can easily dissolve. Cover and let cool on the counter before popping in the fridge to chill.
I like to do this in the evening either while I’m making dinner or when I’m cleaning up. That way when I wake up I’ve got chilled tea ready to go for the day.
Remove the teabags and pour your fresh tea over ice and enjoy throughout the day.
When making big batches of tea like this, think about using tonifying herbs mineral rich herbs and/or herbs that are nervines and support the nervous system.
Most nervines don’t necessarily make you sleepy, they help to gently remind the nervous system that it doesn’t need to be on guard, which can be exhausting in and of itself.
Often times, it’s easy to take on too much, overbook, and feel like you’re always pushing through your day and not taking time to rest, especially during the summer months.
At a certain point this pattern becomes unsustainable and you can start to feel burnout. To help prevent this cycle, working with herbs that help to relax the body and mind or support the body with vital nutrients can really be a big support.
Some herbs I love working with and recommending are passionflower, chamomile, lemon balm, lemon verbena, tulsi, lavender, and milky oat tops.
Below you’ll find some quick and easy wasy to work with these herbs and start to infuse thier soothing properties into your routine.
Let me know which ones are your favorite in the comments or which ones you’re excited to try.
Herbal Drinks for Summertime
Strawberry & Tulsi Shrub | Vinegar based shrubs are a great way to preserve the fruits and herbs of the season. They’re pretty fool proof to make and create for a lovely base for drinks or dressings.
Lemon Balm & Aloe Mojito Mocktail | I teamed up with one of my favorite people and IG accounts, Alison Wu, for this recipe. It’s a refreshing drink spiked with digestive-soothing and cooling aloe juice instead of booze. Get the full recipe over on her Substack.
Watermelon & Lemon Verbena Cooler | Who doesn’t love a watermelon drink in the summer? This one is simple to make and has a hint of lemon verbena to help soothe both your digestive and nervous systems. Can’t find fresh lemon verbena? Grab some mint from the garden or market for a delightful drink.
Passionflower & Chamomile Solstice Cooler | Chamomile is so underrated and is usually kept around as a relaxing remedy before bed. While it can make some people sleepy, it’s a wonderful nervine that helps take the edge off while supporting the digestive system with it’s bitter notes. The same goes for passionflower and is an herb I find most people haven’t worked with, but once you do, you can see why it’s a favorite amoung herbalists and plant lovers alike.
Enjoy! xx - Sarah Kate