Sumac juice (often called "sumac-ade" or "Indian lemonade") is a tart, refreshing beverage made by soaking the dark red berries of native North American sumac bushes (like Staghorn or Smooth sumac) in cold water. It has a natural, citrusy, and slightly raspberry-like flavor, and is packed with Vitamin C. [1, 2, 3]How to Make Sumac Juice- Harvest Safely: Forage for bright red sumac berry clusters in late summer. Ensure you are picking Staghorn or Smooth sumac—do not use poison sumac, which has white berries.
- Cold Soak (Do Not Heat): Place about 4 cups of berry clusters into 2 liters of cold water. Never use boiling water, as heat releases bitter tannins.
- Agitate: Gently rub or muddle the berries in the water to release the sour, fuzzy coating. Let it steep in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours.
- Strain: Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and a layer of cheesecloth to remove the tiny hairs and seeds.
- Sweeten and Serve: Add honey, maple syrup, or sugar to taste, as the raw liquid is very tart. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Sumac juice (often called "sumac-ade" or "Indian lemonade") is a tart, refreshing beverage made by soaking the dark red berries of native North American sumac bushes (like Staghorn or Smooth sumac) in cold water. It has a natural, citrusy, and slightly raspberry-like flavor, and is packed with Vitamin C. [1, 2, 3]
How to Make Sumac Juice
- Harvest Safely: Forage for bright red sumac berry clusters in late summer. Ensure you are picking Staghorn or Smooth sumac—do not use poison sumac, which has white berries.
- Cold Soak (Do Not Heat): Place about 4 cups of berry clusters into 2 liters of cold water. Never use boiling water, as heat releases bitter tannins.
- Agitate: Gently rub or muddle the berries in the water to release the sour, fuzzy coating. Let it steep in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours.
- Strain: Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve and a layer of cheesecloth to remove the tiny hairs and seeds.
- Sweeten and Serve: Add honey, maple syrup, or sugar to taste, as the raw liquid is very tart. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
