Go Back
–+ servings
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
4.89 from 9 votes

Staghorn Sumac Lemonade (Overnight Tea)

Tart, refreshing sumac tea / lemonade sweetened with maple or honey and scented with herbs like anise hyssop or mint. Scale the recipe as needed to your needs and the size of your container.
Prep Time5 minutes
Infusing time1 day
Total Time1 day 5 minutes
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sumac lemonade recipe, sumac tea recipe
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 8kcal
Author: Alan Bergo
Cost: 5

Equipment

  • 1 Large container for holding the tea 1-1.5 gallon capacity
  • 1 Cheesecloth for straining

Ingredients

  • 4 qts water
  • 5 cups fresh sumac seeds or whole cut up clusters
  • 3 sprigs fresh anise hyssop or mint to taste
  • 1-2 cups maple syrup or honey to taste
  • 2 large lemons (roughly ½ cup of juice) for juice and garnishing
  • Ice as needed for serving

Instructions

  • Combine the sumac seeds and water in a large container and mix well with a whisk to help agitate them.
  • Crush the herbs gently in your hand, push them underneath the floating sumac seeds and stir well.
  • Leave the sumac and water out at room temperature or refrigerate it overnight, stirring vigorously a few times during the process, whenever you can remember.
  • The next day, taste the sumac. It should be pleasantly sour. If you want it more tart, add another cup of berries, stir well and allow to infuse until you like the flavor.
  • Strain the sumac lemonade through a double thickness of cheesecloth.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning, adding more maple syrup or lemon juice as needed until it tastes good to you.
  • You can also add more sprigs of fresh herbs to infuse the lemonade with more flavor.
  • Refrigerate the lemonade and chill until needed. It will last for a week in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

  • One lightly packed cup of staghorn sumac seeds is about 35-40 grams and will flavor about 4 cups of liquid. 
  • Use the volume measurements in this recipe as sumac loses weight as it dries. 
  • Assume around 1-1.5 clusters of sumac per pint of liquid you want to flavor. 
  • While you can leave the lemonade out for a few days, avoid doing this after sugar has been added as it can cause the lemonade to ferment. 

Nutrition

Serving: 8oz | Calories: 8kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.2mg