Debi Pearl's The Vision

Debi Pearl’s The Vision recounts how an herbalist ferments various berries and herbs into a medicinal brew. The methods used are real although the story is a work of fiction.

Fermentation of organic or wild-crafted herbs and berries preserves the nutrients and enzymes of the fruit and plants. The alcohol produced is naturally occurring and acts as a preservative. The result of this occurrence is that the beneficial properties of the ingredients can be stored for long periods of time.

To make your own you will need to keep everything that comes in contact with your brew very clean. Boiling water may be used to clean equipment and jars, and you will want to use distilled water or the cleanest water you can find. A bleach solution of one capful of chlorine bleach to 5 gallons of water will efficiently clean these surfaces, but you must be certain to rinse all residues away completely. Take care in rinsing; even a small amount of chlorine will ruin your brew, leaving it tasting and smelling foul.

1. Choose a blend of herbs and berries. Place one cup of this mixture into your cleansed blender.
2. Puree this into a paste, adding a bit of distilled water if needed.
3. Place into a CLEAN quart jar with ¾ cups honey.
4. The jar should be filled with distilled water leaving a space of about 3 inches at the top.
5. Stir the contents of the jar three times each day for a week, moving the pulp from its resting place on the jar’s bottom.
6. In order to keep out flying pests, cover the jar with a clean cloth secured tightly with a rubber band.
7. The contents of the jar will begin to bubble within days.
8. This bubbling will slow after two weeks.
9. In 21 days, it will be time to store your brew. Pour the liquid off of the sludge (leaving it behind) into a new clean storage jar.
10. An ounce each evening is a tonic dose.

You will have a bit less than 32 ounces of liquid. Read The Vision by Debi Pearl to get her recipe for Berry Herbal Brew. It yields a gallon.

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