Switchel (Haymaker's Punch)

Before you start

Switchel is an old American field drink built from water, vinegar, a sweetener and ginger. It is often linked to farm workers at haying time, which explains the name haymaker's punch, though recipes from that era varied widely. What matters now is that it tastes bracing rather than sour: the vinegar should register as brightness, the maple as roundness, and the ginger as warmth at the back of the throat.

This version uses 60 ml each of apple cider vinegar and maple syrup per liter, a gentle ratio for people new to drinking vinegar. Grated ginger steeps in the cold mixture for a couple of hours, which gives a fresher, sharper flavor than simmering it. Strain it well, chill it hard, and adjust the vinegar after tasting, not before.

Ingredients

• 1 liter (4¼ cups) cold water
• 60 ml (¼ cup) apple cider vinegar — 5% acidity
• 60 ml (¼ cup) pure maple syrup — dark, robust grade has the most flavor
• 20 g (2 tbsp) fresh ginger — peeled and finely grated
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 15 ml (½ oz) fresh lemon juice — optional
• 2 cups (about 300 g) ice cubes — for serving

Method

1. Grate the peeled ginger on a microplane directly into the jar, scraping in any juice left on the board. Fine grating releases far more flavor than slices.
2. Add the maple syrup, vinegar and salt to the jar and stir until the syrup has dissolved into the vinegar, about 30 seconds.
3. Pour in the cold water and lemon juice, if using. Close the jar, shake it a few times, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. Taste it. It should be tart and gently sweet with a clear ginger heat. Add vinegar or maple 5 ml at a time to suit your taste.
5. Strain through a fine strainer, pressing on the ginger pulp. For a clearer drink, strain again through cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
6. Serve over plenty of ice. Shake or stir before pouring, since fine ginger sediment settles to the bottom.

Tips for success

• Raw, unfiltered cider vinegar adds a fruity, cloudy depth. Filtered vinegar makes a cleaner, sharper drink. Both work.
• Add a splash of soda water to each glass if you like fizz. Do not bottle switchel and wait for it to carbonate.
• Mix the vinegar into the maple before the water goes in. Thick syrup sinks in cold water and takes a long time to dissolve.

Substitutions

Maple syrup

Honey works one-for-one but dissolve it in a few tablespoons of warm water first. Molasses was common in older versions; use half as much, since it is strong and slightly bitter.

Apple cider vinegar

Unseasoned rice vinegar is milder and slightly sweet. Malt or distilled white vinegar taste harsh here and are best avoided.

Fresh ginger

Ground ginger (½ tsp) gives a dusty, muted heat and clouds the drink. Fresh is much better if you can get it.

Variations

Sparkling switchel

Make the base with only 500 ml water, then top each glass with an equal amount of cold soda water.

Turmeric switchel

Grate 5 g fresh turmeric with the ginger. It turns the drink golden and adds an earthy edge; it also stains, so rinse tools quickly.

Troubleshooting

It tastes like straight vinegar

Too much vinegar for your palate, or it is not cold enough. Chill it fully and add 15 ml more maple or 250 ml more water.

There is no ginger heat

The ginger was old, sliced instead of grated, or steeped too briefly. Grate fresh ginger finely and leave it overnight next time.

Gritty texture in the glass

Ginger fibers got through the strainer. Strain a second time through cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter.

Storage

Refrigerate the strained switchel in a closed jar and drink it within 5 days. The ginger flavor fades slowly and the vinegar becomes more noticeable as it sits. Shake before serving.