Pine Needle, Honey & Brandy Elixir (cough & sore throat remedy)

Here’s how to make a pine needle, honey, and brandy elixir – a natural remedy for coughs and sore throats that combines the respiratory benefits of pine with the throat-soothing and antimicrobial properties of honey.

Pine trees (Pinus spp.) have long been used in traditional medicine, especially for respiratory conditions and immune support.

The needles are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, while containing beneficial compounds that can help with congestion and throat irritation.

When combined with the soothing properties of honey and the warming effects of brandy, pine needles make an excellent natural remedy for winter wellness.

This is a tasty way to sooth a sore throat or cough!

honey, brandy, pine needles, and jar of homemade cough remedy

Ingredients You’ll Need

Fresh Pine Needles

Pine needles contain vitamin C, flavonoids, and terpenes that support respiratory health. They’re known for their expectorant properties, helping to loosen and clear congestion.

Be sure to properly identify the pine trees growing around you. Here’s an article I wrote that may be helpful!

Foraging & Using Pine Needles

Honey

Raw honey has natural antimicrobial properties and helps soothe irritated throats. It’s been shown to be as effective as some over-the-counter cough medicines for suppressing coughs, particularly at nighttime.

Brandy

Brandy acts as a preservative for this elixir and helps extract the beneficial compounds in pine needles. Its warming properties are an old-fashioned remedy for chest congestion when used in moderate amounts.

Notes:

Not for children, use during pregnancy, or if you’re allergic to pine pollen or pine trees
Always positively identify any pine species before harvesting; don’t forage from yew trees which are toxic
Don’t drive or operate machinery after taking this remedy due to the alcohol content

jar of pine needles being snipped into smaller pieces

How to Make

Fill a jar about 1/3 of the way with fresh, chopped pine needles.
Next, fill the jar about halfway with honey and stir, to coat the pine needles.
Finally, pour in some brandy until the jar is almost filled, leaving a little room up top for expansion.
Stir again, then cover with lid and tuck away to infuse for about 4 to 6 weeks.
Strain out the pine needles and compost them.

To use: Take by the spoonful a few times per day, as needed for coughs with congestion or sore throat. We tend to take elixirs at night, due to the alcohol content and since coughs tend to stir up more when you’re trying to sleep!

Shelf life: I prefer to make up small fresh batches of elixirs and use them up more quickly, but they should last at least one year if stored in a cool, dark area.

References

Durzan, D. J. (2009). Arginine, scurvy and Cartier’s “tree of life”. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 5:5.

Koutsaviti, A., et al. (2021). Antioxidant Potential of Pine Needles: A Systematic Study on the Essential Oils and Extracts of 46 Species of the Genus Pinus. Foods, 10(1):142.

Cohen, H. A., et al. (2012). Effect of honey on nocturnal cough and sleep quality: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Pediatrics, 130(3):465-471.

Duke, J. A. (2002). Handbook of medicinal herbs (2nd ed.). CRC Press.

This recipe is for educational purposes and represents traditional folk medicine usage. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult with your healthcare provider for questions or concerns.