There is something about the first days of autumn that makes you want to slow down, get cozy, and take inventory of where you are.
Autumn is my favorite season, and the Autumn Equinox is the perfect opportunity to acknowledge the transition. What have you grown? What are you harvesting? What are you ready to release? And what do you want to carry with you into this next season?
Naturally, I wanted to put all of that into a cup.
This Autumn Equinox Herbal Tea was formulated to be warm, grounding, nourishing, aromatic, and layered with flavor. It can be enjoyed during the equinox, throughout the autumn season, or whenever you want to create a quiet moment to reflect, reset, and enjoy your herbs.
And because I'm The Herb Mixologist, we're not just throwing herbs into a pot because they sound good together. Every ingredient has a job.
Autumn Equinox Herbal Blend
Herbal Blend
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2 Tbsp Honeybush
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1 Tbsp Milky Oats
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1 Tbsp Burdock Root
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1½ tsp Tulsi
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1½ tsp Rose Petals
Makes approximately 5 tablespoons of dried herbal blend.
For one 10–12 oz serving, use approximately 1½–2 tablespoons of the finished blend.
The Herbal Formula
Honeybush: Warmth
Honeybush creates the foundation of this blend.
Its naturally sweet, honey-like and slightly woody flavor immediately gives the tea warmth without requiring a large amount of added sweetener. It is also naturally caffeine-free, making it especially appropriate for an evening cup when we're trying to wind down rather than stimulate the body.
In the formula, honeybush is our warmth.
Milky Oats: Nourishment
Milky oats bring softness to the formula.
Flavor-wise, they help round out the deeper honeybush and burdock with a mild, almost creamy grain-like character.
In Western herbalism, milky oats are traditionally used as a nourishing nervine, particularly during periods of stress, depletion, and overwork.
For me, that makes them especially fitting for the equinox.
We're not only asking ourselves what we need to release. We're also asking:
What needs to be replenished?
In the formula, milky oats represent nourishment.
Burdock Root: Grounding
You can't make a grounding autumn tea without bringing in a root.
Burdock gives the blend an earthy, mildly sweet and slightly bitter depth that anchors the lighter aromatic herbs.
Traditionally, burdock root has been used in herbalism as an alterative and for digestive and elimination support. It also contains a variety of naturally occurring plant compounds that continue to be studied.
But there is another reason I love it here.
We're entering harvest season, talking about grounding and transition, and we're literally drinking a root.
In the formula, burdock represents grounding.
Tulsi: Adaptability
Tulsi brings movement back into the formula.
Its aromatic, slightly peppery and almost clove-like character works beautifully alongside the cinnamon we'll add later.
Tulsi is traditionally classified as an adaptogenic herb and has long been used to support the body's response to stress.
That feels especially appropriate during a seasonal transition.
Our environment changes. The amount of daylight changes. Temperatures change. Our routines change.
In the formula, tulsi represents adaptability.
Rose: Aromatic Lift
Rose is our top note.
And this is where formulation becomes important.
I don't need enough rose in this blend for you to take a sip and immediately think, I'm drinking rose tea.
Instead, I want just enough for your nose to recognize something happening at the top of the beverage.
Rose provides aromatic complexity while helping lift the heavier, earthier ingredients underneath it. Rose preparations also have a long history of traditional use for gentle digestive and emotional support.
In the formula, rose represents aromatic lift.
The Formula Tells a Story
Honeybush = Warmth
Milky Oats = Nourishment
Burdock = Grounding
Tulsi = Adaptability
Rose = Aromatic Lift
This is one of the principles I teach through Herbal Mixology: don't add an herb simply because it has an impressive list of benefits.
Ask what it is doing in the formula.
What does it contribute functionally?
What does it contribute to the flavor?
How does it interact with everything around it?
Some ingredients provide function. Some provide flavor. The really beautiful ingredients can do both.
Turning Our Herbal Blend Into a Drink
Now we mixologize it.
We're pairing our herbal base with fresh pineapple, cinnamon, honey, and lime.
The finished flavor architecture becomes:
Earth: Burdock + Honeybush
Body: Milky Oats
Aromatic: Tulsi + Rose
Fruit: Pineapple
Warmth: Cinnamon
Sweet: Honey
Acid: Fresh Lime
Pineapple Cinnamon Component
You'll need:
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Fresh pineapple, chopped
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1 cinnamon stick
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A small amount of water
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Honey, to taste
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Fresh lime
Add the chopped pineapple and cinnamon stick to a small saucepan with just enough water to get everything moving.
Gently simmer until the pineapple begins releasing its juices and the liquid becomes flavorful and concentrated.
Remove it from the heat before adding your honey.
Set aside while you prepare your herbal tea.
How to Brew the Tea
Because this formula contains both a tougher root and delicate aerial herbs, I prefer a two-stage extraction rather than treating everything exactly the same.
For one serving, measure approximately 1½–2 tablespoons of the herbal blend.
Separate as much of the burdock root as practical and place it into approximately 12 oz of water.
Bring to a gentle simmer and allow the burdock to simmer for approximately 10–15 minutes.
Turn off the heat.
Add the remaining honeybush, milky oats, tulsi, and rose. Cover and allow the herbs to steep for another 8–10 minutes.
Strain.
Add your pineapple-cinnamon component to taste.
Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime.
Taste.
Adjust your honey, fruit, or acidity as needed.
That's Herbal Mixology.
Your Autumn Equinox Moment
Make the drink. Sit down. Get comfortable.
Then ask yourself:
What am I harvesting?
What have I grown, accomplished, learned, or cultivated that deserves to be acknowledged?
What am I releasing?
What doesn't need to follow me into this next season?
What am I replenishing?
Where have I poured out more than I've poured back into myself?
What am I making room for?
Because autumn doesn't only have to represent things ending.
It can represent intentionally deciding what gets to remain.
So sip slowly.
Enjoy your herbs.
And welcome autumn.
Makeda K
The Herb Mixologist
Herbal education is for informational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical care. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, medications, medical conditions, and individual sensitivities can change whether a particular herb is appropriate for you. Consult an appropriate healthcare professional when needed.
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