How to Make Elderberry Syrup

The herb he uses kill all bacteria (cloves is the best) That why our elders use it on HAM...THE WORST OF OFFENDERS OF PARASITES.
So, don't worry...A bit of vinegar would take care of any worryies of ginger...Signed an herbalist

I made this two days ago and it is delicious medicine.

could you make this with agave syrup instead of honey for a vegan diet?

If you do not strain the berries, it will shorten the shelf life quite a bit. Also you can use distilled water instead of tap. Boiling does not get kill all the bacteria and minerals in water which will cause spoiling. I always use distilled water for herbal preps. Also making sure all your containers are sterile will add to the shelf life. Also you could omit the ginger and that would increase the shelf life as well.

do you have to strain the berries out? Would it be ok to also take a spoonful of the berries along with the liquid? Seems a shame to waster them.

abrit38, i have 2 words for you: elderberry pie :) i wouldn't exclusively use rehydrated berries in your pie filling, but mixing them into an existing filling won't hurt into a thing. if you're worried about messing up the taste, make the infusion of berries without the cinnamon and ginger and then steep those in the infusion after the berries have been strained out :)

The sweetener you use, as well as the ratio of it to elderberry, will affect both the effectiveness and shelf life of the finished product. It has nothing to do with 'thickness'. Stevia will only act as a sweetener. Honey has both therapeutic and preservative qualities. An elderberry syrup with an equal part of unpasteurized honey can last in the fridge for at least several weeks. If stored in the freezer (since the honey will prevent it from freezing solid) it will last for over a year.

Hence stevia is not a 'substitute' as substitute would imply similar qualities. You can certainly add stevia is you just want to sweeten it. But know that it will have the shelf life of any fruit juice, because that's basically what it will be.

Maple syrup does not provide as much preservative properties as honey, but it is a soothing expectorant hence therapeutic in its own right as well. In my part of the world, it costs about the same as honey. I'm sure every part of the world has its own affordable local favorites. Here its agave syrup that's the most expensive :P