Sweet's Syrup is preservative-free, so pop it into the fridge just as soon as you can. For longer-term storage, create a Sweet's stockpile in your freezer!
This is a great way to preserve that little bit of syrup left over from making a Sweet's DIY Kit, bottles you find on sale at your favorite retailer, and syrup nearing its expiration date.
You might wonder if the freezer will damage the live enzymes in our syrup's raw, local honey. No worries! Enzyme activity actually stops when honey is held at freezing temperatures, but returns when thawed at normal temperatures. Never heat your honey though - that'll destroy the enzymes completely.
When freezing Sweet's in a bottle or other container, allow for expansion. Leave at least 1 inch of headspace between the top of the liquid and the container rim, and allow the liquid to freeze completely before adding a lid.
Sweet's will keep about 6 months in the freezer. To thaw, simply move your bottle or container to the fridge, and use within three months. You may need to consume the syrup more quickly if it was nearing its expiration date when you froze it.
Also consider freezing some syrup in an ice cube tray. Elderberry ice cubes add delicious flavor and a lovely color to any beverage - especially tea, sparkling water, lemonade, and blueberry smoothies! They tend to be a bit softer than regular ice, due to the honey content. Once frozen, pop them out into a freezer bag, or just leave in the tray!
Tea with Sweet's Elderberry Ice... perfect for a hot summer day!