In Russia, they made two types of honey drinks, they differed in the preparation technique. Set honey was made by naturally fermenting honey without adding yeast and boiling. Another type of honey drink is boiled or nutritious honey. It was made from an aqueous solution of honey, to which was added malt (barley or rye) and all kinds of herbs to add smell and taste (hops, wormwood, St. John's wort). Boiled honey is a highly alcoholic beverage.
Scientists now cannot say for sure whether honey is different from mead or is it the same thing. Today we will talk about that mead, which is common today. This is an alcoholic drink for the preparation of which honey is used, which makes honey and stewed tones to taste. The average strength of the drink is from 10 to 16 degrees.
Homemade mead can be of several types: set (prepared by fermentation without boiling honey) and boiled (prepared by fermentation with sterilization of honey by boiling). According to the timing of production, young and strong mead are also distinguished. Often, hops (hopped mead) or spices (genuine mead) are added to the mead.
Mead at home is a delicate and “tasty” thing. The benefit of this drink, if consumed in moderation, is undeniable. There are a lot of ways to cook mead, for example, there is such a recipe for homemade mead.
“Stir 500 g of honey in a small amount of water, and then pour boiling water and cook for one hour (there should be no more than two glasses of water). Allow the drink to cool and add a small amount of yeast, let stand for 3-4 days. Then add 3 tbsp. vodka, a decoction of hops (10 g) and lime blossom (15 g). The drink should settle for 3 days. The resulting mixture is filtered, boiled honey is added to it and left to ferment for several days. At the end, the drink is poured into a barrel and placed in a cold place for 4-5 months. " The resulting mead will please you with a linden spirit and good mood, and it will be useful for the body.
For cranberry mead, you will need honey (1 liter), water (2.5 liters), cranberry juice (1 liter), yeast and spices. “I mix honey with water, boil, then remove the foam. Bottled with a wide neck. All this is poured separately prepared with a mixture of cranberry juice, cloves, cinnamon and yeast. They set out to roam for two days. Then the bottles are closed and taken out in a cold place for a month. "
And there is a very simple recipe for traditional Scandinavian honey, for it you need 1 kg of honey and 7-8 liters of water. “Honey is poured with water and boiled until the honey is completely dissolved. Cool and add a little yeast. Let the drink wander for two weeks, and then bottle it and put it in a cold place for a period of not less than a month. ”
Mead at home - a lesson for an experienced hostess or host. Before starting its global procurement, try making a small amount for the sample. After all, there are a great many recipes with the name "Mead at home". We list some of them: watermelon mead, braggate (English honey), spring honey, cranberry honey, strong hoppy Scandinavian honey, light honey, linden mead, monastery or old Russian honey, and so on.
In ancient times, honey was considered a ritual drink among the Slavs, it was shared with the gods. In the other world, according to the faith of our ancestors, rivers flow from honey and milk, so drinking honey is partaking of the divine. Not a single feast or offering has ever done without honey. The Scandinavians honored honey as a gift from Odin. The Finns called honey living water.
This fragrant sweet drink amuses the blood and delights the heart. One name already caresses the ear: mead. At home, cooking it is much better than buying it in a store. It has long been known that the way you cook for yourself, you do not cook anymore. Try to cook aromatic mead yourself - you will not regret it.