A Russian folk tale always ends with a victory of good over evil and is crowned with a feast in honor of this victory. Or the wedding of the protagonist with the protagonist and, again, a feast. What the narrator himself testifies to with the words: "And I was there, honey, I drank beer ..." Stop! Can honey be drunk like beer? Of course. If we are talking about an old Slavic low-alcohol drink - mead.
All the peoples who had the opportunity to collect
wild bee honey have been engaged in apiculture since time immemorial. In Russia, they were engaged in it until the 17th century, gradually switching to apiary beekeeping as
deforestation and domestication of bees took place. The Slavs always had abundant honey - both in princely mansions and in the huts of commoners. The main Russian alcoholic drink was prepared from it (before the distribution of vodka in the 18th century) - mead without yeast, then called hop honey or simply honey. The name already indicates that the strength of the drink was increased by adding hops to it during fermentation.
Hence the first recipe - an old one, closest to the old Russian original. In it, the fermentation process provides berry juice, which is mixed with honey in a 2: 1 ratio. Hops are added as desired. After that, you need to mix it periodically for about a week. As soon as fermentation is over - pour into holding containers. I must say that those who are looking for a recipe on
how to make mead without yeast, immediately reject this method. And not at all because it requires an underground cool storage for oak barrels. But because the mead in them must be aged for at least five years. Best of all, twenty. True, those who have an abyss of patience have an amazingly tasty and aromatic drink.
Preference is given to a much faster - five-month-mead without yeast. In 2 liters of water you need to dissolve a pound of honey, boil for a quarter of an hour, then cool to +50 degrees. Peel the cherry. It can take 2 kg; if you want a brighter and more pronounced taste - 4 kg. Pour cherries with honey syrup. Before fermentation add 2-3
hop cones. Cover with wet gauze, put in a warm place for a day. Then make sure that the fermentation process is on, and send the drink to a cold place. Here he reaches within 3-4 months. Then it is filtered out and ... in principle, the mead without yeast is already ready for use. But if you want a better taste, stand it for another month.
Almost according to the same recipe, a
honey drink is also prepared
, not fortified with hops. The beginning of fermentation is “started” by raisins, which, like honey, need to take 50 g per liter of water. You do not need to boil a mixture of water and honey, just add raisins to it. Insist at room temperature for two days. After filtration, pour into a container, tightly close it and put it in a cool place for 2-3 months. At the same time, you do not need to install a water seal.
Now you can find dozens of different
mead recipes, one more elegant than the other. However, only the preparation of mead without yeast is closest to the original old Russian recipe: after all, in those days, Rusich did not know any “unicellular” mushrooms. Yes, and they did not need them.
In the end, it is worth noting that as a result you will get a drink, albeit low alcohol, but rather insidious. The fact that its strength is usually 5-6, maximum 10 degrees, should not mislead you. Mead without yeast is quickly absorbed into the blood and pretty “knits” the legs, while keeping the head sober and clear. However, after a short period of time (and with moderate use, of course), the legs will stop braiding.
And remember: mead is not for rampant libations. After all, the Slavs ritually shared it with their gods, and the Finns considered it a fabulous living water, which would raise the dead from the grave. And what do you think the newlyweds drank in the first month after the wedding, which is still called honey?