Mead is a special drink. Many of us know the expression “drink honey” according to old tales. Today, the art of honey production is almost lost. Despite the fact that technology could be the main idea of any Russian restaurant and bring it fame, until not a single businessman thought about it. Mead is a local, local drink, which was prepared only in Russia and nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, today only some people know how to make mead from old honey. The taste of this drink is not known to many, since buying it in the store will not work. Even among beekeepers there are very few who know how to prepare this drink correctly. Today we want to tell the reader what can be considered a mead.
Assortment of supermarkets
Indeed, readers may object that many stores on the shelves with alcohol have bottles of the same name. But they have nothing to do with the old drink. Often you are offered a honey tincture, which is prepared by mixing a beekeeping product with water and alcohol. In apiaries, they do otherwise; they know how to make a mead from old honey. But most often they use fast technology, adding yeast. In this case, the drink wins back quickly: after a few days, the product can be sold. But this is also a non-original recipe.
Vintage technology
In Kievan Rus there was no modern equipment, and the recipes were passed from generation to generation, and the result was fantastic. In the annals you can read how to make a mead from old honey. That drink was aged in oak barrels; it contained no hops or yeast. Berries, cherries, cranberries, plums or rose hips were added to it. There were also recipes according to which various spices were put in the feedstock. It will make this taste more noble.
A little bit about the history of the drink
It should be noted that the fresh beekeeping product at all times was extremely valuable to humans. Nutritious, healthy, easy enough for assimilation, it is a ready-made source of energy, vitamins and amino acids. But if honey stagnated or began to ferment, then it was no longer possible to eat it. Therefore, new recipes began to appear. As already mentioned, even in Ancient Russia it was known how to make a mead from old honey.
In the old days, Russian cities were famous for their honey production. The strength of this drink was different - from 5 to 16%. In old notes you can find several options for recipes, each of which had its own zest. Juniper berries, cinnamon sticks, cloves, or even hot peppers were added to the drink.
Waiting time
If you want to make this drink at home, it is extremely important to study the technology in advance, because otherwise you can spoil the whole process at the very beginning. Therefore, today we want to consider in detail how to put a mead from honey. The recipe for cooking at home is not too complicated, but, like everywhere, it has its own subtleties.
In the standard version, the cooking time is 5 days. However, do not flatter yourself that after this period you can already enjoy the drink. Mead is similar to muddy champagne, is carbonated, but not too tasty. If after that it is poured into a wooden barrel and left for 3-6 months, then the taste will change for the better. She will become less playful, but more fragrant. The strength is growing, a young drink usually does not have more than 5%, but over time, the figure can reach 20%. The consistency becomes fluid and dense. And if you add berries, then over time the mead will become even more useful, since all the vitamins and minerals pass into the drink.
Old recipe
It was especially popular in the 19th century. Its peculiarity is an amazing aroma. This is achieved due to the fact that water with honey is not subjected to heat treatment, that is, boiling. Thanks to this, the most delicious mead is obtained. A home-made recipe allows you to deliver a stunning light drink that resembles fragrant kvass.
In this embodiment, no yeast is used. Thanks to what the final product is clean, transparent and tasty. You might be wondering if you can give it to children. It is easy to answer this question if you know the technology of preparation of the product, what is its composition, how many degrees. Mead made from honey prepared according to this recipe contains no more than 2% alcohol. Therefore, it can be used by all family members, in moderate doses, of course.
Features of the technological process
Making mead from honey according to an old recipe is not difficult, except for the fact that you need to stand the drink in a wooden bowl. So, you need to take a liter of water. There is a small nuance: it needs to be boiled, but be sure to cool. Such an amount will require 50 g of honey and the same amount of fresh grapes or raisins. It is best to take the berries. Dried raisins may cause the drink to mold.
Rinse the berries well. Further, the cooking process is very simple: you need to add honey and water - and let it wander. The jar needs to be closed and the mixture left for two days at room temperature. If the room is not the warmest, and there is no sun on the street, the fermentation process can continue even longer. During this, a lot of gases are released, so if you tightly clog the jar, it will explode. You can close the bottle with a cloth, but it is better to make a special gas outlet from a regular cap with a hole. A thin hose is inserted into it. With one side it should hang over the liquid in the vessel, and the other should be lowered into a bowl of water. So the gases can freely leave the drink.
Second phase
And we continue to consider how to make mead from honey without yeast. Next, filter the liquid using gauze. Now it remains to pour it into a suitable container and put it in a cool place. It will be even better if you lower it into the cellar. In just 2-3 months, the drink will be ready.
When you prepare a drink for the first time, you can focus only on the criteria we have proposed. However, after only a few times, you can and taste determine when the mead will be ready. The product of the first fermentation has a sweet taste and a lot of unpleasant bubbles, as if in sour jam. But when the gas almost completely disappears, and the taste becomes slightly sour, like young jam, then you can already please yourself and your relatives with a great drink.
Fermentation products
Speaking about how to make mead from honey, it is worth noting that the risk of poisoning with such a drink is zero. Of course, the fermentation process is the result of the activity of bacteria, and there is always a risk of the development of pathogenic microflora. Do not worry about this is not worth it. Fermented and lactic acid bacteria completely displace harmful microbes.
Many people think that raisins are needed exclusively for flavor. In fact, its main function is precisely to cause fermentation processes. If you plan to make a drink several times in a row, then you do not need to completely empty the old one. Then the young will mature much faster.
Making a drink from old honey
Probably, everyone was faced with such a situation that a considerable amount of honey was purchased in bulk, several years passed, a fresh product was already bought, and no one wants to eat the old one. Throwing away, of course, is a pity. In this case, a mead from old honey would be a great solution. At home, making a tasty drink does not seem difficult.
If we described above a recipe for a mead set, which is distinguished by its refined, fresh taste and low alcohol content, then most often a boiled drink is prepared from old, candied raw materials. For its preparation, beekeepers use any leftovers. Soaking barrels of honey, and everything that lags behind their walls, too, goes into business.
Honey Cooking Technology
So, on our agenda is a delicious mead. The recipe for preparation (at home, of course) of this drink is as follows. You will need 10 liters of water, 1.5 kg of honey, 10 g of hop cones and 3 g of bread yeast. The process involves heat treatment. Water should be poured into a container and brought to a boiling point. Immediately warn that prolonged heating of honey over 40 degrees leads to the fact that it forms a dangerous toxin. However, we will take this property into account.
Now add the old honey to the water and start stirring so that it does not burn. Literally after three minutes, remove the foam, pour the hops and remove from the heat. Remember to cover the vessel. Now you need to wait until the temperature drops to 45 degrees. Then add the yeast, cover and put in a warm place for fermentation. It remains only to strain the drink through cheesecloth and pour into small containers.
Mead from honey and yeast should stand. To do this, it is closed with corks and lowered into the cellar. Two days later, it is necessary to lower the pressure. The bottles must be carefully opened and closed again. Now the wait will be 4-5 days. The finished drink has a touch of champagne. It has a short shelf life, so it is important to use the product in 2-3 weeks. Get ready to treat your family and friends with a delicious drink. There are few degrees in it, so it is perfect for even women.
Strong mead
This recipe is ideal for those who prefer alcoholic beverages with a solid degree. A thick, spicy taste must be appreciated by men. If you are looking for a recipe on how to make a mead from fermented honey, then there is no better option. Although here you need to pay attention to such a moment. Good honey cannot ferment; it is bactericidal. That is, it may not be quite honey. In any case, if the sweet product is spoiled, you need to use it somehow.
You will need to take 250-350 g of honey and a teaspoon of brewer's yeast. This amount will take 2 liters of water, 400 g of medical alcohol (50%), 5 g of hops and spices. It can be nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom to taste. A solution of honey and water must be kept on low heat for 30 minutes. It is not necessary to bring to a boil and it is very important to stir occasionally. Do not forget to remove the foam in time.
When the solution cools down to 45 degrees, add hops, yeast and other components. The mixture will ferment for a week in a warm place. Now the drink is filtered and left in a dark cellar for a month. Before use, add alcohol to it. Such a mead made of sour honey will be an excellent option for a warm male company.
Mead on bread yeast
You can try different options for making a drink. Add apples or cherries, lemon juice or prunes to it and you will get a completely different taste, exotic and bright. We want to offer you another option for the preparation of mead, which is distinguished by a magnificent bouquet, slightly reminiscent of delicious kvass.
You will need to take a kilogram of honey and five liters of water, yeast and 100 g of white bread. Black is used for kvass, but here it will be knocked out of the general composition. The cooking process is not too different from the one that has already been described. Dissolve honey in water for 20 minutes. After this, the liquid must be filtered and allowed to cool to 50 degrees. Now you can add bread and yeast. Leave the mixture in a warm place so that it wanders. The end of the process will indicate the disappearance of the foam. Now we filter and, if desired, add apple or lemon juice.
For complete preparation, the mixture should be left in a cool place for 12 days. A temperature of 2 to 4 degrees is ideal. Now the mead is ready to eat. It remains to pour in bottles and put in the cellar. This drink is not stored for a long time, so it makes no sense to prepare it for a year ahead. But while it is fresh, treat your friends.