MEAD (Ft. Hydromel; Ger. Meth). — This is a liquor
brewed from honeycombs after the honey has been drawn
away. It was at one time very popular throughout the
whole of Europe, but has now almost entirely fallen out of
favour. The ancient sack -mead, called so most probably
from the French sec — dry, was a beverage of this kind
strengthened with brandy and flavoured with spices. The
following are good receipts for the preparation of Mead :
(1) Put loz. of cream of tartar in a pan with 2tgalls. of
boiling water, and when dissolved let it settle, pour off
the clear liquor, and turn it into a saucepan with 101b.
of homey ; place the pan over the fire, skim the liquor
frequently, and boil. When nearly boiled enough, add Aoz.
of hops, leave for ten minutes, and pour off into a tub
or large basin to cool. When the temperature is reduced
to between 70 and 80deg. Falir., add a piece of toast covered
with yeast✪ Mead (Recipe 1). Put the tub or basin in a warm place, stir-
ring frequently, and as soon as a head begins to form, put
the liquor into a cask. Bung up the cask; leaving the
vent-peg out, and when it has stood for a few days put
in the peg and leave for a year, when it may be bottled
and used.
(2) Put lgall. of water into a saucepan with 31b. of
strained honey, and boil for thirty minutes, adding 1 oz.
of hops. Skim well, put the scum into a colander, and
return to the pan all the, liquor that runs through. Remove
the pan from the fire, and when the liquor is cool (about
the warmth of new milk), mix in 1 breakfast-cupful of
yeast✪ Mead (Recipe 2), put it into a cask, letting it work over, and replenish-
ing it from the pan as the' fermentation lessens. Cover
the bung- hole with a piece of stiff paper, and in a few
weeks’ time it will be quite ready for use. It may be
flavoured with any spices while boiling if desired, and is
a very refreshing drink for the summer-time.
(3) Put 5galls. of water into a saucepan, and add one
lemon, cut in slices, a little dried ginger-root, and lgall.
of honey. Mix them thoroughly and boil for thirty minutes,
taking care to remove all the scum as it rises, and during
the time it is boiling loz. of hops must be added. Take
the pan from the fire, and when the contents are lukewarm
add a little yeast✪ Mead (Recipe 3) ; pour it into a cask, and in a little
less than a month it will be ready for use.
(4) For every gallon of water add 41b. of honey, boil for
an hour, then put it into a tub with yeast spread on toast,
and cover over. If it ferments well after three or four
days, draw it off clear, and put it into a cask with one
Mead — continued.
sliced lemon to every gallon ; add 1 bottle of brandy✪ Mead (Recipe 4) for
every lOgalls. The rind of Seville oranges, cut very thin
and suspended in the barrel, will greatly improve the
flavour. It is best to rinse round the cask with part of
the brandy before the liquor is put in. Those who like
Mead to have an aromatic flavour may mix in elder,
rosemary, and cardamoms, in various proportions, according
to taste ; others put in a mixture of thyme, eglantine,
rosemary, and marjoram, with various spices.
Page 477 · 5 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
MEAD (Ft. Hydromel; Ger. Meth). — This is a liquor brewed from honeycombs after the honey has been drawn away. It was at one time very popular throughout the whole of Europe, but has now almost entirely fallen out of favour. The ancient sack -mead, called so most probably from the French sec — dry, was a beverage of this kind strengthened with brandy and flavoured with spices. The following are good receipts for the preparation of Mead :
(1) Put 1oz. of cream of tartar in a pan with 2½galls. of boiling water, and when dissolved let it settle, pour off the clear liquor, and turn it into a saucepan with 10lb. of homey ; place the pan over the fire, skim the liquor frequently, and boil. When nearly boiled enough, add ½oz. of hops, leave for ten minutes, and pour off into a tub or large basin to cool. When the temperature is reduced to between 70 and 80deg. Falir., add a piece of toast covered with yeast. Put the tub or basin in a warm place, stirring frequently, and as soon as a head begins to form, put the liquor into a cask. Bung up the cask; leaving the vent-peg out, and when it has stood for a few days put in the peg and leave for a year, when it may be bottled and used.
(2) Put 1gall. of water into a saucepan with 3lb. of strained honey, and boil for thirty minutes, adding 1 oz. of hops. Skim well, put the scum into a colander, and return to the pan all the, liquor that runs through. Remove the pan from the fire, and when the liquor is cool (about the warmth of new milk), mix in 1 breakfast-cupful of yeast, put it into a cask, letting it work over, and replenishing it from the pan as the' fermentation lessens. Cover the bung- hole with a piece of stiff paper, and in a few weeks’ time it will be quite ready for use. It may be flavoured with any spices while boiling if desired, and is a very refreshing drink for the summer-time.
(3) Put 5galls. of water into a saucepan, and add one lemon, cut in slices, a little dried ginger-root, and 1gall. of honey. Mix them thoroughly and boil for thirty minutes, taking care to remove all the scum as it rises, and during the time it is boiling loz. of hops must be added. Take the pan from the fire, and when the contents are lukewarm add a little yeast ; pour it into a cask, and in a little less than a month it will be ready for use.
(4) For every gallon of water add 41b. of honey, boil for an hour, then put it into a tub with yeast spread on toast, and cover over. If it ferments well after three or four days, draw it off clear, and put it into a cask with one
Mead — continued.
sliced lemon to every gallon ; add 1 bottle of brandy for every lOgalls. The rind of Seville oranges, cut very thin and suspended in the barrel, will greatly improve the flavour. It is best to rinse round the cask with part of the brandy before the liquor is put in. Those who like Mead to have an aromatic flavour may mix in elder, rosemary, and cardamoms, in various proportions, according to taste ; others put in a mixture of thyme, eglantine, rosemary, and marjoram, with various spices.
Records on this page
Mead (Recipe 1)Mead (Recipe 2)Mead (Recipe 3)Mead (Recipe 6)Mead (Recipe 4)