This wonderful drink is known in Russia very much.long. In the distant past, there was even a tradition of eating mead for a month after the wedding. The newlyweds were not allowed to drink any other strong alcoholic beverages. Probably, from there came the expression "honeymoon". What is this drunk elixir? The mead is a small amount of sweet natural product produced by bees, diluted with water, and its subsequent fermentation after a short digestion. How is the mead done at home? The recipe proposed in this article is presented in two versions. The first drink will be similar in alcohol content to weak beer, the second - to light wine.
"Quick" mead at home: a five-day fermentation recipe
The described variant is most often used insummer period for a refreshing drink, quenching thirst. In addition, another problem is solved that occurs in beekeepers in the case of accidental fermentation of honey. Slightly "defective" product can be safely put into operation, using as the main ingredient. Quite simply and quickly can be prepared according to the indicated method of mead at home. The recipe provides for the use of spices and dried hop cones, which are sold at the pharmacy. So, in boiling water (two liters) pour three hundred grams of honey. Stir, cook for five minutes. Always remove the foam from the surface. Then fill in five grams of hop, on the third part of a teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg. After mixing, remove from the plate and cover the top with a lid. Dry baker's yeast (incomplete teaspoon) dilute in a small amount of sweet water. After the appearance of the bubbles (after about half an hour), pour the mixture into the honey solution cooled to a temperature of 50 degrees. Such preparation of mead at home conditions involves the use of a bottle with a hydraulic seal for fermentation in order to avoid getting excess air. Pour the mixture into the container and wrap it in a warm place for four or five days. Readiness is determined by the absence of foam on the surface. Pour into bottles, filling not to the brim and tightly screwing the covers. After settling in the refrigerator for five days, a low-alcohol drink is ready. And how is the stronger mead obtained? The method of preparation described below is characterized by an increase in the fermentation period. It will be something like a weak wine.
Strong mead at home: a recipe for three months
The ratio of products is about the same. The main difference is in the way of cooking.
Pour 1.25 kg of honey with hot boiled water (8l), mix and leave for a day. Then re-put on a plate and cook over low heat for about an hour. To the half-dried syrup, add two tablespoons of full spoons of hops and boil again for thirty minutes. The resulting mixture is tightly closed with a lid and let stand for about two weeks. With lethargic fermentation, you can add quite a bit of yeast. Then pour the drink into bottles and place it in the basement for "ripening". The mead is considered ready after two or three months of settling.
