Honey Wines

Contributed by Irene Henry on Jan. 25, 1998

WARNING: The following recipes should only be used if your locality allows home- production of alcoholic beverages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"A powerful substance -- I would suggest a small dose if you're not accustomed to it. Distilled from heather honey. This batch is seven years old-- I should warn you, never drink it if it's less than three."
--Sabine Baring-Gould, MOOR

Mead

 (Sounds like Metheglin Recipe)

Source: Dauzvardis, Josephine; Popular Lithuanian Recipes, 8th ed., Lithuanian Catholic Press, 1974.

1 handful juniper berries
2 nutmegs
1 handful hops
7 quarts honey
14 quarts water
1 oz. Yeast
1 tsp sugar
  1. Break and crush berries and nutmeg. Tie with hops in cloth bag. Place in honey and water, boil about 1/2 hour, skimming off foam. Cool to lukewarm (about 100 deg. F.). Pour into 5 gallon bottle. Do not overfill, allow about 4 inches space from surface to top of bottle.
  2. Cream yeast with sugar and 1/2 cup of honey-water liquid, set in warm spot for 10-15 minutes until it begins to bubble. Slowly pour into liquid in bottle. Stopper bottle with cork into which a glass tuge (thistle tube or medicine dropper) has been set, to allow fermentation gases to escape.
  3. Allow to ferment at temperature of 60 deg. F. No less than 6 months. At end of that period, filter off with rubber pipette or siphon, pour into bottles, cork. Ready to drink a month after bottling.
  4. Aging improves mead. It is at its best 2-3 years after making.

"...he returned, carrying two delicate glasses and an open bottle of the palest of wines. He poured it into the glasses and handed me one, identifying it as honey wine-- his own, of course."
--Mary Russell, BEEK

Honey Liqueur

 Source: Dauzvardis, Josephine; Popular Lithuanian Recipes, 8th ed., Lithuanian Catholic Press, 1974.

1 tbsp. Caraway seeds
10 cloves
10 whole allspice
2-3 sticks cinnamon
1 stick vanilla
2 pieces yellow ginger
2 pieces white ginger
10 cardamom seeds
1/2 nutmeg
2-3 strips orange peel
2-3 strips lemon rind
pinch of saffron
4 cups water
2 lbs honey
1 quart grain alcohol

  1. Crack cardamom seeds and nutmeg. Boil them, spices, rind, and water in covered pot until liquid is reduced to about 2 cups. Strain.
  2. Bring honey to a boil, skimming off foam.
  3. Pour first liquid into honey. Remove from heat as far away as possible (to prevent flare-up or explosion of alcohol). Carefully and slowly pour in alcohol.
  4. Replace pot on very low flame. Heat (be careful not to simmer or boil) for 15 minutes. Remove from fire. Cool in same pot.
  5. Following day, pour into bottles, allow to settle. If clearer liqueur is desired, filter through paper or cloth and rebottle.



Return to Recipe Index | Return to Meal Index


http://www.evo.org/sherlock/russell/recipes/honey_wines.html
Last Modified: May 21, 1998