Mead Recipe
Ye Olde Batte's PROVEN Recipes
Basic Metheglyn
(Took First Prize at Homebrewers Competition) Put three pounds (1 quart) light honey to about a gallon of water and heat to just below boiling.Skim off as much as you can of the white froth & discard. Add a palmful of whole cloves, a handful of stick cinnamon, and a couple of palmfuls ofwhole allspice. Add the zest (thin outer peel) of one medium-large orange. Remove and discard the white pith from the orange and crush the remainder into the pot. Add one cup double-strength black tea (two teabags to one cup boiling water). Keep the whole mess at steaming (NOT BOILING) temperature for two to five hours. Cool to lukewarm ("baby-bottle" or "blood" temperature) and strain or rack (siphon) into one or two large bottles, filling only to the "shoulder" of each bottle. Add one or two tablespoonfuls of dryyeast to each bottle and attach airlock. (Mead is the ONLY fermented product it is not only safe, but often preferable to use bread yeast to manufacture). You may want to leave the bottles "unlocked" for 12-24 hours to give theyeasty-beasties a headstart. Leave in warm,but not hot, place for 7-21 days, or untilairlock "breaks." Rack into clean bottles.You may top up with clean water, if you wish.This lightens the flavour and assists in themellowing process. DON'T use processed citywater! Age in cool spot for AT LEAST sixweeks -- it can safely go for a year. Rackonce more when it looks clear, and be surealways to leave all the GUCK in the bottom ofthe bottle whenever you rack. ENJOY INMODERATION -- NOTHING is as bad as a meadhangover!Wylde-Rose-Petal Metheglyn Use basic recipe as above, but reduce cloves to 5 or 6 large -- count 'em -- and add one whole nutmeg, split in half, and one or two one-pint ziploc bagfuls of fresh (or frozen) rose petals. Wild roses are the best for this, as they are more fragrant; the red or pink have more flavour than the white. When you pick, go for the newly opened or just opening flowers; take ONLY the petals; pack 'em as tightly in the bags as you can. They store well in the freezer until use (but not overlong). This recipe makes a smaller volume of product than the basic, but the bouquet and flavour are unique and delightful and the colour is GORGEOUS!
Go to index
Created Dec 8 1994 by Aaron Rice (jar22@email.byu.edu)
a Timpview High School student
in partnership with the
David O. McKay School of Education
Brigham Young University