Mead is a folk recipe. Recipe for making mead without yeast and boiling

29.11.2016 1

The first mead appeared many thousands of years ago, at the dawn of beekeeping. This drink was popular among most peoples. And today it is of interest to many. Mead - a recipe for making at home. We'll tell you what kind of drink it is and how to make mead.

At the origins of the first mead recipes

The making of mead goes back to ancient times. And in the most different countries It was prepared in its own way, but it was highly valued everywhere. It is enough that they insisted on it for years, sometimes even 20 years. Therefore, the benefits of the drink only increased, and the taste characteristics were excellent. In Rus', such a honey drink was consumed at all significant holidays and only on special occasions.

True, in the Middle Ages his recipes were slightly lost and forgotten for some time. But during the Soviet era they were revived again. Basically, they started preparing it so as not to throw away spoiled honey and at least somehow use it beneficially. In other countries, such as Germany or Finland, mead was mistaken for magic drink, a gift from the gods themselves.

To answer how many degrees it should be, you need to understand the cooking process itself. Most often, the drink was similar to kvass or champagne and had no more than 10% alcohol. But if homemade mead was made by adding vodka or alcohol, or was aged for years, then the degree of the drink increased significantly.

You can still make mead at home today, but it is important to decide on recipes, of which there are many. It is unlikely that you will be able to use ancient recipes for this drink, especially since the most important rule was once to age it in wooden barrels, covered with earth for many years.

Today we have come up with faster and simpler recipes that significantly reduce cooking time and make the taste more varied and interesting.

How to make mead at home

There are many different recipes of this drink, and therefore what ingredients you need depends strictly on the chosen method of preparation. But in any case, you will definitely need honey, and the quality of each product must be at its best, otherwise the result may be unexpected and unpleasant.

Honey is the main component of the drink. Without it, you won’t be able to make mead. This ingredient must be chosen carefully, because if you purchase a sugar surrogate, you will not prepare the desired drink. In addition, the choice of the type of honey itself is important here - the lighter it is, the lighter and more transparent the mead will be. Also, the aroma of honey completely transfers into the final drink.
Water is also included in almost every mead recipe. It must be drinkable and clean, without unnecessary impurities.
Yeast - most often in modern recipes preparing a honey drink at home is their choice. Yeast causes a fermentation process that will take place much faster. It could be ordinary baker's yeast, wine or beer. In any case, their quality should be good.
To create mead at home, you can take any berries - cherries, strawberries, wild strawberries, etc. Usually in old recipes they were used for fermentation, and the berries gave the drink a special taste, sourness and additional useful qualities. Fresh berries can be replaced with dried fruits - raisins, dried apricots, etc.
Seasonings and spices give mead a special taste and aroma. It can be herbs, ginger, cinnamon, pepper and many others.

Important Notes

In order for the result to turn out exactly as you expect, you need to strictly follow the chosen recipe. But for most of them it is worth adhering to important requirements:

yeast is added only to a cooled drink, otherwise it will not start the fermentation process;
remove all foam from honey that forms during cooking of the product;
if you use berries, it is better not to wash them;
Honey burns very quickly over a fire and can even ignite, so be very careful when heating foods.

Preparation

For 300 ml of honey, take 2 liters of clean water, a teaspoon of yeast, about five grams of hop cones, as well as a pinch of nutmeg and a little cinnamon. Bring to a boil plain water and only then add bee product, constantly stirring it with a spoon. We constantly remove the foam. After 5 minutes, add the rest of the ingredients except the yeast and stir well. Remove the mixture from the heat and cool to 30 degrees. Dilute the dry yeast and add to the cooled drink. Next, you should leave the pan in a dark and warm place. The ideal temperature for fermentation is 25 degrees. After two days, bubbles will appear, which means the process we need has begun. Attach a rubber medical glove to the lid. The drink will ferment for about a week, and the glove will look inflated. When you notice that the glove has fallen off, the process is complete. Now you need to carefully pour the drink into a storage container, leaving all the sediment in the pan, or better yet, additionally strain it using gauze. Seal the containers and refrigerate them for another 3 to 5 days. Only after this is it recommended to use finished product.
The mead is set. This is an old recipe, more similar to the one our ancestors used. Here, either raisins or fresh berries. In the case of raisins, you need to take only 80 grams of honey and 50 grams of dried fruits per 1 liter of water. But in the case of cherries or other berries, take 4 kg of berries and 2 kg of honey per 1 liter of water. If it is a cherry, then first you should remove the seeds from it. Honey is dissolved with water, and then berries or raisins are poured over it. The container itself is covered with gauze and placed in a warm, dark place. This time the fermentation will be much longer and slower, and will therefore take about four months. At the first signs of fermentation, the liquid should be poured through cheesecloth, that is, filtered and the bottle tightly closed. Now the bottles are transferred to a cold basement or cellar.
If you are interested in how to make mead at home as quickly as possible, we offer the following recipe. 400 g of honey is mixed with 100 g of raisins and three lemons. Pour boiling water over all ingredients and stir again. After cooling, add 30 g of yeast, previously dissolved, as well as 1 tbsp. flour. Let it brew for a day.
In Rus', the following recipe was known for making mead at home. For 8 liters of water you need a kilogram and a quarter of honey sweetness, 2 tbsp. hops, ½ tsp. Add gelatin, ginger and cardamom to taste. First, the honey is poured with boiling water and allowed to stand for a day. Then boil for three hours. Add hops and boil for another hour. Then the drink is cooled, and the boil-cool procedure is repeated up to five more times. After last time You need to cool the mixture completely and pour it into a barrel. Add spices and diluted gelatin to this, mix and seal. Let the drink brew for about three weeks. Only if fermentation does not start, or is proceeding too slowly, then add yeast. After fermentation is complete, the drink is poured into more convenient containers, closed tightly and refrigerated for another three months.
Very delicious recipe with berry sourness, how to make mead at home. IN in this case For a kilogram of honey, take two and a half liters of pure water and a liter of real cranberry juice. Add a little cinnamon and cloves for flavor. Yeast is required. Dilute water with honey and let it boil. After removing the foam, the honey mixture is poured into a bottle, juice and spices are added to it, and finally diluted yeast. For the first two days, take the drink to a warm place, and then seal it - and into the cold. Allow the drink to brew for at least 20 days.
Another option on how to make mead at home. Two kilograms of honey are dissolved in five liters of water and boiled for an hour, gradually removing the foam. Then add 300 g of dried blueberries and 2 tbsp. yeast. Leave it for a week. Having strained what happened, add 10 g of gelatin to the infusion, having previously dissolved it, a couple of drops of rose oil and close the lid well. The container is transferred to a cold place and allowed to “settle” for two months.
Suzdal mead. For half a liter of honey, take half a kilogram of sugar, 4 liters of water and 100 grams of yeast. Mix honey, water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add diluted yeast to the cooled drink and place in a warm place for three days. Next you need to strain and pour the drink into a clean container. Having closed it well, we leave it in the cold for a whole month. Then filter the sediment again, add a little more honey and stir until dissolved. Cover with a lid and leave in the refrigerator for only 4 days. When foam appears, you can use it.
Spiced mead recipe. For 750 g of honey take 3 liters of water, 10 g of yeast (dry), egg white, two cloves, a pinch of ginger, a teaspoon of nutmeg and a pinch of cinnamon. Honey is mixed with protein and poured with water. Boil for 10 minutes. After adding spices, simmer for another 50 minutes. At the same time, the liquid is boiled down and it becomes half as much. Cool and strain through cheesecloth. After adding yeast, stir and cover the container with gauze. We put it in a warm place for a day, then close it with a lid and put it in the cold for a whole six months. Only after this can it be bottled and consumed as desired.
The following recipe assumes a high level of alcohol in the drink, and is therefore considered strong mead. For 300 grams of honey you need two liters of water, a teaspoon of yeast, 400 ml of alcohol (50%), 5 grams of hops, to taste - cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. Stir honey and water and heat on fire for up to half an hour, without bringing to a boil. Then let the liquid cool, add all the ingredients, stirring them well. Leave in a warm place for a week. Next, you should strain the drink and close it in a cold room for a whole month. Just before drinking, add alcohol, thereby adjusting the strength of the drink.
Is there some more old recipe- mead on beebread. This recipe is similar to the regular one, with yeast. Only instead of modern yeast they use a more natural and natural product for fermentation - bee bread. It is enough to take it at the rate of 100 grams per kilogram of honey. The rest of the recipe follows the same technology.

Video: homemade mead.

Storage and consumption of mead

This drink was always consumed on major holidays. Therefore, almost everything that was prepared at the time was used as an appetizer. Today, you can drink mead at any time, even for no reason, and therefore snacks can be more refined. For example, it is considered a good option when it is eaten with Svalya or Gouda cheese. Sweet option The drink can be eaten with melon or fruit. A to strong recipe Porcini mushrooms and even fried sausages are suitable. How to drink mead is more a matter of taste than any rules.

But the storage of such a drink must be competent, so as not to spoil it and harm your health.

it is believed that if you take the drink out into the cold, it will lose all its properties;
If earlier mead was stored in wooden barrels, today it has become a good replacement glass containers. But metal utensils can spoil the taste of the drink;

From ancient times to today, traditional folk drink mead is extremely popular. Of course, our grandfathers knew a lot about good drinking, because its taste, quality and beneficial features familiar in our time.

Historical facts

Even in ancient times in Rus', the well-known drink was called “medok” or “honey,” and the process of brewing it was long and quite complex. Fermentation took place in oak barrels, which were buried in the ground for 15 years. It is unlikely that today's connoisseurs will want to follow such a recipe, but true gourmets will find their charm in it.

As a rule, the predominantly strong mead is especially popular among the Slavic people. This indicator is given to the drink not by alcohol, but by yeast and hops.
In order to understand how to make mead correctly, you only need theoretical knowledge; no special equipment or premises are required. You just need to know the basic rules and patterns, and then you can experiment as you please. It is imperative to adhere to the key steps of the recipe and follow the suggested recommendations.

Description

Another name is “honey wine,” which is characterized as a low-strength alcoholic drink produced by fermenting yeast. The classic recipe contains water, honey and hops, resulting in a pleasant and light drink.

It is also very welcome when added to drinks additional ingredients, such as berries, aromatic herbs and fruits, and you can also experiment with varieties of honey.

For those who want to understand how to make mead at home, you need to know that it is prepared from both old and young honey. A properly infused and brewed drink is slightly intoxicating, but always leaves your head sober, and it has also been noted that after consuming it, a hangover rarely occurs. The strength starts at 3 degrees, and for connoisseurs of more masculine drinks, there are other recipes that use vodka or moonshine for strengthening. Thanks to this, you can raise the strength to 75 degrees.

Kinds

For those wondering how to make mead, you need to know that there are many varieties. Depending on the ingredients used for fermentation, there are:

hop - has a bitter taste, as hops are added to it;
hearty or boiled - boiling is used in the cooking process;
fake - herbs and spices are sent into it;
fortified - the degree must be increased with the help of vodka or moonshine;
set - prepared without boiling honey;
non-alcoholic.

Beneficial features

This drink is the most healing among all alcoholic drinks. Very often, mead is prepared together with honeycombs and bristles. And even if you don’t add these miraculous ingredients, it contains honey, and everything that bee products are rich in also goes into the drink. Has the following beneficial properties:

used to prevent impotence in men;
treats bronchopulmonary diseases;
helps with colds;
has antimicrobial and antiallergenic effect;
improves digestion;
has diaphoretic and diuretic properties.

Negative properties

Despite great amount positive qualities, the drink can also cause harm to the body. Overdose is considered the most dangerous, because mead is an alcoholic drink that large quantities is poison. It should also not be used by people who are intolerant or allergic to honey. Alcohol even in minimum quantities harms pregnant women and nursing mothers.

What to snack on?

Those craftsmen who know how to make mead understand that this drink is almost always not eaten as a snack, but rather consumed as a refreshing drink. But still, it will go perfectly with banana, pear and durum varieties cheeses Great to drink with cranberry juice and a melon. Smoked and fried sausages are also great as a snack.

How to make mead from honey at home?

All sorts of honey add interesting flavors and richness to the drink. If you use low-quality raw materials, then even during the fermentation process the drink will begin to smell bad, and it will be considered spoiled.

Therefore, if you want to prepare such a drink, you need to use only high-quality honey, and the type and duration of its storage will depend only on personal preferences. There are countless recipes for preparing such a strong drink, so each gourmet independently chooses the best one for himself.

Mead made from old honey

This version of the drink is considered a classic and is prepared very often, as it is generally accepted.

Ingredients:

1.5 kg of old honey;
5 grams of dry yeast;
11 liters of clean water;
12 grams of hop cones.

To prepare, you need to do the following:

Pour the prepared liquid into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Then add honey in small portions, stirring constantly. This is done in order to avoid the composition from burning to the bottom of the container.
The syrup is boiled for no more than 5 minutes; if foam begins to form, it is removed. After it stops appearing, hop cones, previously finely chopped with a knife, are added. Then you can turn off the heat and cover the container with a lid.
The temperature is measured using a thermometer; it should be 45 degrees. Diluted yeast is added to this composition, and the pan is sent to a dry and warm place. So it should remain for about 5 days until the set level is fermented.
After this period, the composition must be passed through a pair of fairly dense gauze shells, thereby clearing the liquid of sediment, after which it becomes suitable for bottling. To do this, it is recommended to use sterile bottles, then they need to be tightly closed and stored in a room with a temperature of up to 14 degrees for 5 days. For those who want to understand how to make mead at home, you need to know that every day it is recommended to reduce the pressure in the bottles by uncorking the container, as an explosion may occur.

This “honey beer” is stored at a temperature of 10-12 degrees for no more than 1 month. Shake the drink well before drinking. This recipe is traditional, the drink has a rich taste of honey and leaves an excellent aftertaste.

Those who know how to make mead from old honey claim that if it is required that the drink be successful and not turn into sour vinegar, you need to choose the right fermentation accelerator.

Such traditional recipe allows you to be confident that the required process will start quickly, thereby preserving the taste of the drink. It is better to use brewer's yeast for this purpose, since baker's yeast is of little use.

On alcohol

The use of saturated alcohol in regular recipe adds significant strength to the future drink. Mead made with alcohol comes out rich and quite intoxicating.

Ingredients:

2 kg honey
2 liters of clean water;
lemon peels;
1 l. 75% alcohol.

Practical part:

The crusts are first filled with alcohol for a day, and then the resulting liquid is filtered.
The water is sent to the pan, and at the moment of boiling, honey is gradually introduced, then everything is cooked over moderate heat for 4 hours.
After turning off and cooling, add alcohol and leave the composition for 14 days in a warm place to ferment. After a few weeks, filter using thick gauze and keep in a cold place for 5 months in order for the required level of strength to form.

By leaps and bounds

Ingredients:

300 grams of honey;
2 liters of water;
5 grams of dry yeast.

It’s very easy to make mead at home according to the recipe; you just need to follow the algorithm of actions.

The water is brought to a boil, after boiling honey is added. The mixture is boiled over moderate heat for 15 minutes with regular stirring. It is imperative to get rid of the foam that is created during cooking.
After preparing the syrup, it is cooled, and yeast is added to the water in portions. The resulting mixture is redistributed into dry containers, a water seal is installed, and everything is sent to a warm place for a week.
At the end of the above period, the composition is filtered through cheesecloth and again put away in a cool place for a couple of days. After this, the product is already prepared for drinking, but if you increase the aging time, there is a possibility of getting a richer taste and stronger strength.

With yeast (without boiling)

Ingredients:

300 grams of honey;
1 liter of clean water;
4 grams brewer's yeast
spices for flavor.

Every lover of this drink should know how to make mead from honey, because the algorithm of actions is simple and anyone can repeat it:

You will need an enamel container of optimal volume.
Honey is dissolved in clean water, and then dry yeast and aromatic spices are introduced. Cinnamon and cloves are most often used, and the rest is optional.
Next, the mass is sent under a water seal for a day for natural fermentation.
After time, filter the drink through several strong layers of gauze, distribute into bottles and send to a cool place or cellar for several months, this is considered very simple recipe. Every master knows how to make mead in this version so that it is more rich. For this purpose it is kept long time, the longer this period, the tastier the drink.

No yeast or boiling

Ingredients:

0.5 kg dark buckwheat honey;
1 liter of freshly squeezed berry juice (blackberries, strawberries, cherries or cranberries);
4-6 hop cones.

Everyone knows how to make mead according to the recipe, because you just need to follow the steps listed below.

To prepare the juice, only fresh berries are used, which should not be washed before the extraction process.
You will also need an oak barrel into which the drink is sent.
All ingredients are mixed in one container and placed in a dark place for a week. This mass should be stirred daily, preventing the fermentation process from stalling.
Those who know how to make mead say that after a week without straining, you need to pour the liquid into an oak barrel, trying not to get any sediment. The barrel is sealed with a special wedge, which can be replaced with a tap in the future, after which you need to leave everything in the cellar or in any other cool place.

This drink is aged for quite a long time, at least three years. The longer this process drags on, the tastier and richer the mead will be. The indicator also significantly affects the strength. Therefore, those who want to quickly try the prepared drink need to know how to make mead at home using yeast according to classic recipe.

How to store?

If you contain the drink incorrectly, you can reduce its beneficial properties. Using industrial production it is often pasteurized, thereby destroying its healing properties. But if you know certain tricks, you can extend the shelf life of the drink as long as possible and improve its taste.

If you have oak barrels at home, then you definitely need to know how to make mead, because this perfect option for storing it. Glass containers are also perfect for this. If there is a cellar, then the prepared containers with the contents need to be placed in it. Storage in the refrigerator is also allowed; it is important that the temperature is between +5 and -10 degrees. It is forbidden to pour the drink into metal containers, as the taste will inevitably deteriorate. It is preferable to put the container in a dark place. “Honey champagne” is prohibited from freezing, as its properties will be lost.

Honey is of key importance in preparing the drink. It is he who is responsible for the taste characteristics. Therefore, his choice must be taken very seriously. You should also figure out how to make mead at home. The simple recipe is perfect for beginners who want to get the finished product immediately, but gourmets will enjoy recipes that take longer to prepare.

To prevent honey from burning during boiling, you need to constantly monitor this stage and stir the mass.
The foam that forms on the surface during brewing can make the drink cloudy, and it will lose its presentable appearance, and sediment will also form. That is why it must be removed.
It is recommended to add additives and spices to mead based on personal preference. One of the best flavors is lemongrass, which adds a unique piquancy.
The drink should be drunk chilled, but in winter time You can prepare healthy nectar by pre-heating it.
It is better to store mead at a temperature of +10 degrees and away from the sun. It is not recommended to freeze the drink, as all the beneficial properties of the drink will be lost.
Ideal as a snack ripe melons, pears, and a variety of cheeses.

Few people are familiar with the taste of real and high-quality homemade mead. After all, modern mead, which is sold in stores, is very different from the real thing. But why not try making this magical drink yourself?

General cooking principles

For recipes, it is better to use a light type of honey, preferably a white product, this will affect the color of the future drink. It must have an unsurpassed aroma and taste;
The drink ferments for five days. After this time, it turns out fragrant and sparkling drink, but cloudy;
You can use yeast or hop cones in the recipe. Yeast will speed up the fermentation process several times. And hop cones leave a yeast taste;
It is better to use brewer's yeast;
After adding honey to the water, you need to keep an eye on the syrup. it may stick to the bottom of the container;
To prevent the drink from becoming cloudy, it is necessary to remove the foam formed during fermentation;
The drink is consumed both warm and hot;
The fermentation process is controlled in two ways;
In the first case, a hole is made in the lid and put on rubber glove, after a while the glove will swell, it is removed and the fire is brought on, if it does not burn, the process is over;
In the second case, a tube is inserted into the hole, and the other end is placed in a separate container with water. When bubbles stop coming from the tube, the process is over;
The mixture must be cooled before adding yeast, otherwise the yeast will not dissolve;
If you leave the drink for six months, the result will be viscous, aromatic and Reviver;
Use a piece of cloth or a rubber glove as a water seal;
There are two types of mead: a drink obtained as a result of fermentation and alcohol tincture with honey.

Homemade mead “Classic”

Cooking time

calorie content per 100 grams

The classic recipe for the drink is passed down from generation to generation. However, many people experiment and add various spices at their own discretion. To evaluate real taste mead, it is recommended to prepare it according to the classic recipe. And add your favorite seasonings in subsequent portions.

Cooking steps:

This recipe is one of the most expensive. A large amount of honey is required for preparation, but the resulting drink is worth it.

Cooking time: 270 minutes.
Calorie content: 101 kcal.

Cooking steps:

Dissolve in water. Place the resulting syrup on the burner and bring to a boil;
After this, reduce the heat and simmer for three hours;
After the specified time, add hops. Wrap the hops in cheesecloth with a weighting agent;
It is necessary that the hops be at the very bottom;
Leave to cook for another hour over low heat;
Cool the mixture and strain;
Pour into bottles, making sure they are only 4/5 full. Place the drink in a warm but dark place. The temperature must be maintained at least 18 degrees;
Foam will form during the fermentation process. After a month, the drink can be consumed.

If the drink has stood for too long, then strong tea is added to it.

“Lite” mead (without yeast)

This recipe allows you to prepare a drink that is not strong, compared to classic version. In addition, the preparation time for this recipe is several times longer than for other drinks. Sometimes, to improve the taste, they add various berries. This recipe contains raisins; they can be replaced with other favorite berries.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.
Calorie content: 74 kcal.

Cooking steps:

Dissolve the required amount of honey in cool water. It is better to stand the water;
Soak the raisins well, strain off the water, and add to the syrup;
Cover the neck of the dish with a small piece of gauze folded into several balls;
Place the container in a warm place;
In a few days the fermentation process will begin. As soon as this happens, strain the future drink through cheesecloth. It must be folded in several layers;
Leave in a cool place;
The drink will be ready in 90 days.

Mead with raspberries

Any new components in the recipe affect the taste qualities drink Lovers of this drink note that it is raspberries that can emphasize and improve the taste of mead.

Cooking time: 20 minutes.
Calorie content: 91 kcal.

Cooking steps:

Boil water and dissolve honey in it;
Simmer the resulting syrup for five minutes;
Cool the resulting consistency to approximately 45 degrees;
Grind the raspberries well and add the resulting pulp to the syrup;
Add the yeast; it must be dissolved in advance;
Close the resulting solution and leave until fermentation. This process takes approximately 2 days;
After this, strain and distribute the future drink into bottles;
This drink will be infused for two weeks, after which it can be consumed.

Fragrant mead with beebread and lemon without yeast

This recipe does not use yeast. Their function is performed by raisins and bee bread.

Cooking time: 25 minutes.
Calorie content: 79 kcal.

Cooking steps:

Heat the water, but do not bring it to a boil;
Dissolve honey in this water;
Then add lemon juice, spices, raisins and bee bread;
In this recipe, it is better not to wash the raisins, otherwise you can wash out the substances necessary for fermentation;
Leave the future drink for fermentation;
After this stage, distribute it into bottles;
Leave for 3-4 months to infuse.

This drink is tasty and healthy, since no chemicals are used to make it. It is used as a means to fight and prevent colds.

This recipe has been tested by many professionals and amateurs. The quantity and list of spices depends on your personal preferences.

INGREDIENTS	QUANTITY
water	10 l
honey	1.5 kg
dried ginger	5 g
coriander	5 g
mint	3 g
nutmeg	2 g
cardamom	2 g
St. John's wort	2 g
star anise	1 g
wine yeast	3 g

Cooking time: 55 minutes.
Calorie content: 98 kcal.

Cooking steps:

Choose a cooking container slightly larger than the amount of water required;
Heat the water to about 50 degrees;
Add into it and stir until completely dissolved;
As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for two hours;
Periodically it is necessary to stir and remove foam;
Mash all the spices using a rolling pin and place in a container with syrup;
You can make a bag and place spices there, this will improve the filtration process;
Leave the spices in the syrup for 15 minutes;
Cool the resulting solution to 20 degrees;
At this time, dilute the yeast in warm water With a small amount Sahara;
Instead of wine yeast beer can be used. But it is not recommended to use baking ones. They will give the drink a yeasty taste;
Pass the resulting syrup through several layers of gauze and introduce the yeast;
Stir the resulting solution. During mixing, the liquid will be filled with oxygen. This will improve the functioning of the yeast;
Close the container with a lid with a hole;
Leave for fermentation in a warm place, the temperature should be maintained at least 18 degrees;
Fermentation takes 1-1.5 months;
Separate the sediment from the main part of the liquid and filter several times;
Put a spoonful of honey into the bottles and pour the resulting mead, close the lid;
Store mead for a week at room temperature. Then store it in the cellar.

To get a richer taste, add lemongrass;
Can be stored in the refrigerator or cellar. For storage use a glass or wooden container. It is also necessary to exclude exposure to sunlight;
Freezing the drink is strictly prohibited;
Berries not only give the drink a special aroma, but also release their beneficial substances;
The color and consistency of the drink depends on the infusion time. The longer it sits, the stronger, more aromatic and denser it will be;
During fermentation, the drink will release gases. Therefore, the container should not be tightly closed. Otherwise the bottle will explode;
Before bottling the drink, it is first drained and then passed through several layers of cloth or gauze;
It is better to use enamel cookware;
Spices can be added only after the foam has been skimmed from the syrup;
A good place for fermentation would be under a radiator or heater;
The foam that forms on the third day of fermentation indicates the correctness of your actions;
Sterility must be maintained during the process.

Homemade mead, a simple recipe for which we will give below, has long been an exquisite alcoholic drink. Today you can not only buy it in a store, but also make it yourself. But we will look at how exactly to do it and what is needed for this in our article.

Mead can be made with the addition of various ingredients, but the classic recipe is considered especially tasty. In order to start enjoying the original intoxicating drink, you will not have to wait more than six days (the original mead will infuse during these days).

Ingredients:

300-350 g of liquid honey;
2 liters of water;
1 tsp yeast;
5 g hops;
nutmeg;
cinnamon.

Preparation

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Carefully pour in the honey while continuously stirring the drink. After boiling for five minutes, you will need to skim off the foam.
Then add some hops, a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, turn off the gas and cover the pan with a lid. The drink should cool in such conditions to 50 degrees.
As soon as the future mead has cooled to this temperature, you should add required quantity yeast, according to the recipe.
Set the pan aside (not in the refrigerator, but in a warm place) and after 3 days, transfer the aromatic liquid to glass jar. Prepare a special lid for this container to remove air and cover your workpiece.
After 6 days, pour the mead into another pan to remove any sediment that has accumulated at the bottom. Ideally, you should strain the sweet drink through cheesecloth or a special sieve.
After the mead has finished filtering, pour it into dry plastic or glass containers. Store the drink in a cool room or refrigerator.

Little trick: if you want to make sure that the fermentation process is already at the final stage, then just look at the outlet (the hose that sticks out of the lid). So, if no bubbles are visible in the liquid near the outlet, then fermentation is over.

Homemade mead recipe

Mead, which is prepared for home or guests, is good because almost any yeast can be used for it: brewer's or culinary. The main thing is that this simple ingredient is of high quality and fresh. Everyone will especially love homemade mead, which is made from large quantity water.

Ingredients:

10 liters of water;
1.5 kg of honey (not necessarily liquid);
10 g hop cones;
3 g yeast.

Preparation

Pour water into the pan and turn on the gas at full power. Add honey to the boiling liquid, mix the mixture thoroughly and leave it to boil for 5 minutes.
As foam forms, remove it with a spoon carefully so that parts of it do not begin to dissolve in the sweet water. As soon as it stops forming under boiling conditions, add the hops, cover and remove the pan from the heat.
Take a separate container and fill it hot water(less than a liter), sweeten and dissolve the yeast. This mass will be ready when you notice that it has risen.
Pay attention to the water with honey and hops. Has it already cooled down to 50°C? If yes, then add yeast mixture to it.
Cover the pan with a lid and hide it in a warm place for five days (there is no need to cover the container additionally) for a successful fermentation process.
According to the recipe, after five days you should remove the hops from the pan, and strain the almost finished mead through a cloth, pour into large containers and place in a cool place.
In a week, homemade mead can be sent as a gift to your friends or will decorate your home table.

Little trick: If you think that the most important thing in mead is the freshest hops or honey, then you are not entirely right. It is very important to ensure that all required equipment is available. Take care of pots or large containers in advance.

Recipe for mead from any honey

Have you already tried mead made from linden honey and really liked it? Are you afraid that other varieties, types and variants of honey may result in a different drink? No wonder you are afraid! The honey brew will indeed turn out different, but no less tasty and strong. Don't be afraid to experiment and use any honey you like.

Ingredients:

2 liters of water;
300 g honey;
5 g hops;
nutmeg;
1 tsp yeast.

Preparation

Take an enamel pan in which you need to boil water and gradually dissolve any honey (the volume is indicated in the recipe) that you have available.
Boil this mass for about 5 minutes, do not be lazy to stir the future drink and make sure that the mead does not burn. As the aromatic brew boils, foam will appear, which should be skimmed off.
The foam will not form for long. Once it's dry, add hop cones to the pan. Next, add nutmeg, stir the mixture and cover with a lid.
Take another container, add 200 ml of water, sweeten it and dissolve the yeast. Leave this solution for about an hour at room temperature. After about 60 minutes, you will notice bubbles - a signal that the yeast is ready.
Cool the contents enamel pan up to 50 C. Pour in the dissolved yeast, cover the container with a special lid with a water seal and leave for the fermentation process to proceed successfully. You can make a water seal yourself using an extended hose that fits hermetically into the container.
How to check if mead is ready? If there is no foam on the surface, then you can filter the liquid through gauze (2-3 layers) and bottle it. Then you should tightly close the containers and put them in the refrigerator (not in the freezer) for 5 days.

Little trick: Have you just finished making the honey solution? Can't wait to add dissolved yeast to it? Don't rush, because you could ruin a delicious drink. It is very important to let the honey solution cool and only then pour the yeast into it. They will die in the hot mixture and you won’t be able to enjoy the delicious food.

Old honey mead recipe

There can never be too much honey! Everyone constantly buys it in stores, brings it from apiaries or collects it with their own hands. Sometimes it is not possible to consume, give away or sell all of it, and there remains a little honey that has managed to become sugary and lose its attractive appearance. It can and should be used to create mead!

Ingredients:

10 liters of water;
1.5 kg of hardened honey;
10 g hops;
3 g yeast (bread).

Preparation

Take a stainless steel container and bring the water in it to boiling point.
The next step is to dissolve the honey in the liquid. Also remember to stir the mixture as it cooks. Boil sweet water 3 minutes, remove the foam at the same time.
Once foam has stopped forming, add the hop cones, stir and remove from heat. Don't forget to cover everything with a lid.
Take another pan and dissolve the yeast in the sugared water, give it a chance to rise. Pour yeast into the cooled simple honey solution (up to a temperature of 40 degrees), cover the future mead with a lid and leave it to ferment in a warm place.
Wait 5 days and remove hops from liquid, then bottle spicy drink for plastic containers. Close the lids tightly and set the mead in a dark, cool place (no more than 14 C).
After two days, open the bottles, close them again and be patient for another 5 days.

Little tricks: Never try to fill bottles or any other containers with fermented mead to the top. Use 90% of the volume, because exceeding this limit does not protect you from exploding containers.

Dry mead recipe

Almost every recipe alcoholic drink homemade honey flavor includes yeast. If there is no dry, brewer's or culinary yeast in the house, then there is no reason to be upset. You can prepare a flavorful brew without this ingredient.

Ingredients:

1 liter of water;
2 kg of honey;
4 kg cherries.

Mead is a special drink. Many of us know the expression “drink honey” from old fairy tales. Today the art of mead making is almost lost. Despite the fact that technology could become the main idea of any Russian restaurant and bring it fame, not a single businessman has thought about it yet. Mead is a local, local drink that was prepared only in Rus' and nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, today only certain people know from old honey. Few people are familiar with the taste of this drink, since it cannot be bought in a store. 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 mead.

Supermarket assortment

Indeed, readers might argue that many stores have bottles with the same name on their liquor shelves. But nothing to do with old drink they do not have. Often you are offered a honey tincture, which is prepared by mixing a bee product with water and alcohol. In apiaries they do things differently; they know how to make mead from old honey. But most often they use fast technology by adding yeast. In this case, the drink wins back quickly: within a few days the product can be sold. But this is also an unoriginal recipe.

Vintage technology

In Kievan Rus there was no modern equipment, and the recipes were passed down from generation to generation, and the results were fantastic. In the chronicles you can read how to make mead from old honey. That drink was kept in it without any hops or yeast. Berries, cherries, cranberries, plums or rose hips were added to it. There were also recipes according to which various spices were added to the raw materials. This will make the taste more noble.

A little about the history of the drink

It should be noted that fresh beekeeping products have always been extremely valuable for humans. Nutritious, healthy, easy enough to digest, it is a ready source of energy, vitamins and amino acids. But if the honey stagnated or began to ferment, then it could no longer be eaten. Therefore, new recipes began to appear. As already mentioned, back in Ancient Rus' it was known how to make mead from old honey.

In the old days, Russian cities were famous for their mead making. The strength of this drink varied - from 5 to 16%. In ancient notes you can find several versions of recipes, each of which had its own twist. Juniper berries, a cinnamon stick, cloves or even hot pepper were added to the drink.

Waiting time

If you want to prepare this drink at home, then it is extremely important to study the technology in advance, because otherwise you can ruin the whole process at the very beginning. Therefore, today we want to take a closer look at how to make mead from honey. not too complicated, but, like everywhere else, it has its own subtleties.

In the standard version, the preparation time is 5 days. However, do not delude yourself that after this period you will be able to enjoy the drink. Mead looks like cloudy champagne, is carbonated, but not very tasty. If after this you pour it into wooden barrel and leave for 3-6 months, the taste will change for the better. It will become less playful, but more fragrant. The strength increases, 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 are transferred into the drink.

Ancient recipe

It was especially popular in the 19th century. Its special feature is its amazing aroma. This is achieved due to the fact that it is not subjected to heat treatment, that is, boiling. Thanks to this, the most delicious mead is obtained. This homemade recipe allows you to make an amazing light drink that resembles aromatic kvass.

This version does not use yeast. Thanks to which the final product is clean, transparent and tasty. You may be wondering if it can be given to children. It is easy to answer this question if you know the technology for preparing the product, what its composition is, honey prepared according to this recipe contains no more than 2% alcohol. Therefore, it can be consumed by all family members, in moderate doses, of course.

Features of the technological process

Making mead from honey old recipe is not difficult, except for the fact that the drink needs to be kept in a wooden container. So, you will need to take a liter of water. There is a small nuance here: it needs to be boiled, but be sure to cool. This amount will require 50 g of honey and the same amount fresh grapes or raisins. It is best to take berries. Dried raisins can cause your drink to become moldy.

Rinse the berries well. Then the cooking process is very simple: you need to add honey and water - and let it ferment. The jar must be closed and the mixture left for two days at room temperature. If the room is not the warmest, and there is no sun outside, then the fermentation process may continue longer. During this process, a lot of gases are released, so if you seal the jar tightly, it will explode. You can cover 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. One side of it should hang over the liquid in the vessel, and the other should be lowered into a bowl of water. This way, gases can escape freely from the drink.

Second phase

And we continue to look at how to make mead from honey without yeast. Next, filter the liquid using gauze. Now all that remains is 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. Literally in 2-3 months the drink will be ready.

When you prepare a drink for the first time, you can only focus on the criteria we propose. However, after a few times you will be able to determine by taste when the mead is ready. The product of the first fermentation has a sweet taste and many 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 please yourself and your family with an excellent drink.

Fermentation products

Speaking about how to make mead from honey, it is worth noting that the risk of poisoning from such a drink is zero. Of course, the fermentation process is the result of bacterial activity, and there is always a risk of developing pathogenic microflora. There is no need to worry about this. Kvass and lactic acid bacteria completely displace harmful microbes.

Many people think that raisins are needed solely for flavor. In fact, its main function is precisely to cause fermentation processes. If you plan to prepare the drink several times in a row, then you do not need to drain the old one completely. Then the young one will mature much faster.

Making a drink from old honey

Probably, everyone has encountered a situation where honey was purchased in bulk in quite a significant amount, several years have passed, a fresh product has already been purchased, but no one wants to eat the old one anymore. Of course, it would be a shame to throw it away. In this case great solution there will be mead made from old honey. It doesn’t seem difficult to do at home.

If above we described the recipe for prepared mead, which is distinguished by its exquisite, fresh taste and low content alcohol, then a boiled drink is most often prepared from old, candied raw materials. To prepare it, beekeepers use any leftovers. Honey barrels are soaked, and everything that lags behind their walls is also used.

Honey cooking technology

So, on our agenda is delicious mead. The recipe for making (at home, of course) this drink comes down to the following. You will need 10 liters of water, 1.5 kg of honey, 10 g of hop cones and 3 g bread yeast. The process involves heat treatment. Water should be poured into a container and brought to boiling temperature. Let us immediately warn you that prolonged heating of honey above 40 degrees leads to the formation of a dangerous toxin. However, we will take this property into account.

Now add old honey to the water and start stirring so that it does not burn. Literally after three minutes, remove the foam, add hops and remove from heat. Don't forget to cover the container with a lid. Now you need to wait until the temperature drops to 45 degrees. Then add the yeast, cover and place in a warm place to ferment. All that remains is to strain the drink through cheesecloth and pour into small containers.

Mead made from honey and yeast must age. To do this, it is closed with corks and lowered into the cellar. After two days you need to lower your blood pressure. Bottles must be carefully opened and closed again. Now the wait will be 4-5 days. Ready drink has a champagne flavor. It has a short shelf life, so it is important to use the product within 2-3 weeks. Get ready to treat your relatives and friends delicious drink. There are not many degrees in it, so it is perfect even for women.

Strong mead

This recipe is ideal for those who prefer strong alcoholic drinks. Thick, spicy taste Men will definitely appreciate it. If you are looking for a recipe on how to make mead from fermented honey, then better option can not found. Although here you need to pay attention to this point. Good honey cannot ferment, it is bactericidal. That is, it may not be exactly honey. In any case, if sweet product 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 medical alcohol(50%), 5 g hops and spices. This can be nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom to taste. The solution of honey and water must be kept on low heat for 30 minutes. There is no need to bring to a boil and it is very important to stir occasionally. Don't forget to remove the foam in time.

When the solution has cooled to 45 degrees, add the remaining 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. Alcohol is added to it before consumption. Such mead from sour honey will become excellent option for a warm male company.

Mead made with bread yeast

You can try different variants preparing the 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 making mead, which has a magnificent bouquet, a little reminiscent of delicious kvass.

You will need to take a kilogram of honey and five liters of water, yeast and 100 g white bread. Black kvass is used, but here it will stand out from the overall composition. The cooking process is not too different from the one already described. Boil honey dissolved 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 to ferment. The end of the process will be indicated by the disappearance of foam. Now filter and, if desired, add apple or lemon juice.

For fully cooked 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. All that remains is to pour it into bottles and put it in the cellar. This drink cannot be stored for a long time, so there is no point in preparing it a year in advance. But while it's fresh, treat your friends.