Home mead

Stamp: ancient drink

The secret to cooking hot fragrant

winter cocktail.

Vera Semina

Mead recipes very much, in every region of Russia are preparing a unique intoxicating drink, which can be low-alcohol or have a fortress almost 70 degrees. It all depends on honey fermentation technology.

Mead is an ancient Russian drink, without which no cost, no significant event and holiday. To this day, it can be found, for example, on the village wedding, she enjoys popularity among the tourists who arrive at the Shukshin in the Altai region, serving mead and the Urals.

The history of the beverage

Drink honey prepared by almost all the nations, beginning from the Slavs and ending with the Germans, with the only difference being that it is in Russia to use pure honey nectar with no added water. He wandered in ten barrels, or even twenty years. The drink was so delicious that was equal to the drink of the gods.

Particular successes in the preparation of mead rightfully belong to the Slavs. No wonder the Russian fairy tales the good characters are drinking in a way "honey let the sun", while the sovereign prosperity flowing "rivers of honey." Meads were ritualistic in nature, it is known that pagans brought cups as a gift to the gods. impure force was ordered entry into the house, where the front door stood a honey nectar. Some peoples believed that mead is able to heal many diseases and to return to the dead life. The drink is recommended to drink only before meals. It was believed that it helps digestion and was of a ritual character. Later, when there was vodka, which was easier and quicker to prepare, mead receded. The meaning and rituals associated with this drink gradually began to fade from memory, but not disappeared. The recipes were not written down anywhere, but simply handed down. To date, true recipe for mead lost. But Slav would not be a Slav, if not at least once tried to cook the famous drink.

Features cooking

The main ingredient in mead is, of course, honey. Modern craftsmen prepare mead using yeast and hop cones. Some use juice instead of water. To give drink elegance added and various spices - cinnamon or cardamom, ginger or raisins. All this is added to at will and taste.

To 500 grams of honey ferment should be diluted with 3 liters of lukewarm warm water or juice, simmered boil and hold it in this state for five minutes. The resulting foam is removed, allowed to cool leaven about 40 ° C and the yeast was added into it (less than 1 teaspoon) 5 hops and spices. Next, the liquid should be left in a dark warm place, where it will ferment. To get a decent taste mead should infuse at least a week. Once the gases have ceased to stand, drink can be poured into bottles and put the brew. This drink will make any occasion special, returning the lost traditions.