Sumerian Ale

Take 8 gallons of water, set it over a clear fire (Stovetop will also work) and when it is warm, stir in 16 pounds of Meadow Brook Farms Honey. NOTE: You may consider using our darker honey for this brew, it has a stronger flavor that compliments the flavor of the brew. Next mix honey thoroughly with the hot water, remove from flame, and skim off any floating scum that forms. Cut Nutmegs into quarters and return over heat and bring to a boil for at least 1 hour. Remove from heat and mix in 2 good hand full of ground Barley Malt. Stir frequently with large wooden spoon, or large wooden stirring instrument, until mixture has thoroughly cooled to 85 deg. F.  Strain mixture through clean Cotton cloth in to a clean Stainless Steel, or glass tub container. Prepare Ale yeast, and stir in to the mixture thoroughly. Let sit for 24 hours at room temperature, before bottling, and store in dark, cool area (60 Deg.) for at least 3 weeks to a month before drinking.

             Mead Recipe

  Since before recorded history mankind has been enjoying mead. Long ago it was thought of as an aphrodisiac that had mystical qualities. Some have compared its subtleties to wine. Mead can be difficult to find for sale at your local retailer. In fact, the only way you might be able to sample this exotic beverage is to brew some yourself. As a home brewer you should welcome the opportunity to try this unique and distinct beverage. Take a look at the illustrated step by step approach, which is located below.

What is mead?
HINT: Notice all of the bees?

Mead is a beverage made from a combination of three key ingredients: Honey, water and yeast. The drink has a taste that is both soft and sweet. Once you try some you will want to make your own. If you want to sample mead, try asking your local wine retailer if they stock it or are able to order some for you.

Mead appreciation, like wine, is hampered by a long conditioning process. A good waiting period for basic mead is one year in the bottle. However, if you are impatient like I am, you can drink mead after just a few months. Some mead's are conditioned for years.

Mead can pack a punch too. An average mead contains between 12-15% alcohol. That's equivalent to 2 1/2 home-brews. A mead drinker will enjoy the pure ingredients of a good glass of mead. If you attempt this concoction you too can claim to have shared in the treasured beverage along with Plato, King Arthur, Aprodite, and of course, Zeus (others too).

   Mead, like beer and wine, can be brewed with both fruits and spices. As you can see from the varieties section below, a basic honey wine is called mead and any diversion from that historical beverage not only changes characteristics, but the name as well.

An Englishman, Sir Kenelme Digbe (1669) came up with this nifty recipe..."As I made it weak for the Queen Mother: Take 18 quarts of spring-water, and one quart of honey; when the water is warm, put the honey into it. When it boils up, skim it very well, and continue skimming it, as long as any scum will rise. Then put in one Race of Ginger (sliced in thin slices), four cloves, and a little sprig of green Rosemary. Let this boil in the Liquor so long, till in all it has boiled one hour. Then set it to cool, till it is blood-warm; and then put into it a spoonful of Ale-yeast. When it is worked up, put it into a vessel of a fit size; after two or three days bottle it up. You may drink it after six weeks, or two months. Thus was the Hydromel made that I gave the Queen, which was exceedingly liked by everybody."

  12 to 15lbs. Honey: (Meadow Brook Farms Honey should be used here but any clover variety will suit the job. Other varieties of honey yield different results, if you have the opportunity to experiment, you will enjoy the different subtleties that each has to offer.)

5 Gallons Water (It's your choice: Ordinary tap, filtered, or bottled. We used tap water, which was from a underground well, very tasty.)

Sweet, Dry, or Champagne Yeast (our yeast was of a liquid variety called Sweet Mead. Its characteristics include a reduced alcohol tolerance, which produces fruity sweet mead with tremendous honey aroma)

Essentially, our mead contains pretty much the same ingredients, minus the spices for simplicity, as Mr. Digbe's recipe states. However, he has failed to mention the need for sterilization. We used B-Brite, an oxidizing cleanser. As with any home-brewed recipe, sterilization of the equipment is of the utmost importance, since some bad bacteria, not killed, can ruin your whole batch. Follow the directions on the container and plan for enough time to allow for the B-Brite to do its job. We have also used apple juice to make the starter in. A starter, simply stated is your liquid yeast (or dried) mixed with some fermentative medium in a sterilized container set aside. By allowing the yeast to activate, before pitching it into your fermenting container, you enable the yeast cells to multiply and create a stronger yeast population. This greater population activates on the sugars in your mead faster, and thereby, makes alcohol quicker. ; This alcohol kills off any wild yeast strains in your mead that reduces the risk of contamination. You'll need some type of fermentation vessel. We have used a sterilized carboy. It has been rinsed and filled it about 1/3 full with cool water. The funnel awaits the honey, but first...
 Loosen the honey by soaking the bottles in some very hot tap water. (Those bees had to work very hard for your mead make every drop count) bring a 1/2 pot of water to a boil and then add the 15 pounds of warmed honey.  A strange foam will rise to the top, skim it off with a spoon. Do this until the honey does not bring foam to the top. (The foam actually consists of proteins which you are removing from the honey)  Cool the skimmed mixture in a sink with cold water. You might want to change the water a few times, as this will speed the cooling process. After the honey mixture has cooled, pour the mixture into a carboy or plastic-fermenting container previously filled 1/3 with cold water.  Add your yeast starter, fill the bottle to rinse out the every last drop of the residue, and add this to your fermenting container. Place the assembled airlock in a stopper and seal off the fermenting container. Place the fermenting container in a cool and dark location.

  Check the fermenting container during the first week and notice whether there is a bubbling action either from the airlock or inside the fermenting container. When you see bubbling, all is going well. The yeast is taking action on sugars in the honey and both are letting off carbon dioxide and alcohol. After a week or two you need to rack the mead into another sterilized container, being careful not to disturb the contents at the bottom of the current fermenting container. Discard the spent remains from the old fermenting container and place the airlock on the new vessel. Every few months rack the mead until there is no residue (or a very small amount) at the bottom of the fermenting container. You can bottle the mead at this point.

One more reminder is to take a sample taste of the mead each time you rack it. This will give you a good idea early on if there is a problem. Once again, never put unsterilized equipment, or fingers in contact with your brewed beverages.

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