How to make metheglin

[mr x]

Adding flavouring to a mead creates this ancient drink, says John Wright

Metheglin, which is simply a flavoured mead, pre-dates even wine made from grapes, so it is a pity it has gone out of fashion.

Mead was one of the first drinks I ever tried (owing to a girlfriend who took a worrying interest in Celtic rituals in which mead was apparently an essential ingredient). But beware of asking for it in a pub. I did once, only to be told "I am terribly sorry, Sir, but we don't serve plonk here". While mead is still being produced commercially, I can find no one who makes metheglin, so if you want to try this ancient drink you will have to make it yourself.

"Mead" and "metheglin" are basically the same words, coming, according to one source, from the Welsh "meodyglyn". The only difference is that metheglin is a mead with flavourings added. There are endless old recipes for metheglin; the 17th century "The Closet of Sir Kenelme Digby" lists several dozen with snappy names such as "Sir Baynam Throckmortons's Mead" and "Mead from the Muscovian Ambassador's Steward".

A vast array of flavouring ingredients are used – virtually anything with a strong flavour which isn't actually poisonous (at least not very poisonous): watercress, fennel, liverwort, marshmallow roots, scurvy grass, cloves, borage, marjoram, ferns, flowers, and so on.

There are many modern recipes which are equally imaginative and it will be necessary to try a few before you find the one you like best (Pattie Vargas and Rich Gulling's Making Wild Wines and Meads is an excellent source, listing over two dozen).

Last year I made a batch using dried mugwort and a very small quantity of wormwood (both Artemisia species). The flavour was something of an acquired taste, which unfortunately I never managed to acquire. At the same time I made a garden herb version. This is safer while still being local and seasonal.

Of course it is only the hardy perennial herbs that are available in February and a quick expedition out of the back door has found thyme, bay and rosemary. The flavours survive the brewing process fairly intact, but not too strongly. A good drink to have with lamb, of course, and if you find you don't like it, an excellent thing to use in cooking.

1.4 kilograms of runny honey
4.5 litres water
About two tablespoons of chopped rosemary
One level dessertspoon of thyme leaves
Six bay leaves
Juice and zest of two lemons
Grape tannin – quarter teaspoon
Yeast nutrient – follow instructions on sachet
White wine yeast, one sachet - follow the instructions

Put the water in a large pan on the hob and turn on the heat. Once it is just too hot to touch, pour in the honey and use some of the hot water to wash the remaining honey into the pan. Stir until the honey is dissolved and bring to the boil for ten minutes, skimming off any foam.

Turn off the heat and immediately stir in the herbs, grape tannin, lemon zest and lemon juice. Cover and leave to cool.

Transfer to a sterilised fermenting bucket and add the yeast nutrient and the yeast and cover. Allow to ferment for about three days then pour into a demi-john using some muslin cloth draped into a funnel to get rid of all the bits. The funnel, muslin and demi-john should be scrupulously sterilised. Fit a bubble-trap and leave for two months. Rack-off into a new demi-john and bottle when clear.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... -metheglin

[Graham.C]

No!!!!!! Dont boil you honey. Worst idea, you might as well use table sugar.
I just bottled 5 gallons of cran-apple malo-metheglin I had bulk ageing for 17 months, its ok now should be great by fall. Warm the water to temped at best, just enough to dissolve the honey. I know it sounds like a risk of contamination but if you sanitize your gear well and use good water you should be fine. Bees remove a tonne of water from the honey before they store it so its very difficult for bacteria to grow on it (although not impossible like some legends have you believe). The more spice, fruit or malt you use the less quality honey you need. I use honey from a bee keeper here in sackville, its fucking awesome. I buy it by the 30lbs tub, for $2/#, but I like the flavor. If you use the flowery peach tree honey you picked up on vacation be prepared for a flowery drink. Try to picture the honey taste without the sugar and thats what you will get (unless you like a sweet mead, which I do not). Skip the grape tannin and use a REALLY strong poor quality tea (Lipton's yellow label works well). Lemon juice is important to get some acid balance, but you can play with other acidic things. If you use lemon zest, use organic lemons!!! They put all sorts of crap on lemons that WILL transfer to your finished mead, of course if you just gotta have a tire fire in your mouth then go ahead.

Honestly though its really easy, take 10-13# of honey, add 30 dried raisins, lemon juice and a cup or two of REALLY tannic tea top to 5gal of H2O and sprinkle champagne yeast. Rack after a month or two. Then forget about it, except to top up the air lock. Bottle when you get around to it or need your carboy back. Drink in 2-20 years.

[akr71]

Graham, do you think your honey contact needs a place to put his hives this spring/summer? With all the fruit trees/blueberries/raspberries I've got now, I'm wondering if I should give myself a little extra insurance on harvesting something.

[Graham.C]

I'll ask him. I know he is trying to grow his operation now that he is retired, but he had a really bad year last year so he might not have extra queens.