Brewing books/methods...

[Stephen Pursley]

> > Greetings,
> > 
> > Barat stated:
> > >But remember, Digby is not period.
> > 
> > Yes, but Digby is a starting place for looking.  I have since found recipes
> > from "Cury in Inglishe", "The Good Housewife's Jewel, Parts I & II", and am
> > still looking in other period sources.  These recipes I will pass along to
> > Pug.  
> 
> Can you pass these on to me too???  I'd be 
> interested in the period recipes.
> 
> Damaris of Greenhill
> (no cutesy .sig file right now)


The following are some period and near period recipes.  I have listed
the source and date of each recipe.

I have first listed the period recipe, then a modern translation.  The
translation will include such things a yeast nutrient, yeast energizer
and the shaker method (for info on the shaker method of yeast
propagation, see my mead making web page at
www.oklahoma.net/~herron/barat/index.html).  These have been added to
reduce fermentation time.  If you wish, you can reproduce these recipes
without the yeast nutrient and energizer.  Be aware that fermentation
will take 2-3 times a long to complete without these additives.

Note: Most of these recipes rely on an open fermentation to obtain wild
yeast.  While an open fermentation using wild yeast can produce a
quality mead, it is unlikely you will obtain consistent results.  It is
also likely that the mead will become infected if a open fermentation is
used.  Therefore I have listed the use of packaged yeast in the
translations.

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The Country Housewife. London. 1762

Take eight Gallons of Water, and as much Honey as will make it bear an
egg; add to this the Rinds of six Lemmons, and boil it well, scumming it
carefully as it rises.  When 'tis off the Fire, put to it the Juice of
the six Lemmons, and pour it into a clean Tub, or earthen Vessel, if you
have one large enough, to work three days, then scum it well, and pour
off the clear into the Cask, and let it stand open till it has done
making a hissing Noise; after which stop it up close, and in three
months time it will be fine, and fit for bottling.

Translation:

*	15 lbs. honey
*	6 Lemon rinds
*	Juice of 6 Lemons
*	Yeast nutrient
*	Yeast energizer
*	Wyeast Sweet Mead Yeast

Dissolve the honey in 3 gallons of water.  We won’t be boiling all 8
gallons of water as in the original recipe, as 8 gallon brew pots are
hard to find.  We will add the additional water to the fermenter.

Grate the rinds of 6 lemons and add to the brew pot with the
honey/water.  Simmer and skim (just like the other recipes) till no more
scum forms.  It will boil down a little.

Add 2 gallons cold water to a 7.5 gallon carboy.  Add the must to the
carboy, along with the juice of 6 lemons.  Add yeast nutrient and yeast
energizer.  Add cold water to the carboy to bring the total volume of
the must to 7 gallons.  Put an airlock on the carboy.  Do not agitate
the must at this stage.  When the temperature is down to 70-80° F pitch
the yeast.  Let the carboy sit for a day, then use the shaker method to
increase the yeast count.

After 3 days transfer the mead to a sterile secondary fermenter, leaving
the sediment and the lemon rind behind.  Ferment to completion, racking
as needed and bottle.

Color: Pale gold
Alcohol Content: 5-8%
Batch Size: 7 gallons

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Mr. Corsellises Antwerp Meath
from Digbie, 1669

To make good Meath, good White and thick Marsilian or Provence-honey is
best; and of that, to four Holland Pints (the Holland Pint is very
little bigger then the English Winepint:)  (a English winepint appears
to be approximately the same size as a U.S. pint) of Water, you must put
two pounds of Honey.  The Honey must be stirred in Water, till it be all
melted.  If it be stirred about in warm water, it will melt so much the
sooner.  

When all is dissolved, it must be so strong that an Egge may swim in it
with the end upwards.  And if it be too sweet or too strong, because
there is too much Honey; then you must put more water to it; yet so,
that, as above, an Hens Egge may swim with the point upwards: And then
that newly added water must be likewise well stirred about, so that it
may be mingled all alike.  If the Eggs sink (which is a token that there
is not honey enough) then you must put more Honey to it, and stir about,
till it be all dissolved, and the Eggs swim, as abovesaid.  This being
done, it must be hanged over the fire, and as it beginneth to seeth, the
scum, that doth arise upon it, both before and after, must be clean
skimmed off.  When it is first set upon the fire, you must measure it
first with a stick, how deep the Kettel is, or how much Liquor there be
in it; and then it must boil so long, till one third part of it be
boiled away.  When it is thus boiled, it must be poured out into a
Cooler, or open vessel, before it be tunned in the Barrel; but the
Bung-hole must be left open, that it may have vent.  A vessel, which
hath served for Sack is best.

Translation:

*	20 lbs. light honey
*	Yeast nutrient
*	Yeast energizer
*	Wyeast Sweet Mead Yeast

Dissolve the honey in 5 gallons of hot water.  Simmer and skim (just
like the other recipes) till no more scum forms.  Simmer till 1/3 of the
volume is gone.  Cover, remove from heat and allow it to cool over
night.  Do not uncover the mead until it’s cool (70-80° F) and you are
ready to put it into the carboy, otherwise it may become infected with
wild yeast/bacteria.

Add the must to a sterile carboy.  Add the yeast, yeast nutrient and
yeast energizer to the carboy.  Add cold water to the carboy to bring
the total volume of the must up to 3.5 gallons.  Put an airlock on the
carboy.  Let the carboy sit for a day, then use the shaker method to
increase the yeast count. 

Ferment to completion, racking as needed and bottle.

Color: Pale gold
Alcohol Content: 10-12%
Batch Size: 3.5 gallons

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An Excellent white Meathe
from Digbie, 1669

Take one Gallon of Honey, and four of water; Boil and scum them till
there rise no more scum; then put in your Spice a little bruised, which
is most of Cinnamon, a little Ginger, a little Mace, and a very little
Cloves.  Boil it with the Spice in it, till it bear an Egge.  Then take
it from the fire, and let it Cool in a Woodden vessel, till it be but
lukewarm; which this quantity will be in four or five or six hours. 
Then put into it a hot tost of Whitebread, spread over on both sides,
pretty thick with fresh barm (Yeast, probably the lees from a pervious
batch); that will make it presently work.  Let it work twelve hours,
close covered with Cloves.  Then Tun it into a Runlet wherein Sack hath
been, that is somewhat too big for that quantity of Liquor; for example,
that it fill it not by a Gallon; You may then put a little Limon-pill in
with it.  After it hath remained in the vessel a week or ten days, draw
it into Bottles.  You may begin to drink it after two or three Months:
But it will be better after a year.  It will be very spritely and quick
and pleasant and pure white.  

Translation:

*	20 lbs. light honey
*	3 Sticks of Cinnamon
*	1/4 - 1/2 oz. Grated Ginger Root
*	1/8 - 1/4 oz. Mace
*	1/8 oz. Cloves
*	Yeast nutrient
*	Yeast energizer
*	Wyeast Sweet Mead Yeast

Dissolve the honey in 4 gallons of hot water.  Simmer and skim (just
like the other recipes) till no more scum forms.  Lightly crush and add
the spices to the pot.  Simmer for an additional 15 minutes.  Cover,
remove from heat and allow it to cool over night.  Do not uncover the
mead until it’s cool (70-80° F) and you are ready to put it into the
carboy, otherwise it may become infected with wild yeast/bacteria.

Add the must to a clean sterile carboy.  Add the yeast, yeast nutrient
and yeast energizer to the carboy.  Add cold water to the carboy to
bring the total volume of the must up to 5 gallons.  Don’t completely
fill the carboy, leave 5” head space.  Put an airlock on the carboy. 
Let the carboy sit for a day, then use the shaker method to increase the
yeast count. 

Let it ferment for 12 hours, then rack into a clean sterile carboy
leaving the spices behind.  Ferment to completion, racking as needed and
bottle.

Color: Pale gold
Alcohol Content: 8-10%
Batch Size: 5 gallons

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Wilt du guten met machen 
(How to Make Good Mead) 
Ein Buch von Guter Spise (German, c. 1350)

The original recipe is in German.  I have translated it into English for
your convenience (unless, of course, you are German).  Please note, this
is a rather loose translation, not a literal one.

To make good mead, warm clean water to the point where you can just
stand to place your hand in it.  Use two parts water to one of honey. 
Stir with a stick, then let it sit a while.  Then strain through a clean
cloth or a hair sieve into a clean barrel.

Put the must back into the brewpot and boil it as long as it takes to
walk the length of an acre and back.  Skim the foam from the pot with a
bowl with holes in it.  Pour the mead into a clean barrel and cover it
tightly, so that no vapor escapes.  Let it cool until one can bear to
put ones hand into it.

Take a half maz pot of hops and a hand full of sage.  Add this to the
must and boil for the time it takes to walk 1/2 mile.

Add the must a half nut of fresh yeast  (the amount that would fit into
half a nut shell).  Cover, so that the vapor can get out.  Let it
ferment for a day and a night.

Strain the mead through a clean cloth or hair sieve and pout it into a
clean barrel.  Let it ferment three days.  Rack it.

After fermentation stops, let it sit and settle for 8 days.  Rack to a
clean barrel and let it sit for eight days.  Drink within the next 6-8
weeks for best results. (translation copyright 1997, Stephen Pursley)

Translation:

*	14 lbs. honey
*	2 oz. Hops
*	1/2 oz. Sage
*	Yeast nutrient
*	Yeast energizer
*	Wyeast Sweet Mead Yeast

Dissolve the honey in 3 gallons of hot water.  The straining listed in
the translation is not needed unless you are using raw unfiltered honey.

Boil and skim for 10-15 minutes.  Cover and let the must cool until it
is only very warm to the touch.  Add the hops and sage and boil the must
for 10 minutes.  Cover, remove from heat and allow the must to cool over
night.  Do not uncover the mead until it’s cool (70-80° F) and you are
ready to put it into the carboy, otherwise it may become infected with
wild yeast/bacteria.  

Add the must to a sterile carboy.  Add the yeast, yeast energizer and
yeast nutrient to the carboy.  Add cold water to the carboy to bring the
total volume of the must up to 4.5 gallons.  Put an airlock on the
carboy.  Let it ferment for a day, then rack into a sterile carboy
leaving the spices behind.  Ferment for three days.  Rack into a clean
sterile carboy.  When fermentation is complete, allow it to sit for
eight days so the yeast can settle out.  Bottle.

Color: Pale gold to amber (depending on the honey used)
Alcohol Content: 5-7%
Batch Size: 4.5 gallons

Have fun,

    Barat