1869 Cooling Cups and Dainty drinks by William Terrington

112

Mead.

; skim it well, and when cool tun it, but do it will be fit for use in six weeks,

minutes

not quite fill ;

and it will not get sweeter by keeping longer. Metheglin is a very ancient and popular drink in the north of Europe. The term is derived from the Welsh (Meddyglin). It is often confounded with mead, which is made from honeycombs.

“ Our drowsy metheglin Was ordained only to inveigle in

The nonce that knows not to drink yet, Bat is fuddled before he can t hink it.”

To make Metheglin . — To some new honey (that which runs from the comb is best) add spring water; put in an egg ; boil this liquor till the egg swims above the liquor ; strain, clear, pour in cask to every 15 gallons add 2 oz. of bruised ginger, 1 oz. cloves and mace, 1^-oz. cinnamon, all bruised together and tied up in a muslin bag ; accelerate the fermentation with yeast ; when worked suffi- ciently, bung up ; in six weeks draw off into bottle. To make Mead . — Boil the combs from which the honey has been drained with sufficient water to make a tolerably sweet liquor ; ferment this with yeast ; proceed as per previous formula. Sack Mead is made by adding a handful of hops and sufficient brandy to the comb liquor.