1922 Home-Made Beverages and American Drinks by M E Steedman

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Home-made Beverages.

Mead. Put6quartsof waterandtwo and a half pounds of honey into a pan, add half a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon,a small blade of mace, half an inch of bruised ginger, 2 cloves, and the beaten whites of two eggs. Whisk frequently till the ingredients come to boiling point, then simmer gently, for 1 hour. When lukewarm strain into a cask, add a smalltable-spoonful of yeast, and cover the bung-hole with a folded cloth till the fermentation has ended. Bung the cask tightly and bottle the mead in 9 months' time. Mead Wine. Boil 5 gallons of water and 20 pounds of honey together for onehour,then pourintoa tub and when lukewarm add a gill of yeast. Cover the tub with a folded cloth or blanket and leave for four or five days to ferment,then strain into a cask, add six thinly sliced lemons, and leave until the liquid is perfectly still, keeping the cask filled up as the fermentation subsides. When this has ended,add a pint of brandy, bung the cask tightly and leave for 12 months before bottling. Milk Whey. Warm a quart of milk to 98degrees Fahr.,add sufficient rennet to turn it, and leave in a warm place till the curd has formed. Drain off the whey, and sweeten and flavour it to taste, or serve plain. Mulberry Brandy. Puta quart of sound ripe mulberries into a jar with a quart of good brandy, and 6 oz. crushed sugar candy. Infuse for a month, keeping the jar well covered, then strain and bottle. Mulberry Gin. See Recipe for Blackberry Gin. Mulberry Liqueur. Put a pint and a half of fresh ripe mulberries into a jar, add a quart of pure rectified spirits of wine, 6 oz. crushed sugar candy, half-inch of bruised cinnamon and 3 cloves. Infuse for a month, then filter and bottle.