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THE GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION
SAXON MEAD No. II, APPROVED METHOD of BREWING,
&
OLDER
than ELD
Eggs, whites 6, beaten well
Water,
12
gallons; rain or spring
water best
Honey,2olbs
Ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, pow–
dered clove,
l
tbsp each
Rosemary, r sprig if you can
find it; or 3 tbsp dried
needles
Yeast,
l
cake, worked into a
cream with warm water; or
2 tbsp of brewer's
Mix
egg white with water, and add the honey. Boil for an hour,
skimming now and then; and add our spices and herbs. When cool,
add yeast, and put into cask not closed, so it may work; keeping in a
warm place at even temperature. When fermentation ceases, seal the
bung, and let stand six months in a cool place of even temperature.
At the end of that time it should be racked off and bottled.
STRONG OLD ENGLISH MEAD No. III, DATED A.D.
1736
Back in the year
l J36
one E: Smith, in his
Compleat Housewife–
of London imprint-saw
fit
to list various noble dishes and potations
of the time, among which was one for Mead, which appears to be
among the accepted best of that time.
Spring water,
IO
gallons
Cinnamon, 4 sticks
Honey, about 20 lbs
Nutmegs, 3, quartered or grated;
Mace, 8 blades to
IO
gallons
or 3 tbsp, ground
Whole cloves, 24 to
10
gallons
Lemons, 4, sliced thin with
(We should say 48)
rind on
Ginger root, 2 roots to
IO
gal-
Rosemary, 2 sprigs
Ions; or
l
Yi
to 2 tbsp, ground
Yeast,
l
modern cake spread on
Cayenne pepper,
Y4
ounce to
IO
toast, or
l
Yz
to
2
tbsp brew-
gallons
er's yeast
Heat spring water until nicely warm to the hand, then add enough
honey to float a small
Fresh!
egg. Boil it gently for an hour, skimming
as necessary. Then add the other ingredients-and after simmering
for half an hour, discard the rosemary-turning the whole business
. 168 .