Ingredients[]
- 10 k (20 lbs) honey
- 10 l (10 qts) water
- 1 cup dried hops
- 1 tablespoon dried juniper berries
- 8 teaspoons wine yeast
Directions[]
- Pour honey into stainless steel or enameled pot, cover with spring water, mix well and bring to a boil on low heat.
- Place hops and juniper berries into a linen bag and drop into boiling honey-water solution.
- Skim off scum and continue to boil until no more scum forms, about ½ hour.
- Cool solution to 85°F / 30°C, add yeast, mix well and pour mixture into a glass carboy.
- Close bottle with cork, run a small hose or glass tube through the cork, one end of which is placed in a jar with water.
- This will allow the release of fermentation gases. Keep the fermenting carboy in a warm spot for about 3 weeks. As fermentation comes to an end, a deposit will form at the bottom of the carboy, decant mead into another carboy, stopper and keep at same warm temperature for about 3 months.
- Decant again and pour into an oak barrel. Close barrel and set in a cool spot. To obtain strong mead, age up to 5 years.
Taken from "Lithuanian Traditional Foods," ISBN: 9986-861-64-0 (http://ausis.gf.vu.lt/eka/food/drinks.html).