Name: Traditional Mead
Yield: Makes 5 1/2 pints
Ingredients: 1 gallon bottled (or filtered) water; 5 cups mild honey, such as orange blossom; Juice and peel of 1 lemon; 2 whole cloves; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 packet all-purpose wine or champagne yeast

Believed to be the oldest alcoholic drink known to mankind, mead is made by the simple fermentation of honey with spices and other flavorings. There are a bewildering number of variations and recipes for mead—including spiced mead (metheglin), fruit mead (melomel), and mead with mulberries (morat) or hops (sack)—but this is a basic home recipe. Once you have mastered the technique you can begin to experiment with your own flavors. The mead will reflect the flavor of the honey you use so bear this in mind.

Note:

Only use wine (or champagne) yeast—available from health-food suppliers—not brewer's or baking yeast.

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