The closet of the eminently learned Sir Kenelme Digby Kt
16. Metheglen for taste and colour
Original
Must be boiled as the other, if you intend to keep it above half a hear; but less according to the time, wherein you mean to use it. You must put in no Herbs, to avoid bitterness and discolouring; and the proportion of water and honey more or less, as you would drink it sooner or later; (as a Gallon of honey to 4, 5, or 6 of water.) If to be weak, and to be soon drunk, you must when it is tunned, put in a Tost of bread (hard rosted) upon which half a score drops of spirit of yest or barm is dropped; for want of it, spread it with purest barm beaten with a few drops of Oyl of Cinnamon. If you intend to give it the taste of Raspes, the add more barm, to make it work well, and during that time of working, put in your raspes (or their Syrup) but the fruit gives a delicate Colour and Syrup a duller Tincture. drink not that made after the first manner, till six moneths, and it will endure drawing better then wine; but Bottleled, it is more spirited then any drink. The Spirit of Barm is made by putting store of water to the barm; then distill the Spirit as you do other Spirits; At last an oyl will come, which is not for this use. |
Redaction
Alternate redaction Boil the honey and water until the scum rises. Remove scum. Allow to cool to body temperature and pour into the fermenter. Add yeast, a few drops of cinnamon oil and the raspberries. Allow plenty of headspace as raspberries froth a lot. |
Notes:
The manner of "boiled as the other" is as follows
The manner of "boiled as the other" is as follows
1. Before you set the Liquor to boil, to cause a lusty Servant (his Arms well washed) to mix the honey and water together, labouring it with his hands at least an hour without intermission.
2. That when it begins to boil fast, you take away part of the fire, so as it may boil slowly, and teh scum and dross go all to one side, the other remaining clear. When you take it off, let none of the Liquor go away with the dross. 3. When you take it from the fire, let it settle well, before it be tunned into the vessel, wherein you mean to keep it; and when it comes near the bottom, let it be taken carefully from the sediment, with a thin Dish, so as notheing be put into the vessel, but what is clear. 4. Stop it very close (when it is set in the place, where it must remain) cover it with a cloth, upon which some handfuls of Bry-salt and Salpeter is laid, and over that lay clay, and a Turf. 5 Put into it, when you stop it, some New-laid-egges in number proportionable to the bigness of teh vessel, Shell's unbroken. Six Eggs to about sixteen Gallons. The whole Egg-shell and all will be entirely consumed. |
1. Mix the water and honey together - this long agitation was likely necessary because the honey would not be clarified and this process would mix the thick, heavy honey into the water.
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