Honey Drink - Digby - 1669

The honey and water were added to this pot and boiled over a wood fire. I kept it at a light boil (by moving the pot to adjust temperature) for about 1 hour.

The boiled liquid was then poured into the earthen pot (cleaned with soap and water, not sanitized). The pot was covered with 8 layers of cheesecloth and tied on. I then left it to cool. After 5 hours a small amount of yeast (Safale US-05 Dry Ale Yeast) was pitched. The contaier was checked again in the morning and more yeast was pitched (low activity).

This picture was taken after 1 day from original pitching right before bottleing.

Cloves and ginger were added to two empty, clean and sanitized wine bottles. The mead was divided between the two bottles leaving them about 50% full.

This photo was taken after 24hrs of being bottled, both were very active. I did not have a sand bed available so both were stored out of the light wrapped in towels in case they ruptured.

After approximately 3 days the first bottle burst, shattering the glass at the bottom of the bottle.

On the 9th day the cork blew out of the second bottle (very dramatically striking the bottom of the table and alarming the entire camp). This picture is what was left in the bottle. Myself and two others drank the remainder in this bottle and all agreed it was very tastly. It was still quite sweet with a well balanced flavor of ginger and clove.

I have a few ideas on what to try next:

1) Leave it in the open fermentation for 2 days instead of one

2) Use Champagne bottles to better hold the pressure