hist-brewing: Strength of Mead

[Baden,Doug]

Phil et. al.:
OK, my $.02

The amount of honey used in mead would have to be consistent with
today's recipe for a simple reason: taste.  If you don't put enough honey
into mead it is dry and cidery.  It is unpalatable and mead was described
in my sources as sweet.

I don't have any documentation about stopping the yeast, so I don't
believe they would have even tried to.

Cysers and metheglins were developed to extend the honey with
cheaper ingredients.  Were they more common?  I would think so
from the number of recipes.  They were the answer to less honey.

Phil's arguments about Digby being later that what this discussion
is proposing are true, and I would also point out that Digby was an
innovator who changed much of the cooking scene with his book.
I have found this also true in brewing, albeit beers require a complex
creation process than meads, but the parallels exist.

Good topic.

Doug


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