(Originally from; 'The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digbie Kt.
Opened: Whereby is Discovered Several Ways for Making of Metheglin, Sider,
Cherry-Wine &c together with Excellent Directions for Cookery: As also for
Preserving, Conserving, Candying, &c', published in 1669 in England)

A Receipt to Make Metheglin as It is Made at Liege, Communicated by Mr.
Masillon:

     Take one Measure of Honey, and three Measures of Water, and let it boil
till one measure be boiled away, so that there be left three measures in all;
as for Example, toake to one Pot of Honey, three Pots of Water, and let it boil
so long, till it come to three Pots. During which time you must Skim it very
well as soon as any scum riseth; which you are to continue till there rise no
scum more. You may, if you please, put to it some spice, to wit, Cloves and
Ginger; the quantity of which is to be proportioned according as you will have
your Meath, strong or weak. But this you do before it begin to boil. There are
some that put either Yeast of Beer, or Leaven of bread into it, to make it
work. But this is not necessary at all; and much less to set it into the Sun.
Mr Masillon doth neither the one nor the other. Afterwards for to Tun it, you
must let it grow Luke-warm, for to acvance it. And if you do intend to keep
your Meathe a long time, you may put into it some hopps of this fashion. Take
to every Barrel of Meathe a Pound of Hop;s without leaves, that is, of Ordinary
Hops used for Beer but well cleansed, taking only the Flowers, without the
Gree-leaves and stalks. Boil this pound of Hops in a Pot and half of fair
water, till it come to one Pot, and this quantity is sufficient for a Barrel of
Meathe. A Barrel at Liege holdeth ninety Pots, and a Pot is as much as a Wine
quart in England. When you Tun your Meath, you must not fill your Barrel by
half a foor, that so it may have room to work. Then let it stand six weeks
slightly stopped; which being expired, if the Meath do not work, stop it up
very close. Yet must you not fill up the Barrel to the very brim. After six
Months you draw off the clear into another Barrel, or strong Bottles, leaving
the dregs, and filling up your new Barrel, or Bottels, and stopping it or them
very close.

     The Meath that is made this wav, (Viz. In the Spring, in the Month of
April or May, which is the proper time for making of it,) will keep many a
year.

Hydromel as I Made It Weak for The Queen Mother

     Take 18 quarts of spring-water, and one quart of honey; when the water is
warm, put the honey into it. When it boileth up, skim it very well, and
continue skimming it, as long as any scum will rise. Then put in one Race of
Ginger (sliced in thin slices), four Cloves, and a little sprig of green
Rosemary. Let these boil in the Liquor so long, till in all it have boiled one
hour. Then set it to cool, till it be blood-warm; and then put to it a
spoonfuol of Ale-yeast. When it is worked up, put it into a vessel of a fit
size; and after two or three days, bottle it up. You may drink it after six
weeks, or two months.

     Thus was the Hydromel made that I gave the Queen, which was exceedingly
liked by everybody.

A Receipt for Meathe

     To seven quarts of water, take two quarts of honey, and mix it well
together; then set it on the fire to boil, and take three or four Parsley-
roots, and as many Fennel-roots, and shave them clean, and slice them, and put
them into the Liquor, and boil altogether, and skim it very well all the while
it is a boyling; and when there will no more scum rise, then it is boiled
enough; but be careful that none of the scum do boil into it. Then take it off,
and let it cool till the next day. Then put it up in a close vessel, and put
thereto half a pint of new good barm, and a very few Cloves pounded and put in
a Linnen-cloth, and tie it in a vessel, and stop it up close; and within a
fortnight it will be ready to drink: but if it stay longer, it will be the
better.