Ancient beverage that deserves the homestead attention

Braggot -Photo by Andrew Sturgis

Within the mantra of TUFI there is that deep seated desire to make all that we want, and enjoy all of
what we have and share with all that partake. In there is the tradition of producing your own tonics, wines, beers and other creative libations and teas. We often look at modern methods and try to coin a simpler method so that we can do it in our own homes, but where we fail is looking back at traditions.

When we need to consider traditional drinks we need to look at braggots, (braggets, bragot, bragaut, bracket and bragawd). A beverage that is estimated to be over 9000 years old and brings together mead and ale, along with other spices depending on the region.

Braggot is considered a medieval Europe beverage though historical notes have found a similar beverage in northern Africa and the Mediterranean areas of Spain, often featuring spices of the region in the mead wine, such as anise, cinnamon and allspice, all of which are still very common when making mead.  It is suspected that braggot is a Celtic or Norse concoction and traveled with the vikings as they ventured across Europe into Italy and Turkey, bringing with them their ale and mead.  Even Chaucer wrote of braggot in The Canterbury Tales.

Homebrewers association shares how to brew braggot

Braggot is a form of mead made with both honey and barley malt. It typically uses 1/3 or more malt and may have as much as 50% malt. It is a distinct flavor and is relatively easy to make though the addition of conflicting spices can throw it into a less than desirable beverage.

Various options are possible depending on the balance of malt and honey used, but in strict terms there should be more honey than malt to distinguish braggot from a honey beer. See honey. Braggots may be made by combining separately fermented beer and mead, or the combination may be made at the outset of brewing, with the honey added to the kettle. In addition hops and spices may be included to give the drink various flavor characteristics. Ideally hop character and bitterness should balance any residual sweetness of the honey. The source of honey also contributes to the specific character, which varies with different types of flowers frequented by the bees, and also during the year according to the seasonal nectar they gather.

Historically specific versions of braggot were also distinguished by the range of hops, herbs, and spices added, with some of these being selected by the customer in the bar. Today this is only possible if the braggot is brewed at home. Commercial braggot is now rarely seen in bars, although versions are available from adventurous craft brewers, most of them in the United States.

Like mead itself, braggot requires almost a year before it is ready to drink and typically only gets

Extract honey-ale from Home brewers talk

better with age.  Over the next few weeks we will be gathering various old age recipes for making braggot at home, and if all goes well we will brew some and include some spices from home.

In the theme of self-sufficiency we are also going to expand our overall topics to include homestead building (as we embark on building our cabin), home brewing and distillation for tonics and essential oils, more livestock topics and of course our growing, farming and canning topics.

So keep an eye on the Facebook and on the blog and as usual please share any topics of interest to you and your family on the homestead, urban or in the forest!