Sabbat Drinks

Sabbat Drinks

SOFT MEAD

1 quart water, preferably spring water

1 cup honey

1 sliced lemon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Boil together all ingredients in a non-metallic pot. While

boiling, scrape off the rising "scum" with a wooden spoon. When no

more rises add the following:

pinch salt

juice of 1/2 lemon

Strain and cool. Drink in place of alcoholic mead or wine during

the Simple Feast.

Ritual Inspiration Brew for Full moon in February

Blue Lotus Flowers, one entire flower, dried (the lotus is a flower both associated with the moon and inspiration)

One cup of Everclear or Vodka

2 bottles of Blackberry Merlot Wine

1/2 -3/4 cup of Raw Honey (happiness,spiritual energy and wisdom)

2 pints fresh frozen Blackberries (associated with the Goddess Brigit)

9 hazelnuts (for increased mental powers)

9 almonds (for increased wisdom)

Place the Lotus in a jar with a tight fitting lid and pour the Everclear in. Shake it up for a few seconds, then set the jar on a shelf for at least 3 days before you finish your brew.

Then strain the herb out leaving the alcohol as clear as possible. Pour this into a blender

with the Blackberries, nuts, the honey and one bottle of the Merlot, blend. Pour this into a much larger gallon size wine bottle and add the last bottle of Merlot, put the lid on and shake vigorously.

This recipe can of course be altered to reflect your particular ritual needs, using different

herbs, wine and berries(or other fruit).

Raisins, apples, pomagranite juice,

Mabon Wine Moon Cider

4 cups apple cider

1/2 tsp. whole cloves

4 cups grape juice

2 cinnamon sticks for cups

1 tsp allspice

In a 4-quart saucepan, heat cider and grape juice. Add cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Bring just to boiling. Lower heat and simmer

for 5 minutes. Serve with ladle from a cauldron.

Mead

32 lbs new honey

13 gallons water

1 handful of each: rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and sweet briar

2-3 handfuls ground malt

1 round of toast

Yeast

1 1/2 ounces each: cloves, mace, and nutmeg.

Boil honey in the water. Skim wellhead the rosemary, thyme, bay, and briar. Boil for 1 hr, then add ground malt. Stir until lukewarm., and strain through cloth into another container. Add crushed round of toast, and yeast. When covered with yeast, pour into a cask. Tie the cloves, mace, and nutmeg in a bag and hang it in the cask. Close the cask for 6 months, then bottle.

Meade

1/2 gallon water

1 1/2 cup raw honey

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. allspice

1/2 cup Everclear, grain alcohol

Heat all ingredients together slowly, except alcohol. Do not bring to a rolling boil. When well blended, remove from heat, stirring as it settles. When cool, add alcohol and serve.

Mulled Cider

2 quarts apple cider

2 quarts of apple juice

1 cup of honey

1 teaspoon whole allspice

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large seedless orange sliced with peel

1 large green apple sliced with peel

5 cinnamon sticks approx. 3-5 inches

Place all in either a large crock pot on high heat for approx. 4 hours or in a saucepan over medium heat for ½ hour. Do not allow to boil. You may wish to strain the spices out but some people prefer to leave them in and carefully drinking around them and eating the fruit once the cider is consumed.

Samhain Cider

2 quarts of apple cider

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/2 cup apricot brandy

In a large pot, combine the apple cider, confectioner's sugar,

nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. Simmer slowly on low heat for about 15 minutes. take care that the cider does not boil. Add the apricot brandy and serve the cider while it is still warm. Refrigerate any leftover

cider. Serves 8

Wassail

4 cups apple cider

1 jar crabapples (undrained) 16oz

2 cups golden sherry

4 lemon slices

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Place cider into sauce pan, bringing to a boil and then add other ingredients. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Serve immediately

Wassail Punch

16-18 servings

1 dozen apples; baked

1 cup Water

4 cups Sugar

1 Tablespoon Freshly grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons Ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon Ground mace

6 Whole cloves

6 Allspice berries

1 Stick cinnamon

1 Dozen eggs, separated

4 Bottles sherry or Madeira wine

2 cups Brandy

The beverage is served hot, so plan on a heatproof punchbowl. Prepare the punch: Combine water, sugar, and spices in a large stainless steel, enamel or glass saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until light in color. In separate pans, bring the wine (and beer, if used) and the brandy almost to the boiling point. Fold the whites into the yolks, using a large heatproof bowl. Strain the sugar and spice mixture into the eggs, combining quickly. Incorporate the hot wine with the spice and egg mixture, beginning slowly and stirring briskly with each addition. Toward the end of this process, add the brandy. Now, just before serving and while the mixture is still foaming, add the baked apples. Guests are welcome to take part or all of an apple

Yule Brew
4 parts cinnamon

4 parts allspice

2 parts nutmeg

2 parts lemon peel

2 parts clove

1 part bay

2 parts chamomile

50 parts black tea

Heat until well steeped. Serve with thin apple slices.