Chamomile Vanilla Mead Recipe

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I love this combination of chamomile and vanilla with the sweet honey of the mead. A wonderful after-dinner drink, this beverage is soothing and relaxing for both the gut and the nervous system.

Ingredients:

3 1⁄3 cups (800 ml) water
1 cup (25 g) dried chamomile flowers
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (360 g) raw honey
1 vanilla bean, split

Steps:

Bring the water to a boil. Place the chamomile flowers in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Once cooled completely, strain out the chamomile, add the honey, and stir to combine. Transfer to a bottle and add the vanilla bean.
Stir or shake the mead vigorously 4 or 5 times daily. After a few days, you should notice a release of bubbles as you do this. This is the yeast waking up. This vigorous bubbling routine should continue, and after 7 to 10 days the bubbling will begin to die down. (This may take a lot longer in cold temperatures.)

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The fermentation process will continue for years if you allow it; however, you can drink your mead “young” once this rapid bubbling peaks and slows. Sandor Katz explains that because honey contains both glucose and fructose, it is the glucose that initiates this rapid initial fermentation, and the fructose fermentation takes place over months. Drinking it young is traditionally how people have enjoyed their mead.

Yield: 4 1/2 cups (1 liter)

More from Cultured and Fermented Beverages:

Maintaining good bacteria in the body is critical to achieving a healthy gut and a healthy immune system. Fermented beverages are brimming with hardworking, beneficial bacteria that work to improve your digestion, fortify your immune system, assist in detoxification, and contribute to a radiant complexion and a balanced mind. Healthy bacteria is sensitive to everyday habits such as sugar, caffeine, processed foods, and toxins, and fermented beverages provide some insurance against this. It’s time to get back into balance with Cultured and Fermented Beverages. Enjoy 75 recipes for cultured drinks like kombucha, kefir, herbal and medicinal ferments, and cultured smoothies you can brew at home.

Reprinted with permission from Superfoods for Life: Cultured and Fermented Beverages by Meg Thompson, photos by Glenn Scott Photography and published by Fair Winds Press, 2014. Buy this book from our store: Superfoods for Life: Cultured and Fermented Beverages.