Honey Spiced Mead (Sbiten)
A warm, spiced honey drink with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and lemon—bold yet smooth in flavor.
- Time
- 15 min
- Serving
- 105 kcal
- Ingredients
- ≈ $0.12
- Protein
- 1 g
Ingredients
- 1 Honey 28 g
- 2 Cinnamon 1 g
- 3 Cloves to taste
- 4 Fresh ginger≈ $8.00 per kg 6 g
- 5 Lemon≈ $4.70 per kg 15 g
Grey rows are pantry staples: salt, oil, spices. They are not counted in the serving price.
Method
Pour 1 cup (250 ml) water into a saucepan, then add cinnamon, cloves, and thinly sliced ginger.
Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 7 minutes.
Remove from heat, add lemon5 slices, and let steep for 3 minutes.
Strain the liquid and cool it to about 122°F (50°C), then whisk in honey until fully dissolved.
Serve warm, once the drink reaches a comfortable drinking temperature.
Tips
- Why it works
- Stir in the honey after the drink cools to 50 °C: in a hot drink it loses its aroma and some of its beneficial properties, while in a warm one it keeps its floral taste.
- Substitutions
- Swap the fresh ginger for 1 g of dried. You can swap the lemon for 1 orange slice, and the drink will be softer and sweeter.
- Common mistakes
- The cloves were left in too long: the drink turned bitter and tastes medicinal. Take it off the heat after exactly 7 minutes, when the smell is spicy, not sharp.
- Storing and reheating
- Keeps in the fridge 2 days, ideally without the honey. Reheat to 50–60 °C, don't boil, or the honey will lose its aroma.
- Serve with
- Serve on a cool autumn evening with cookies or dry bagels. Don't give honey to a child under one year.
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