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Royal Metheglin    

1 Gallon

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. (1.4 kg) honey
• 3 tsp. (15 g) fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 tsp. (15 g) fresh thyme leaves
• 3 tsp. (15 g) orange zest
• 3 tsp. (15 g) lemon zest
• 3 fresh sage leaves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. (5 g) dried hyssop
• 4 allspice berries
• 6 cloves
• 3 tsp. (15 g) fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 bags Earl Grey tea
• 1 tsp. (5 g) pectic enzyme
• 1 tsp. (5 g) acid blend
• 1-1/2 cups (360 mL)
• orange juice
• 1 package Montrachet yeast (5 to 7 g)
• 1 tsp. (5 g) yeast nutrient    
• 1/4 tsp. (about 1 g) grape tannin
• 1 campden tablet

Step by Step    

Boil the honey in water (1 part honey to 2 parts water) in a large non-reactive pot for 10 to 20 minutes, skimming off the foam. When the foam stops rising, add herbs and spices. Cool and transfer to a two-gallon plastic container. Brew the tea by steeping in a cup of boiling water for 5 minutes. Add the tea to the honey mixture along with the acid, the pectic enzyme and water to make a gallon. Add the campden tablet and let the mixture sit, well-covered, for 24 hours.

Make a yeast starter by combining the yeast and yeast nutrient with tepid orange juice. Cover, shake vigorously, let stand until bubbly (1 to 3 hours), then add to the must. Add tannin and allow the mixture to ferment. Rack after the most vigorous fermentation and siphon the wine into a one-gallon, airlocked fermenter. Rack into another airlocked fermenter in 3 months and again in 6 months. Rack again before bottling, about one year after fermentation started. Bottle and cork. Store in a cool cellar for 6 months before using.