# Ancient African Mead - T'ej



## pdilley (14/5/09)

From Sandor Katz came his stories and experiences of traveling through Africa, of seeing how the ancients did their fermented drinks and how starkly opposite the methods and values where to the western world where ultra clear, scientific farmed yeast strain fermented, adjuncted beverages reigned as the ideal. To Sandor.

There is a mystique surrounding fermented foods that many people find intimidating. Since the uniformity of factory fermentation products depends upon thorough chemical sterilization, exacting temperature controls, and controlled cultures, it is widely assumed that fermentation processes require these things. The beer-and-wine making literature tends to reinforce this misconception.

My advice is to reject the cult of expertise. Do not be afraid. Do not allow yourself to be intimidated. Remember that all fermentation processes predate the technology that has made it possible for them to be made more complicated. Fermentation does not require specialized equipment. Not even a thermometer is necessary. Fermentation is easy and exciting. Anyone can do it. Microorganisms are flexible and adaptable. Certainly there is considerable nuance to be learned about any of the fermentation process, and if you stick with them, they will teach you. But the basic processes are simple and straightforward.

T'ej (Ethiopian-style Honey Wine)

Timeframe: 2 to 4 weeks

Special Equipment:
1 gallon / 4 litre (or larger) ceramic crock, wide-mouthed jar, or plastic bucket
1 gallon / 4 litre glass jug (the kind you can buy apple juice in) [5 litre glass demijohn in Australia LHBS - see JAO Mead Post for photos]
Airlock and bung (from beer and wine shops, it helps but is not necessary)

Ingredients for 1 gallon / 4 litres:
3 cups/750mL Honey (raw if you can get it)
12 cups/3 Litres of water


Process:
1. Mix water and honey in the crock or jar. Stir well, until the honey is thoroughly dissolved. Cover with a towel or cloth and set aside in a warm room for a few days, stirring as often as you think of it, or at least twice a day. Trust that the yeast will be drawn to the sweet honey-water from the air.

2. After 3 or 4 days (more if it's cold, less if it's hot), the brew should be bubbly and fragrant. Once it's bubbly, transfer the honey must into a clean glass jug. If the jug is not full, you can add water and honey in a 4:1 ratio to fill it. Cork with an airlock that lets air out but not in, if you can not find one, cover the bottle with a lid that can rest on it loosely and keep air out without holding pressure in.

3. Leave for 2 to 4 weeks, until bubbling slows. This is "instant" gratification wine. Drink it now, or age it.


Following these basic proportions I have made many excellent Ethiopian-style honey wines. T'ej is a variant of Mead, the most ancient fermented pleasure. Though t'ej is usually consumed young, ready to drink in a matter of weeks, Meads in the European tradition generally age for years, and t'ej like wines can be fermented longer, bottled, and aged.

Traditionally, t'ej calls for a plant called gesho, or woody hops. I have never found this herb in the West, and have had fine results without any bittering agent.


Variants:

Plum or Berry T'ej:
Add at least one quart (litre) of organic whole plums or berries (any kind) to 1 gallon of honey water at the beginning of the process. They'll get it bubbling fast. Leave the fruit in for about 5 days to 1 week, then strain it out, transfer the wine to a clean gallon (4 litre) jug, and proceed as for plain t'ej. You could substitute any fruit you like.

Lemon Herb T'ej (Metheglin):
Take a handful each of fresh or dried lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemon thyme, lemongrass, and lemon basil, and add them to the gallon (4 litres) of honey water at the beginning of the process. Leave the herbs in the crock for about a week, stirring periodically, then strain them out, transfer the wine to a clean gallon (4 litre) jug, and proceed as for plain t'ej. Use any other herbs you like for flavoring.

Coffee-Banana T'ej:
This is a really unusual flavor for a wine. Once the honey water in the crock starts to bubble, add 1/2 cup (125 mL) coarsely ground and roasted coffee beans and 4 peeled and sliced bananas. Stir as often as you think of it. After about 5 days, strain out the solid ingredients and transfer the wine into a clean gallon (4 litre) jug. Then proceed as for plain t'ej.


The contemporary wine aesthetic values a clear product. Commercial wines are full of strange clarifying ingredients, including egg whites, milk caseins, gelatin, and isinglass, an extract from the bladder of sturgeon (you don't read about these because alcoholic beverages are not required to be labeled with ingredients such as other beverages and drinks must). I personally have come to love yeasty sediment and appreciate the lees' vitamin-richness (especially B vitamins). But don't let me discourage you from racking your wine; it is much more aesthetic to look at that way, and its flavors will be more delicate. (Try using some of the nutritious yeasty sediment in salad dressings or in wine dregs soups).



Cheers,
Brewer Pete


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## Mitchell (14/5/09)

Ok I'm sold. This is so easy I have no more excuses to delay my first mead. Thanks Brewer Pete!


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## manticle (14/5/09)

I just enjoy reading your non beer related recipes and experiments. I have an interest in beverages besides beer (do a cider 1 in every 4 or 5 brews and am interested in making a mead or braggot at some point) so I'll keep an eye on these threads and have a crack once every so often.


My brewing is pretty unscientific anyway (at best it approaches bucket chemistry) so sounds good.

Just don't post that recipe involving a sock and some red gummy bears.


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## pdilley (17/5/09)

A picture of Ethiopian Mead, T'ej to help the brewers of this particular Mead variant:







Cheers,
Brewer Pete


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## Simdop (12/3/14)

Brewer Pete said:


> Process:
> 1. Mix water and honey in the crock or jar. Stir well, until the honey is thoroughly dissolved. Cover with a towel or cloth and set aside in a warm room for a few days, stirring as often as you think of it, or at least twice a day. Trust that the yeast will be drawn to the sweet honey-water from the air.


Pete, do you find that the room has anything to do with this? My place doesn't necessarily get a good airflow, so I'm wondering if the back porch (no direct sunlight) would be a better choice?


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