Aqua Rubea sounded so pretty that when I was preparing for our SCA Royal Brewer competition (which I won that year) I just had to try to make it.  It is a medicinal tonic, commonly referred to as a cordial, but not at all sweet like our modern sipping cordials.  [...]

Aqua Composita is a tonic, a medicinal cordial; it was not sweetened in most versions I found.  The document linked here is my full-length competition documentation examining how I made a batch, the recipes I found and the redaction decisions I made (and what I’d do differently next time). I [...]

This is an example of retroengineering to create competition documentation.  I don’t recommend it.  It’s true that when I created this recipe, which has always done well in competition, I took historical recipes into consideration.  I did not, however, take notes.  Back then I didn’t even keep a notebook.  When [...]

 I have made this and found it to be light and very pleasant with dinner on a hot summer night.  That said, it is too light and not apparently sweet enough for everyone’s taste. I omitted the Munton’s brewing yeast.  There are two historical references before she gets to the recipe [...]

My historic enactment friend Lady Isabelle Henry gave me this recipe for a refreshing, crisp Wittebier. Bring 6 gallons of water to boil. Remove from heat. Add 6.6 pounds 40% wheat/60% barley liquid malt extract. Return to boil. Add 3/4 ounce Tettnanger hops (30 mins) Add 3/4 ounce Saaz hops [...]

This recipe is my own invention. I had mesquite honey, and was trying to match it with complimentary spices; it happened to correspond with teaching at a Middle Eastern- themed event.  This was the first mead I entered in competitions, and was a huge success everywhere I took it.  It definitely [...]

Not my recipe, but a darn good one.  Have you tried this? Made it, tasted it?  What did you do differently? Please let me know what you thought! 6.5 lb wildflower honey 2 lb Briess 2-row malt 3 lb amber malt extract ½ lb 120L Crystal malt ¼ lb peppercorns [...]