Elem is a beer-like drink made using the “top fermentation” process — that is, using yeast that floats to the surface during fermentation (which is why it is called “top”). It has been made in England since the beginning of the 7th century. Traditionally, ale is prepared from barley malt, hops, water and yeast, but now - and especially at home - other grains and flavors are also used.
Pick your recipe
You will need
-
- wheat grains - 3 kg;
- water - 10 l;
- honey - 400 g;
- yeast - 0.5 tsp;
- raisins - 1 glass;
- sugar - 5 tbsp. spoons.
Instruction manual
1
Pour the wheat grain onto a baking sheet or any other large, narrow pallet, fill it with water and leave until germinating (it will take 2 to 3 days, depending on the ambient temperature). Dry the germinated wheat and pass through a meat grinder.
2
Put chopped wheat in a large enameled pan, tank or bucket (with a capacity of at least 15 l) and fill it with water, which must be passed through the filter. Boil for 2 hours, then remove from heat and leave to cool.
3
In the prepared and chilled liquid, add honey, stir, cover with a towel and leave for a day at room temperature.
4
The next day, add the washed raisins and yeast to the mixture and leave for another one and a half days for initial fermentation.
5
After this, the drink should be filtered several times. Take a large piece of gauze, fold it in half and strain the mixture through it, squeezing the gauze so that the yeast mass remains inside. It can subsequently be used to make bread dough. After that, leave the drink for an hour.
6
After an hour, strain the drink again, this time through a layer of dense fabric made of natural material, also squeezing it in the process. The yeast remaining after the second filtering can be used to prepare the next servings of the drink, however, they cannot be stored for a long time, therefore, if you do not plan to repeat the preparation of ale in the near future, it is better to throw them away.
7
Add sugar to the strained mixture and leave the drink to ferment for another 2 days. After this, ale can be drunk - it turns out to be a weak drink with a slight smack of malt and natural carbon dioxide.
note
According to modern technology for the preparation of ale, it is supposed to use hops rather than honey as a flavoring additive. However, hops came into use only in the XII century, and historically honey or cinnamon or yarrow were used. So honey in this recipe is justified.
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