Suzdal mead (Suzdal honey plant). beer drinks

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Mead is an alcoholic drink traditionally made from honey, water, yeast and with all kinds of flavorings - spices and berries. This drink originated several centuries ago, when honey making was very popular. Mead differs not only in composition, but also in honey sterilization and strength. Although this drink is popular, it is extremely rare to find it, so Suzdal mead is well known to all lovers.

Suzdal mead

No wonder this drink is famous throughout Russia. It is in the city of Suzdal that the only enterprise that produces the famous mead of various strengths is located. The Suzdal honey plant arose in the 19th century, when it was rebuilt by the noble merchant Vasily Zhinkin. It must be remembered that mead is an original Russian drink that appeared even before the reign of Peter I - when such drinks as coffee and tea began to appear on the Russian side.

Even vodka wasn't as popular as the honey product. Drink was a musta dish both on the tables of noble gentlemen and kings, and at ordinary commoners. Even the financial situation of citizens was determined by the presence of honey alcohol - its absence on the table meant extreme need.

History of the plant

The suburban area of Suzdal has always been famous for its monastery-made honey. The merchant of the second guild, Vasily Zhinkin, decided to revive the popular drink, which was forgotten a little with the advent of vodka. In addition to the built mead factory (one of the first in the country), the merchant kept a couple of shops that sold wine. In addition, Vasily ran a small wax slaughterhouse - then wax was very much appreciated and cost a lot of money. On the basis of this same wax slaughterhouse, the merchant opened a honey production. It should be noted that at that time there were no more than 30 drinking establishments in the city. But in addition to taverns, it was possible to sell products at the Euphrosyne fair, which was held annually and was quite popular.

The second life of the plant

The business of the merchant Zhinkin flourished until 1914, when the dry law was introduced in Russia. For more than half a century, Suzdal mead disappeared from free sale. The brighter was the announcement of one of the largest restaurants in Suzdal that it is in it that mead is brewed according to an old recipe in compliance with all traditions. This was done on purpose - a honey drink was one of the main values of this city, and in the post-war period (this happened in 1967), the country needed a currency obtained through tourism.

In the citya tourist center was created that advertised an old Russian product. The idea was completely successful - mead, which was brewed not in a restaurant, but at a small factory on the edge of the city, became the main bait not only for domestic, but also for foreign tourists. There were also honey beer drinks, no longer sweet, but slightly sour.

The heyday of the honey business

The trick to attracting tourists was that the honey drink was transported throughout the city - in large flasks, like milk, selling to anyone who wanted it. However, Suzdal mead was not exported outside the city. You could try it only when you arrived in Suzdal. Suzdal mead makers experienced the second decline together with perestroika. The city was left without a tourist flow, the drink became unclaimed, and the factory closed. However, this did not become the reason for the complete disappearance of mead - the baton of preparation was intercepted by local handicraftsmen. Fortunately, unlike other alcoholic drinks, Suzdal mead is very easy to prepare.

Every second inhabitant of Suzdal knew her recipe - 4 liters of spring water, 500 grams of honey, half a kilo of sugar and 100 grams of yeast. For a fortress, alcohol or a little vodka was added. Professionally, mead is prepared like this - a viscous honey wort is brewed in a large cauldron, which should be thick enough. After that, he is sent to roam in a special room, where the drink ripens. This process may not be long - if the honey drink is non-alcoholic, ortake more than a month - with a mead strength of 7-8 degrees. The finished drink is filtered and bottled into prepared bottles.

Rivers of honey flow

The second resurrection of the honey business happened in the 90s. Igor Zadorozhny and Sergey Gorovoy, Moscow businessmen, decided to start producing mead. Of course, Suzdal was chosen as the location of the plant - a place where for many decades "Suzdal Cossack Mead", "Pyati altynnaya", "Polupoltinnaya", with rose hips and spices, non-alcoholic - pleased the taste of residents and guests of the city.

A lot of time, effort and money was put into restoring the destroyed and worn-out equipment of the old honey plant. Now the company employs about a hundred people. The main priority for entrepreneurs was the process of making mead - the "correct" honey and the preservation of the old brewing technology. The plant also began to produce beer drinks based on honey, which were somewhat forgotten over time.

Factory today

Today everyone can treat themselves to numerous types of mead and beer drinks in the tasting room opened at the mead factory. Its interior is designed in the old style - oak furniture, carpets and chandeliers, wall paintings and ceramic mugs.

Any visitor can come here to find out for themselves what truly Russian Suzdal mead is. Guests are greeted by employees dressed in Russian folk style, whooffer to drink, eat and listen to the history of the drink. It is noteworthy that at least 40 thousand people pass through the walls of the tasting room every year. The honey drink was even dedicated to its own holiday - Mead Day. Cool and slightly tart, made from honey from our own apiaries, with grown herbs for taste, mead is drunk in ladles - just like they drank it in Russia. Abroad, the honey drink got its name - "Russian energy drink".