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Mixing with honey wine
Three things make honey wine easy to mix with. It is wine-strength, so the drinks stay light. It has next to no tannin, so it stays soft with citrus. And its floral sweetness does the job of a syrup and a modifier at once. The main rule is not to bury it: keep the other ingredients simple and let the honey show.
1. Honey wine spritz
The easiest drink on the list and the best on a hot day. Works with dry or semi-sweet honey wine.
- 3 oz honey wine, well chilled
- 2 oz soda water
- Optional: 1/2 oz Aperol or elderflower liqueur
- Orange slice or lemon twist
Fill a large wine glass with ice. Add the honey wine and the liqueur if using, top with soda, stir once and garnish.
2. Bee's 75
A French 75 with sparkling honey wine in place of Champagne, and honey syrup in place of sugar. The gin classic the Bee's Knees is its still cousin.
- 1 oz gin
- 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and warm water)
- 3 oz dry sparkling honey wine
- Lemon twist
Shake the gin, lemon juice and honey syrup hard with ice. Strain into a flute or coupe, top with the sparkling honey wine and garnish.
3. Mead mule
Ginger and honey are old friends. Lighter than a Moscow mule because the base is wine-strength.
- 3 oz semi-sweet honey wine
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 3 oz ginger beer
- Mint sprig and lime wheel
Build over ice in a copper mug or tall glass. Stir gently and garnish. For a stronger drink add 1 oz vodka or bourbon.
4. Golden sangria
A white sangria that tastes of stone fruit and blossom. Make it in the morning for the afternoon.
- 1 bottle (750 ml) semi-sweet honey wine
- 2 oz brandy or orange liqueur
- 1 peach or nectarine, sliced
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 crisp apple, diced
- A handful of fresh mint
- 1 cup soda water, to finish
Combine everything except the soda in a pitcher and refrigerate for at least two hours. Add the soda just before serving and pour over ice, making sure every glass gets fruit.
5. Honeyed old fashioned
Here honey wine plays the part of the sugar and some of the dilution. A dark, forest-honey wine is the logical choice here.
- 1 1/2 oz bourbon or rye
- 1 1/2 oz semi-sweet honey wine
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- Orange peel
Stir the bourbon, honey wine and bitters with ice for 20 seconds. Strain over one large ice cube and express the orange peel over the top.
6. Mulled honey wine
The winter classic. Warm, spiced mead has been a cold-weather drink across northern Europe for centuries.
- 1 bottle (750 ml) semi-sweet honey wine
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 star anise
- 3 thin slices fresh ginger
- 2 strips orange peel
- Optional: 1 to 2 tbsp honey, and a splash of brandy
Put everything in a saucepan and warm over low heat until it steams, about 150°F. Do not let it simmer: alcohol starts to boil off at 173°F. Hold it there for 15 minutes, taste, sweeten if you like, strain and serve in mugs.
Which bottle for which drink
- Spritz, mule, sangria, mulled: a semi-sweet still honey wine.
- Bee's 75 and anything that calls for Champagne: a dry sparkling honey wine.
- Old fashioned: semi-sweet, ideally a dark-honey bottling.
Frequently asked questions
Can you mix honey wine in cocktails?
Yes. Treat dry honey wine like a dry white wine or vermouth, semi-sweet honey wine like an off-dry white or a light liqueur, and sparkling honey wine like Prosecco or Champagne.
What is a good mixer for mead?
Soda water, ginger beer, citrus juice and tonic all work. Gin, bourbon and brandy are the spirits that suit honey best.
What is mulled mead?
Honey wine warmed gently with spices such as cinnamon, clove, ginger and orange peel. Keep it below a simmer so the alcohol and aroma do not cook off.
Which honey wine is best for cocktails?
A semi-sweet still honey wine is the most versatile. Use a dry sparkling one for anything that calls for Champagne or Prosecco. Save expensive reserve bottles for drinking on their own.
Can I add honey to mulled wine?
Yes. Honey is a traditional sweetener for mulled grape wine: stir in a tablespoon or two at the end. Mulling a honey wine gives you the same flavor without needing to add any.