Sbiten. Cooking recipes

This is one of the old Russian drinks. When people in Rus' had no idea about Chinese tea, sbiten was everyone’s favorite drink.

Here is what an old cookbook writes about sbiten: “At present, sbiten is rarely used in homes and serves only for the common people, as a warming agent in winter. They carry it through the streets in samovars and drink it with kalachi; but, being subjected to precise analysis, this sales drink turns out to have nothing in common with the former ancient drink and consists of nothing more or less than set fire to sugar, molasses and water. Real old sbiten is prepared like this. The molasses, together with various spices, such as cloves, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and bay leaves, is boiled until dark red and fairly thick, transferred to jars and stored for use. When used, take a certain amount of this viscous, thick, odorous mass and dissolve it in hot water; If desired, add sugar to taste.

The best sbiten is made with sugar or honey.

Sbiten (spicy)

Sugar -150 g, honey -150 g, bay leaf -2 pcs., cloves, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom - 5 g each, water -1 l. Dissolve honey, sugar in boiling water, add bay leaf, spices and boil for 15–20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave for 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Serve hot.

Sbiten (hoppy)

Sugar -50 g, honey -100 g, cinnamon -0.3 g, cloves -0.2 g, mint -0.2 g, hops - 3 g. The method of preparing this drink is completely similar to that described above.

“Krupnik” Old Polish with vanilla

Vodka -0.5 l, honey -1 glass, water -1 glass, vanilla -11 g sticks, cinnamon -1 pinch, lemon zest -1 pc.

Boil honey with water, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon zest, remove from heat, add vodka and stir. Serve very hot in glasses.

Sbiten winter

Water -4 cups, sugar -0.5 cups, honey -5 tbsp. spoon, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf - 1 pc., cardamom - 2–3 pcs.

Pour 4 cups of water into a saucepan, put on fire and bring to a boil. Add half a glass of sugar, 5 tablespoons of honey and various spices (cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf - 1 pc., cardamom - 2-3 pcs.) to boiling water.

Boil for 10–15 minutes. Strain. Serve hot in a jug.

Sbiten from molasses

1 kg of white molasses, 200 g of honey, 2 g of cinnamon, 5 buds of cloves, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 10 black peppercorns, 5 tbsp. spoons of dry mint, 6–8 capsules of cardamom, 3 star anise, 5–6 liters of boiling water.

Dissolve molasses, honey or sugar in boiling water and boil for 15 minutes. Add spices and simmer for another 10 minutes. Drink hot like tea.

Sbiten Suzdal

1 liter of water, 150 g of sugar, 150 g of honey (spices, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger) - to taste.

Dissolve 150 g of sugar and honey in 1 liter of water, add spices (cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger - to taste). Boil for 10–15 minutes, skimming off the foam. Let it brew for 30 minutes, strain, heat and drink hot.

With the onset of cold weather, the season of mulled wine, grog, punch and other warming drinks opens in many countries. Many of us, perhaps, also cannot imagine winter without these tasty and aromatic delicacies. But at the same time, many do not even realize that our ancestors, since the times of Rus', had their own “mulled wine” - honey and without alcohol.

Russian “mulled wine”: what is it?

While the name “sbiten” may not mean anything to the general public today, researchers of Old Slavic history know: this honey drink was a favorite in ancient times. On the Internet you can read a variety of versions of the origin of sbiten. But in fact, it is a hot drink made from a decoction of medicinal herbs and honey. And even its name comes from the word “knock down,” that is, to connect different components together. True, in addition to this name, others were often used: digest, brew, var, which indicated the method of preparing a healthy drink.

Sbiten was first mentioned in chronicles of the 12th century. In those days, there were two versions of this drink: winter (warmed in cold weather) and summer (refreshed in hot weather). And the oldest recipe that has survived to this day is attributed to Archpriest Sylvester and dates back to the 16th century. Probably, the popularity of this drink would not have decreased to this day if not for several historical revolutions. At first, Peter the Great forced everyone to drink fashionable tea and coffee, although this did not force people to completely abandon sbiten. Then the October Revolution made its “contribution”, the main drinks of which were the same tea and coffee, and the ancient traditions were completely forgotten.

How they cooked it in ancient times

Archaeological excavations show that in ancient times honey played an almost divine role for many civilizations. And the ancient Slavs also deeply revered this product: they used it for religious rituals, as everyday and festive food. Honey in the form of various drinks is a kind of “business card” of the ancient Slavs, and then the Russians. And one of these drinking honeys was sbiten. Real sbiten is honey mixed with water and spices. The classic set of seasonings for the old recipe consisted of sage, St. John's wort, ginger, bay leaf, capsicum, cardamom, cinnamon, mint and cloves. It’s interesting, but even in the 15th-16th centuries, those who could afford it bought exotic spices from Byzantium (ginger, cinnamon, cloves) and added them to sbiten. And instead of ordinary water, a decoction of medicinal herbs or fruits was used for the drink. It could be lingonberry or mint water, or even a decoction of a medicinal collection of chamomile, mint, St. John's wort, sage and many other herbs. After mixing all the ingredients, the pots of brew were simmered in the oven for almost 2 hours. And modern mead makers confirm: the longer you cook sbiten, the tastier the result will be.

For many years, sbiten was almost the only hot drink in Rus' that was prepared in homes. And a little later, samovars with honey swill became an integral part of all winter fairs and folk festivals. Right on the street, the frozen people were poured from samovars into clay mugs, and served with rolls of bread and gingerbread. By the way, some researchers suggest that the samovar was invented specifically for sbiten, since tea appeared on the tables of our ancestors much later.

How to cook

This is perhaps the only drink made from honey, invented in Rus', which is prepared in just a few hours and does not require fermentation, like mead or surya. Several old recipes for sbiten have survived to this day. The difference between Stobushinsky, Suzdal, Mozhevelovsky, Vladimirsky, Moskovsky and others is in the set of spices used to prepare the drink. But the process itself is identical. According to the traditional scheme, two vessels were required to prepare the drink: in one the honey was dissolved and boiled, in the other a decoction of herbs or spices was prepared. And then both parts were “knocked” together.

Recipe 1

For the drink you will need a glass of honey, 6 times more water, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, walnuts and nutmeg, vanilla. Place all the spices on the bottom of the pan and pour in honey diluted in water. Bring to a boil and cook over very low heat for another 2 hours. Pour the strained sbiten into a thermos.

Recipe 2

Dissolve 200 g of honey in a liter of water, boil, add a teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger, a third of a teaspoon each of cardamom and anise, 4 cloves and 8 black peppercorns. Boil for another 20 minutes, leave to infuse for 4 hours.

Recipe 3 (Moscow)

200 g of honey and 1 kilogram of molasses are diluted in 5-6 liters of water and prepared according to the classic recipe. The bouquet of spices for this option consists of black pepper (10 pcs.), dry mint (5 tbsp.), ginger (2 tsp.), cinnamon (2 g), cardamom (2 tsp.), cloves ( 5 pcs.), star anise (3 pcs.). Cook with the spices for about another 20 minutes.

Recipe 4 (Juniper)

The traditional recipe contains honey, juniper berries, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, oregano, St. John's wort, wormwood, thyme and yarrow. The drink is prepared according to the classical scheme.

Recipe 5 (Fir)

This drink is prepared from a liter of water, 150 g of honey, a teaspoon of sage, 50 g of fir shoots, 3 cloves, half a teaspoon of ginger and cinnamon, 1 bay leaf. According to the recipe, boil the plants and spices in water (cook for about a quarter of an hour), when the broth cools a little, add honey and laurel. Simmer (without letting the mixture boil) for another 25 minutes. Infuse, cool, strain.

Khmelnoy sbiten

But in addition to the non-alcoholic version of the brew, sometimes “hop honey” was also prepared. It took more time to prepare and, importantly, created conditions for fermentation.

One version of this drink was prepared from 1 liter of water, a quarter kilogram of honey, a glass of raspberry juice and hop cones (in a modern recipe, it can be replaced with 2 tablespoons of yeast). Honey, as usual, was dissolved in water, brought to a boil and boiled with juice for an hour and a half, then cooled and hop cones (yeast) were added. After this, the vessel with the mixture was placed in heat for 12 hours, and then in the cold for another month. The resulting drink is an ancient Russian intoxicating drink.

What are the benefits of sbiten

Natural sbiten, prepared according to the classic recipe, is a real storehouse of useful ingredients, as well as a miracle cure for many diseases.

Some use this drink as a medicine to get rid of existing health problems, others consume it for prevention. But in any case, there are undoubtedly benefits from it. Having analyzed the composition of the drink, it becomes clear where such confidence in the healing properties of sbiten comes from. Firstly, honey is perhaps the most beneficial antioxidant product existing on the planet. Some researchers say that there is no other product on Earth so rich in a variety of vitamins, micro- and macroelements, phytonutrients and other extremely useful substances. Secondly, to prepare the classic drink, a decoction of medicinal herbs is used. Sbiten, based on a decoction of thyme, sage, chamomile, oregano, St. John's wort, and mint, has tonic, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, which it received from these medicinal herbs. A drink with extracts of elecampane, sage, fireweed and thyme is good for the digestive system, in particular improves intestinal motility and stomach function. Various combinations of these herbs are also useful for blood vessels, the nervous system, and immunity. No less useful are the spices that are traditionally added to a warming brew. To calm your nerves and improve your appetite, it is good to drink sbiten, which contains cardamom. If you need to lower blood sugar levels, get rid of fungal infections, improve brain function, it is important to choose a recipe for a drink with cinnamon. Cloves added to the drink make it a natural pain reliever and antiseptic, and ginger is good to add to honey brew intended for people after poisoning and with severe intoxication. Sbiten made from a decoction of fireweed and ginger will help get rid of the symptoms of a hangover. The best recipe for a honey brew to treat a cough should contain elecampane, to get rid of a sore throat or inflammation - sage, thyme and oregano, and a juniper drink is suitable for the prevention of colds. And if you add fir extract to the drink, you will get fir knocked down, and thanks to the coniferous plant, it will acquire antiseptic properties and is useful for the treatment of arthritis, anemia, tuberculosis, viral diseases, bronchitis, and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The same product is also useful for people after significant blood loss, since fir has a beneficial effect on the process of hematopoiesis. Ginger whipping will improve the functioning of the digestive system, activate the thyroid gland, improve memory and concentration, and strengthen the immune system. It is also useful as an immunostimulating, antimicrobial, sedative and antiallergic agent. Cinnamon increases sweating and has a tonic property. Beaten with this spice is useful for healthy digestion of food, acts on the body as an analgesic, antimicrobial agent, and is also important for older people, as it slows down age-related changes and prevents senile dementia.

Honey brew with nutmeg, in addition to its analgesic and anti-cold effect, has antioxidant and aphrodisiac properties. Cooking with star anise is a medicine against stress, biliary dyskinesia, flatulence, intestinal colic, and with allspice it is a natural tonic. Bay leaf turns the honey mixture into a cure for rheumatism and joint diseases, and mint makes the drink useful for nervous shock, viral diseases, allergies and spasms. Cherry leaves in honey broth treat anemia, hypertension, hepatitis and vitamin deficiency, and blackcurrant greens supply many vitamins, phytoncides, essential oils and tannins. Working together, all these useful components make winter (hot) whipped milk an excellent way to strengthen the immune system. This drink is good for adults and children to drink on the eve of seasonal epidemics and viral diseases. In addition, researchers who studied the chemical composition of the drink claim that it can be very useful after serious illnesses or surgical operations. The drink strengthens the body, helps quickly restore strength and function of all organs. The effectiveness of sbiten in the complex treatment of diseases of the heart, blood vessels, prostate, anemia and many others has been proven. The summer version of the drink is a good way to restore the balance of water in tissues. This sbiten will quench your thirst well and help you endure the summer heat more easily. It is useful for heavy physical work, after intense sports training. In any case, sbiten is a rather sweet and very concentrated drink. Therefore, for therapeutic purposes, it is recommended to use 1 tablespoon, which should be diluted in a glass of warm water. Always take sbiten medicine before meals. So, to summarize, it becomes clear that honey-spicy-herbal whipping is useful for:

restoration of strength;
strengthening the immune system;
improving emotional state and getting rid of depression;
treatment of vitamin deficiencies;
prevention of infectious and viral diseases;
strengthening the heart and blood vessels;
getting rid of pathogenic fungi;
strengthening gums and treating oral diseases.

Possible hazardous properties

And although sbiten is not a medicine and healthy people can drink it without restrictions, there are still some nuances that are worth remembering. Honey is one of the most famous allergenic foods. Pregnant women, children, people with diabetes, and nursing mothers should not abuse the drink.

Remember how it was in fairy tales: “I drank honey and beer, it flowed down my mustache...”. Historical researchers believe that this is about sbitn - an expensive, but very tasty and healthy drink of our ancestors.

The history of sbiten officially dates back almost nine centuries, but it is believed that it appeared long before it was mentioned in the chronicles. Since ancient times, the Slavs have been preparing sbiten based on honey with the addition of herbs and spices. It warmed in winter and quenched thirst on hot summer days, and was a therapeutic and preventive remedy.

The varied taste and health benefits of sbiten have led to its widespread use. The people who brewed and sold sbitn - sbiten makers - became heroes of folklore, which confirms the wide distribution and popularity of the drink.

Sbiten, along with herbal decoctions and infusions, replaced tea and other drinks that appeared later for our ancestors, as well as medicines for colds, stomach ailments, nervous and mental stress and other ailments. It was cooked in various ways with the addition of herbs and certain spices. A large number of recipes for both non-alcoholic and alcoholic sbiten have survived to this day. At the same time, not only the taste, but also the effect of the drink on the human body depends on the ingredients used.

Composition of sbiten and ingredients

The composition of sbiten usually includes honey, water, sugar and spices. For medicinal purposes, herbal infusions are added to the drink. Honey is a biologically active product containing B vitamins, vitamins C and PP. Honey is rich in macro- and microelements; it has a high content of potassium, calcium, chlorine, phosphorus, iron and other minerals.

For the prevention and treatment of various diseases, whipping with herbs and spices is useful. Traditionally in Rus', sbiten was cooked with sweet clover, thyme, oregano, chamomile, mint, St. John's wort, elecampane, sage, using herbs. Spices often include pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves.

Due to honey, sugar and alcohol (in sbitny with the addition of wine), this drink is a fairly high-calorie product and is characterized by a high sugar content and a significant amount of carbohydrates.

Useful properties of sbiten

The medicinal properties of sbiten are determined by the ingredients included in its composition, including the type of honey used. The spectrum of action is quite wide: from disease prevention to therapeutic action in the form of auxiliary (additional) therapy. In different formulations it can be used as a tonic or, conversely, to achieve a sedative and calming effect.

Herbs help enhance the healing properties. Sbitny based on herbal decoctions can prevent the onset of a cold, dilate blood vessels, improve blood circulation and metabolism, and have a positive effect on digestion, brain activity, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Generations of our ancestors have proven the benefits of sbiten for respiratory diseases: the drink can have an antitussive effect, for example, with the addition of elecampane. The same elecampane, as well as sage, thyme and some other herbs in the composition of sbiten give it anti-inflammatory properties.

If the drink is brewed, for example, with fireweed and ginger, then it will have a healing effect on the body during alcohol intoxication (hangover).

Contraindications for sbitn

Like any medicinal product, sbiten can only be consumed in moderate doses. Biologically active honey, herbs and spices are strong allergens, so sbiten is contraindicated for those who may experience an allergic reaction. All contraindications defined for alcoholic beverages apply to alcoholic drinks.

Culinary Etude 05/19/2018

Dear readers, today we will talk about an amazing Slavic drink that has its own history - honey sbitn. Once my husband and I went to the Rostov Kremlin and wandered into a cafe not far from it. Tired and full of impressions, we decided to just relax and eat. The cafe was very cozy, in an old style with its own signature recipes. And we were offered to try one of the signature drinks. And that was exactly what happened. Oh, how delicious it was!

When we arrived home, I began to study information about this drink. It turns out that you can prepare it at home. Today I want to tell you about the benefits of honey whipping for our health, and we will also learn recipes for its preparation. First, a little history.

What is sbiten

Not a single feast in Rus' took place without traditional drinks. Our ancestors loved honey infusions and drank them in large quantities. What is Old Russian sbiten?

This is a strong drink made from honey, water, with the addition of spices and herbs. Almost all peoples of the world made such aromatic tea in various variations: Greeks, Scandinavians, Slavs, Germans. Honey in this drink is the main ingredient, because this beekeeping product is sacred in many cultures. They drank sbiten not only hot, but also in the hot summer to quench their thirst. It can be non-alcoholic or alcoholic.

The name of the drink comes from the word “knocked down,” which means strong, strong, or from the verb “knock down.”

The thing is that two vessels were used for preparation: one contained honey, and the other contained medicinal herbs. Then everything was mixed and a spicy sbiten was obtained.

Sbiten appeared several centuries ago and was most popular in the 18th-19th centuries. At this time, street vendors invited people to try the spicy drink; they were treated to it at fairs and bazaars. The writer N.V. Gogol is famous for his ability to vividly and colorfully describe Old Russian cuisine. In his works there are often moments of a story about a knocker's shop, in which there is a huge red copper samovar. And such shops were everywhere, which only confirms the popularity of sbiten.

Novgorod, Moscow, Samara, Kyiv had their own recipes for this popular drink. At city fairs, knockers walked the streets and invited people with such perky couplets:

Oh yeah, sbiten, sbiten!
Eat the girls, boy.
Eat and drink
Don't waste your money.
Sweet sbiten with honey,
Well, I'll put some honey on it!
How will I cook it?
Everyone will praise him.

In Rus', until the end of the 17th century, sbiten was completely non-alcoholic and was more of a medicinal nature.

They drank it during colds or to keep warm in cold winters, to boost immunity. The alcoholic version contained honey and spices, but yeast was added for fermentation. In its finished form, such a drink had a strength of 4-7% and was very expensive. With the beginning of the reign of Peter I, sbiten became available to the people. They drank it with hot and fluffy rolls, gingerbread cookies, or drank it in taverns as a snack with meat.

Composition and components

The healing power of the drink lies in its ingredients. And before you start cooking, you need to find out what the main components are included in the composition.

Natural honey

This is a basic ingredient without which it is impossible to make a drink. To obtain a healing effect, you need to carefully choose this product so as not to purchase a fake. For sbiten, it is preferable to choose May honey, but you can also use flower or buckwheat honey. This product is rich in vitamins and minerals: magnesium, calcium, iodine, potassium, iron. Everyone knows that the healing power of honey lies in its anti-inflammatory properties.

Water

Water is another important component of the future drink, so you shouldn’t take it lightly. No need to use tap water. It is best to prepare sbiten from well, spring or. As a last resort, you can fill the container with running water and let it sit for 1-2 days.

Healing herbs and spices

Traditionally, sbiten is made with herbs: thyme, St. John's wort, chamomile, sage, oregano, mint, elecampane, fir. And to add a special aroma, it is recommended to add spices to the drink: black allspice, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom. It is not surprising that the sailors called sbiten “Russian mulled wine.”

Fruits and berries

Berries and fruits are often added to this drink for sourness. All this gives not only aroma and taste, but also saturates the sbiten with additional vitamins and nutrients. Apples, pears, cherries, currants, and strawberries go perfectly with honey. And if these fruits and berries were collected from your own garden plot, then the benefits of whipping will only double from environmentally friendly products.

In different variations, sbiten can be drunk as a therapeutic and prophylactic remedy. Originally, it was a hot herbal tea that was consumed in winter to keep warm, boost immunity, and improve health.

Sbiten is beneficial for the whole body and is recommended to drink for the following purposes:

normalization of metabolic processes;
improving blood circulation;
treatment and prevention of colds, especially in the midst of viral epidemics;
relief of stomach cramps;
giving strength and energy (due to the natural antioxidant cinnamon);
improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract with constipation, diarrhea, bloating;
relieve nervous tension by adding cardamom to the drink;
reducing pain after injuries, muscle strains;
sbiten has an antitussive effect if you add elecampane;
removing waste and toxins from the body.

Contraindications and possible harm

In addition to the obvious health benefits, the drink has its contraindications. Honey and herbs are strong allergens, so people with hypersensitivity and allergic reactions to honey and herbs should drink the spicy drink with caution.

Sbiten is contraindicated for children under 3 years of age, patients with asthma, and dermatological diseases.

The alcoholic version of the drink is completely contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women. Due to the large amount of sugar and honey, this drink is a fairly high-calorie drink and is characterized by a high concentration of carbohydrates. For this reason, diabetics should first consult a doctor, and if you are losing weight and watching your figure, then try to pamper yourself with aromatic tea infrequently.

According to original Russian traditions, sbiten is served hot. But in hot weather it was cooled in the cellar and served to the head of the family after hard work in the fields.

Initially, this aromatic decoction of honey was poured from a special container - sbitnitsa. It was a clay vessel with a long spout, reminiscent of a teapot. It is customary to drink sbiten from clay mugs at the end of the meal.

The soft drink can be drunk by both adults and children, unless there is an individual intolerance to the components. This drink is drunk like regular tea with dried fruits, gingerbreads. In the summer, like carbonated kvass, it perfectly quenches thirst and cools you down.

Remember that sbiten is a very concentrated decoction. It can be taken as a preventative against colds. To do this, you need to dilute 1-2 tablespoons of honey drink in 100 ml of boiling water and drink on an empty stomach every morning. This way you will fill the vitamin deficiency in your body and strengthen your immune system.

Recipes for making sbiten at home

We've sorted out the ingredients, now all that's left is to prepare this spicy and healthy drink. There are a huge number of variations to suit every taste. There are recipes for sbiten that have been passed down from generation to generation. Do not confuse this drink with mead, which differs in taste and strength. I suggest starting your acquaintance with the classic recipe for honey sbiten.

Recipe for Old Russian sbiten

The drink prepared according to this recipe is good both hot and chilled. The first documented recipe is found in the book “Domostroy”, and the first mention of the drink is in the chronicles of 1128, when Prince Vladimir ordered the people to be treated to digest (as alcoholic sbiten was previously called).

Ingredients:

200 g natural honey;
1 kg of white molasses;
3 g cloves;
a teaspoon of cinnamon;
2 teaspoons grated ginger;
10 peas of allspice;
6-8 cardamom grains;
3 star anise;
5 liters of boiling water.

To many, molasses will seem like an unfamiliar ingredient. It is a by-product obtained during the production of sugar and starch. Confectioners and cooks use molasses to mean various sugar syrups: corn, starch, glucose.

First you need to dilute the molasses in 5 liters of boiling water, and when the liquid has cooled, add 200 g of honey. This sequence of actions is necessary in order to preserve the beneficial properties of the beekeeping product. Place the container with the drink on medium heat and cook for 10-15 minutes.

Add all the spices and continue to keep on the stove. In 10 minutes the Moscow sbiten will be ready. Drink hot as regular tea or chilled for a tonic effect.

Watch a simple and detailed video recipe for “Ancient Slavic drink – sbiten”.

Recipe for taiga sbiten

The harsh and at the same time beautiful taiga is famous for the beauty and impenetrability of coniferous forests. This is where the tradition of drinking strong brewed tea with the addition of fresh and dried leaves of raspberries, currants, lingonberries, and local berries: raspberries, strawberries, and boneberries originates. I offer a recipe for traditional taiga sbiten.

Ingredients:

100 g honey;
800 ml water;
3 tablespoons sugar;
100 g of freshly squeezed lingonberry juice;
3 buds of cloves;
10-15 cardamom grains;
a teaspoon of cinnamon;
Bay leaf.

Carefully strain the lingonberry juice to separate the small grains and skin. Now add the juice to the water and bring to a boil. Add the spices to the broth and continue boiling for 10-15 minutes.

5 minutes before the end of cooking, add bay leaf and cinnamon. Strain the finished drink, adjust the taste by adding honey, sugar or lingonberry juice. Boil again and pour into cups. Our taiga sbiten is ready!

Favorite drink of Peter I

The last Tsar of All Rus' loved to drink sbiten cold. I suggest you try this invigorating decoction.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons buckwheat honey;
1 liter of bread kvass;
2-3 teaspoons of grated horseradish.

Pre-prepare kvass on rye bread with raisins. If you don’t like the specific smell, you can make kvass without yeast.

Mix the finished carbonated kvass with honey, grated horseradish and place in a warm place to steep for a day. The finished sbiten just needs to be strained and served with ice.

Stolbushinsky sbiten

In folk and alternative medicine, juniper has been used since ancient times, and has become a real panacea for many diseases. The berries of this medicinal plant have antibacterial and fungicidal properties, so sbiten prepared from them is recommended to drink to prevent colds.

Ingredients:

500 ml water;
100 g honey;
10 juniper berries;
1 medium sized lemon;
a teaspoon of black pepper;
3 cloves;
1 cm ginger root;
1 star anise.

Mix water and honey in a saucepan, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and grated zest. The resulting mixture must be brought to a boil and cooked for 15 minutes. Then you should add spices, juniper berries and continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Before use, sbiten must be thoroughly strained.

Recipe for non-alcoholic sbiten with cherries

This drink is very rich with a subtle aroma. Its composition, as in other variations, contains only natural ingredients. A distinctive feature of this ancient recipe is the dried cherry leaves, which add zest to the classic version.

Ingredients:

50 g honey;
250 ml water;
spices: ginger, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice;
medicinal herbs: mint, oregano, chamomile, St. John's wort, linden, thyme;
cherry leaves.

Do not add all the spices listed, especially if you have not tried sbiten before. Start small and try adding 2-3 types of spices. When choosing fragrant herbs, focus on the desired effect of the drink:

chamomile is characterized by a powerful antibacterial effect, so it is recommended to drink it to treat inflammatory processes and strengthen the immune system;
thyme is translated from ancient Greek as “strength of spirit” and herbalists advise drinking herbal infusions with it to treat and prevent viral diseases, relieve nervous tension, and normalize intestinal function;
mint is indicated for patients with cardiovascular diseases, reducing pain during the menstrual cycle, normalizing the functioning of male hormones, eliminating migraines;
St. John's wort is recommended to drink to control blood pressure, restore the menstrual cycle in women, relieve spasms due to gastritis or ulcers, and to stimulate brain activity in schoolchildren and students.

Add 50 g of honey to a saucepan with boiling water and continue cooking, removing the rising foam. After 15 minutes, add dried herbs and spices and simmer over medium heat for another 10 minutes.

The finished drink must be infused for at least 1 hour, wrapping the pan in a thick towel. Also keep in mind that ginger in combination with honey increases sweating, so after drinking a mug of hot sbiten, do not rush to go outside.

If you want to make a stronger drink, the following recipe will suit you. It will take more time to prepare such sbiten, since it is obtained as a result of the fermentation of honey.

Ingredients:

1 liter of water;
250 g of natural liquid honey;
200 ml raspberry juice;
2 tablespoons yeast.

Boil water in a thick-bottomed saucepan and dissolve honey in it. Then add raspberry juice. It is better to use fresh juice rather than store-bought juice. If you are preparing sbiten and the berry season has not yet begun, you can chop a glass of frozen raspberries.

The broth should be boiled for 1.5 hours, and after cooling, add yeast. The drink should be kept in a warm and dark place for more than 12 hours, and the fermented wort should continue to be kept for another month at low temperatures. After fermentation is complete, sbiten can be consumed.

Honey sbiten is a popular ancient drink. Its classic cooking recipe involves the use of the main ingredient - natural honey, as well as water, spices and herbs. Depending on the components used, the taste of the drink and its healing properties change.

Presumably, the name of the drink comes from the word “to knock down”, which is associated with the method of preparing sbiten. It was prepared in two vessels. In one, honey was infused, in the other, herbs and spices were prepared. At the last stage, both infusions were combined and mixed (stirred thoroughly).

Honey whipping, due to its composition and the healing properties of the ingredients used in it, is often considered as an alternative to medications. This natural medicine is used as a preventative and therapeutic infusion. At the same time, this tonic and tasty drink can be drunk like regular tea.

Honey, the main component of the drink, saturates it with a complex of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Healing herbs: thyme, chamomile, St. John's wort, oregano, mint, sage - complement the antiviral, anti-inflammatory, tonic properties of honey. Medicinal plants, such as thyme, fireweed, elecampane, and sage, themselves have the ability to improve the functioning of the intestines and stomach, treat colds, and strengthen blood vessels.

Various spices: pepper, cardamom, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, bay leaf - give the drink medicinal properties. For example, cardamom improves appetite and calms the nervous system, cinnamon affects the amount of sugar in the blood, has antifungal properties, and promotes better brain function. Clove relieves pain and is a good antiseptic; ginger reduces the symptoms of intoxication during poisoning and has many other beneficial qualities.

Combined in sbitna, these extremely healthy ingredients themselves turn it into a healing drink that helps fight viruses and pathogens with the onset of cold weather and during epidemics.

Sbiten helps you recover faster and come to your senses after illnesses and serious operations. It is used as an auxiliary therapeutic agent for diseases of blood vessels, heart, blood, and hypertension.

How to prepare honey sbiten?

Over the centuries, the technology for preparing honey drinks has remained virtually unchanged. It can be an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink, simple or brewed. Custard sbitni are produced by fermenting honey wort with various seasonings (in some recipes, molasses and sugar are added to it). Drinks prepared in this way are similar to honey beer, home brew, and low-alcohol intoxicating meads.

Read also: Recipes for making alcoholic sbiten at home

This sweet-hot drink was loved in Rus' and was brewed everywhere. At first, they mainly prepared non-alcoholic sbiten. Only such a drink was allowed to be peddled freely on the city streets, at bazaars, fairs and squares, pouring it from sbitenniks (the ancestors of samovars), reminiscent of teapots, inside of which was the main part of this heating device - a pipe with a blower.

But in addition to the sbitenshchiks who traded in the city squares, in the busiest places there were “sbitenye kurens” (something like taverns). There they also offered honest people to drink warm, fragrant honey liquid, served for dessert in special clay mugs at the very end of a delicious meal with cookies, buns and bagels.

In taverns you could try different types of sbiten: kvass or wine honey drinks. But regardless of the method of preparation, all sbitneys are characterized by honey sweetness, fiery spice and healing properties.

Classic sbiten recipe

It is prepared very simply and quickly. Initially, only black pepper was added to this recipe as a spice. As other overseas seasonings appeared, other spices began to be added.

We will need:

Water – 1 l
Ginger, cinnamon - 1 tsp each.
Ground cardamom, anise - 1/3 tsp each.
Honey – 200 g
Black pepper – 8-10 peas
Cloves – 4-5 pcs.

In the first step, honey dissolved in water is brought to a boil. Then, together with the spices, boil for another quarter of an hour. The sbiten should stand for several hours.

This hot drink will help you warm up and protect yourself from a cold. The amount of seasonings can be adjusted to your liking.

Simple sbiten recipe

According to this recipe, honey (500 g), water (6 l), white molasses (700 g), mint, cinnamon, cloves, hops and other seasonings (optional) need to be boiled for half an hour. Drink it like tea – hot.

Read also: What is Old Russian sbiten and how was it prepared in Rus'?

An ancient recipe for making sbiten

Sbiten prepared using the custard method is considered the most complex in technology.

All products: honey (500 g), weak mash (6 liters), 50 grams of apple cider vinegar, 20 grams of ginger - stir and boil for 1 hour. Pour the cooled mixture into a container and add half a glass of liquid yeast. To ferment, place the mixture in a warm place for 6-14 hours. Then close the barrel tightly and store in the cold for a couple of days. After this, you can drink the sbiten.

Sbiten with cranberries

To prepare sbiten according to this recipe, we will need:

Cranberries – 250-300 g
Cardamom – 15 pcs.
Honey – 200 g
Cinnamon – 1 tsp.
Bay leaf – 1 pc.
Cloves – 3 buds

Squeeze the juice from the berries. Pour water over the pulp, add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and boil for 15 minutes. Before the end of cooking (5 minutes), add bay leaf. Strain the broth and add honey and cranberry juice. Heat it, stirring, until the first bubbles form. Do not boil.

Custard fragrant sbiten

Hops – 40 g
Spices to taste
White honey – 1 kg

Dissolve honey in 3 liters of boiling water and leave for 24 hours. Then boil the liquid for 2 hours. About 15 minutes before the end of cooking, add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, mint and hops. Add ½ cup of liquid yeast to the cooled liquid and leave it in the cold for 2 weeks. After this, you can bottle it for storage.

Recipe for folk sbiten

Stir 1 kg of honey in boiling water. Add spices and 20 g of hops to taste. Cook everything for two to three hours. Chilled sbiten can be drunk like kvass.

Moscow Sbiten

Real Russian sbiten with ginger, pepper, cinnamon and honey can be prepared according to the Moscow sbiten recipe.

Water – 5-6 l
Black pepper – 10 peas
Honey – 200 g
Dry mint – 5 tbsp. l.
Ground ginger – 2 tsp.
White molasses – 1 kg
Cinnamon – 2 g
Cardamom – 6-8 capsules
Cloves – 5 buds
Star anise – 3 stars