Eritrean honey wine fermented with gesho, historically a drink of clergy and nobility and still poured from a round-bottomed glass flask. It is golden, sweet and stronger than it tastes.
Fermenting alcohol at home is licensed or restricted almost everywhere, and it depends on unpasteurised honey carrying its own yeasts and on gesho as the bittering agent.
What goes into it
- honey
- water
- gesho leaves or twigs
How it is made
Honey is diluted with water and left in a covered vessel with gesho, which bitters it and helps control what grows. Wild yeasts already present in raw honey ferment it over one to several weeks, and it is racked off and served without filtering.
How long it takes: one to four weeks
How it is eaten
Poured from a berele flask at celebrations, with spiced meat and injera.
History
Honey wine fermented with gesho, historically a drink of clergy and nobility, poured from a round-bottomed glass flask.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mes?
Mes is a wine & spirit from Eritrea: fermented honey wine shared at celebrations. Honey wine fermented with gesho, historically a drink of clergy and nobility, poured from a round-bottomed glass flask.
How is Mes made?
Honey is diluted with water and left in a covered vessel with gesho, which bitters it and helps control what grows. Wild yeasts already present in raw honey ferment it over one to several weeks, and it is racked off and served without filtering. It takes one to four weeks.
Can I make Mes at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. Fermenting alcohol at home is licensed or restricted almost everywhere, and it depends on unpasteurised honey carrying its own yeasts and on gesho as the bittering agent.
What goes into Mes?
Honey, water, gesho leaves or twigs.
How is Mes eaten?
Poured from a berele flask at celebrations, with spiced meat and injera.
