Hypocras is a spiced red wine drink. It can be made in a number of way. Here is a surprisingly exact recipe from 1577. The recipe says it is a very old Greek recipe. I am pretty sure I have read that elsewhere as well.
This recipe is from “Lægebog : I-VI” af Henrik Smith, 1577
“Denne Drick Ipocras kaldies effter Ipocratem læge/ som først den paafant/ oc idelige brugede/ oc findis almindelige i alle Apotecker berede/ oc den skal saaledis beredis.
Tag den beste Canel du kant faa/ halffandet lodt/ godt hvit Ingefær i lodt/ Galliga it halffit lodt/ støt disse småt til pulver/ leg det saa i it Glas/ lad der paa halfftredic potte god rød Vin/ oc Sucker saa meget/ effter som du vilt haffve det sødt til/ lad de saa staa en nat tilsammen.”
For your convenience I have re-calculated the measurements to teaspoons since most of us do not have a really accurate kitchen scales. You should see the Excel sheet. I have also included the gram weights.
Use fresh/whole spices when you can, when making spiced wine, it just makes everything easier.
Smith also give the recipe for another version of hypocras with several ekstra spices.
Hypocras 1
Ingredients
- 1 bottle red wine
- 9 teaspoons cinnamon 22 g
- 6 teaspoons ginger 15 g
- 3 teaspoons galanga 8 g
- sugar to taste - other recipes shows about 100 g
Instructions
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It is a good idea to heat a cup of wine with the sugar to dissolve it. Mix it with the rest of the mix.
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Mix the spices and the wine.
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Let it sit (over night)
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Strain the spices out of the wine
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Bottle the wine. The wine is drinkable right away, but I think it taste better a few days after it is bottled, as the taste becomes rounded and less sharp.
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The wine keeps well in a closed bottle.
Recipe Notes
Use whole cinnamon sticks. You can bash them up a little bit. I use fresh galanga and ginger, but it should properly really be dried roots - as a danish doctor would properly not be able to get a hold of the fresh roots. Good East Asian stores tend to have galanga,