Mulsum

Mulsum is an ancient Roman beverage made by mixing wine with honey and spices. It was typically non-alcoholic and served as an apéritif or with snacks called promulsis.

How it is made

Mulsum was made by mixing wine with honey in ratios of 1:4 or even 1:10. Wine and melted honey were combined with spices and fermented in ceramic vessels for several weeks. The mixture was then hung over a fireplace to evaporate alcohol, resulting in a non-alcoholic drink. Alternatively, wine and honey were simply boiled together. The final product was very sweet, so it was often diluted with equal parts water.

History

Mulsum was highly popular in ancient Rome, believed to be beneficial for health and digestion. When Emperor Augustus asked 100-year-old Romilius Pollion about his good health, he credited mulsum internally and olive oil externally.