Renaissance Drink Recipes

Renaissance drink recipes often called for wine, spices, fruits, and generous amounts of sugar or honey for sweetening, and drinkers often demanded their beverages to be very sweet indeed.

Since ancient times, people of every race and culture have enjoyed refreshing beverages and those living during the Renaissance Era were no exception. Here are authentic recipes for making popular drinks from that era, including lemonade.

Refreshing Renaissance Drink Recipes

The Queen-like Cloſet or Rich Cabinet (1672)

Pretty Renaissance Lady Enjoying a Refreshing DrinkPretty Renaissance Lady Enjoying Her Beverage
(Source: ©muro/Depositphotos.com)

Enjoy experimenting with these authentic Renaissance beverage recipes and make your own hard and soft drinks similar to those consumed in the Medieval, Elizabethan, and Renaissance Eras.

Serve these historical drinks at your next medieval banquet or Renaissance fair.

To make Chaculato

Take half a Pint of Claret Wine, boil it a little, then ſcrape ſome Chaculato very fine and put into it, and the Yolks of two Eggs, ſtir them well together over a ſlow Fire till it be thick, and ſweeten it with Sugar according to your taſte.

To make good Almond Milk

This Renaissance almond milk recipe makes a delicious, warm beverage that was enjoyed by both the young and old alike.

Take Jordan Almonds blanched and beaten with Roſe water, then ſtrain them often with fair water, wherein hath been boiled Violet Leaves and ſliced Dates; when your Almonds are ſtrained, take the Dates and put to it ſome Mace, Sugar, and a little Salt, warm it a little, and ſo drink it.

To make Limonado

History records that honey-sweetened lemonade was sold by licensed vendors on the streets of Paris as early as 1676. This historical lemonade recipe was published just four years previously.

Take one Quart of Sack, half a Pint of Brandy, half a Pint of fair Water, the Juyce of two Limons, and ſome of the Pill, ſo brew them together with Sugar, and drink it.

Renaissance Drink Recipe for Mead

The Queens Closet Opened (1658)

It is generally believed that the cookbook's author "W. M." was a prominent manservant in the household of Queen Henrietta Maria and might once have been the queen's personal chef.

Dr. Kings way to make Mead

This historical mead recipe was ascribed to Dr. King, believed to be a prominent physician to the royal household of King Charles the First of England.

Take five quarts and a pint of Water, and warm it, then put one quart of Honey to every gallon of Liquor, one Lemon, and a quarter of an ounce of Nutmegs, it muſt boil till the ſcum riſe black, that you will have it quickly ready to drink, ſqueeze into it a lemon when you tun it. It muſt be cold before you tun it up.

Young Renaissance Girl Reading an Historical Book

Curious about that strange ſ character in words? Wondering about historical ingredients and cooking methods? Go to the Glossary of Renaissance Cooking Terms for help.

Mixing Ingredients for a Renaissance Recipe

Gum Dragon and 23kt edible Gold Leaf are not easy to find locally, so here's where to get the historical ingredients called for in some Renaissance recipes.

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