Sima, Finnish Mead
Raise a glass to Spring with the refreshing taste of a Finnish classic, Sima.
Sima, a beloved Finnish beverage, is the perfect drink to enjoy during May Day festivities. This fresh and zesty fermented drink captures the very essence of spring, evoking thoughts of the warmer months to come. As an avid explorer of different cultures, the Finnish May Day celebration has always held a special place in my heart. To complement the season's in-season produce, I prepare some delectable dishes and brew a batch of my perfected Sima, a drink I have been perfecting for almost four years. I am thrilled to share my cherished recipe for this delightful springtime elixir, making it the ideal addition to any May Day celebration.
Sima
⅛ tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp granulated sugar
3 cups filtered water
½ cup packed light brown sugar
3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
5 raisins
Heat a ¼ cup of the filtered water to 110-115°F. Mix in the yeast and granulated sugar, let the mixture sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Place brown sugar in a large bowl and bring 1 ¼ cups water to a boil; pour the hot water over sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Stir in the remaining water, 1 ½ cups, and lemon juice; let cool to at least 110°F. Once cooled, stir in yeast mixture and drape a clean kitchen towel over the bowl; let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. At the end of the 24 hours the Sima should sound fizzy and have a little bit of foam floating on the surface.
Using a funnel, pour the Sima into a sterilized quart mason jar, filling to within 1" of the top. Add the raisins and close the jar tightly with the lid/ring. Cover the jar with a kitchen towel or put it in a cabinet, you want to make sure the jar is not in direct sunlight. Let the jar sit at room temperature for another 24 hours.
At the end of the 24 hours, the lid should feel hard from the trapped gases of the fermentation process. Refrigerate the Sima for 2 days before opening.
Before serving, line a funnel with some cheesecloth and filter it into a clean glass jar or a swing bottle. This isn’t a necessary step but I like to filter out some of the pulp and sentiment, it leads to a clearer looking drink overall.
Drink the Sima within 1 week of opening and store in the refrigerator.
Enjoy your delicious Sima cold with your favorite May Day treats. I personally enjoy mine with some homemade shortbread or strawberry shortcake.
*Notes: Just like my recipe for lemon curd, you want to use fresh lemons for this recipe. Please don’t use bottled lemon juice. You will get a better flavor with fresh lemon juice.
Be careful when adding the yeast into the warm water. If the water is warmer than 115°F it will kill your yeast and fermentation will not occur. No fermentation means no bubbles and no bubbles means a flat Sima.