Lamb's Wool

It's time for a drink!


Hot beer seems like it should be on a culinary nightmare list but I couldn't pass by this quaintly-named beverage, Lamb's Wool. Lamb’s Wool is a hot punch that is said to have originated in the Middle Ages in England but maintained popularity through Victorian times. The drink was traditionally served at harvest time or at Christmas as a “wassailing” (caroling) punch.  In her book, “Food and Cooking in Victorian England,” Andrea Broomfield describes the popular beverage as enjoyed in the Victorian era:

“Those who retained old-fashioned tastes such as Charles Dickens…enjoyed a wassail punch based on ale or cider that was heated until it formed a foamy, creamy head. Sometimes, the foam was called “lamb’s wool.” While the ale and/or cider were heating, fresh grated nutmeg, ground cinnamon, whole cloves, lemon slices, and finally, hot roasted crabapples were added to the punch” (154).

She goes on to describe that there were several traditions associated with the punch. For example, farmers would make the drink on Christmas Eve and toast to their apple trees, as a way of giving thanks. Another tradition involves the apple tree being “wassailed” by pouring the beverage around the roots of the tree and then bowing and singing around it in order to secure a good harvest the following year.

Today, Lamb’s Wool is not as frequently made, but there are still plenty of recipes floating around if you want to give it a shot and taste a bit of history. Now I will be making a version of Lamb’s Wool to celebrate the harvest that can easily be replicated. If you want to make the drink too, here is a simple recipe to follow:

Gather about four apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, a few whole cloves, ginger, brown sugar, and about six pints of dark ale. Cut the tops off of the apples and bake them at 400 degrees F until soft. Then, scoop out the soft insides and set aside. Warm the ale and the spices (about a half teaspoon or to taste) with about a third cup of brown sugar. Then add the apple pulp to the mixture. Serve in big mugs with a spoon.

Fresh apples, tops removed

Cooked apples!

Mixing beer with spices and sugar

Does this resemble lamb's wool?

The finished beverage

The verdict: I think the most important thing to remember with this recipe is to season to taste--if you want more cinnamon, sugar, or ginger, then add more! This is definitely a cold weather drink. It took me a few seconds to get used to the hot beer taste, but I can understand why people used to make this as a holiday drink. Drinking Lamb's Wool makes me wish that I had an apple tree to "wassail" with this brew!


Happy adventuring!