Brewing Honey Wine in the jade Parallel Space

"Uncle Li, Brother Chen, I've been to a valley before when I was gathering herbs. It's not far from Dad's saltpeter cave, just follow the mountain path nearby. There are hot springs and waterfalls inside, with plenty of medicinal herbs. However, you need to pass through a cave to get there. I've only been there around noon, and I didn't see any large wild animals." Based on the environmental analysis in the spatial understanding, there should be plenty of animals coming for water during the morning and evening.

"Oh, normally, when we go hunting, we take the eastern road into the mountains. That path leads directly to the Great Northern Peak, and it's rich in game. Let's check the valley that North mentioned. Everyone, get some rest now, and we'll set out at dawn."

Tong Xi and North went to the medicine courtyard to check on the honey-dripping situation. They took down the empty combs and replaced them with new ones, managing to collect around a hundred kilograms of honey. While Tong Xi was fetching yeast, North scooped out two tablespoons of honey from each bucket, filling a large empty container. He covered it with a straw mat and stored it in the spatial hot spring camp. During this period, the camp had been continually expanding with the addition of furnaces, pots, and various utensils, almost transforming into a production base.

Back in his own little building, North brought in a large ceramic jar from the storage room.

The oasis and bamboo grove attracted more and more birds, and occasionally mountain pheasants strolled through the hot spring camp. It seemed like he needed to build a bamboo-fenced wooden house here. Making honey wine wasn't difficult, but since there was no pure water to dilute the honey, he had to distill some water first.

North filled half a bucket with water from the clear stream and added some pear blossoms. He placed it in a pot for steaming, covering the pot with a large glazed ceramic jar placed upside down. Once the water boiled and filled a porcelain bowl, he had approximately 1000 milliliters of distilled water. Following the 1:1 dilution principle, using 1 kilogram of honey would yield less than 2 kilograms of honey wine. He decided to give it a try, and if successful, he planned to buy some professional equipment in town next time and teach everyone at home.

Boil water in the pot, continue until it steams. Collect the first batch of distilled water in a small bowl, let it cool, then dissolve the yeast in it. Add the remaining water into a 1 kg honey jar, forming a honey solution. Carry it to the shallow stone bed near the boiling spring, gently stirring for 20-30 minutes. The stream's temperature has dropped to 60-65°C during this period. Continuous heating not only sterilizes but also allows the honey to release white foam of protein and wax during the thorough dissolution in water. Skim it off with a spoon to obtain a pure honey solution without compromising its natural nutrients and fragrance.

Pour the second batch of distilled water into the existing solution until the total volume reaches 2000 milliliters. Let it sit and cool to 15-20°C, then slowly add the yeast solution, stirring before transferring it into a large pottery jar. Seal the jar with thick oil paper and wet mud.

Xiangbei carved a small groove on a hollow section of a bamboo segment, securing a large thick paper circle similar in size to the bamboo. This creates a unidirectional vent, inserting it into the oil paper seal. This ensures the smooth release of carbon dioxide generated during the honey fermentation process over the next three to four weeks.

Xiangbei moved the jar to the edge of the downstream bamboo forest, half-buried among the stones, feeling the ambient temperature around 20 degrees Celsius. This should be a natural brewing ground for fermentation. In two days, when it's been forty days in the space, she will open it to check the sediment. Letting a jar age for 30 days will complete the process, perfectly coinciding with the promised day to descend the mountain.

With nothing else to attend to, Xiangbei performed a set of Tai Chi movements in the Snow Jade Cave. Following the inner energy techniques of Cheng Mo, she circulated her breath in a small heavenly circuit. Feeling invigorated, she took a bath in the hot spring pool and then lay down on the bed. She slept until Jingjing came to wake her up. Quickly getting up, Xiangbei joined everyone, circumventing the coal kiln and heading towards the direction of the mountain cave.