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Ipocras

Two glasses of Ipocras with sticks of cinnamon added, copper saucepan of ipocras, on tea cloth and wooden surface. For Ipocras recipe

The practice of adding spices to wine has been popular throughout Europe since Roman times.  The first recipe for a spiced wine in England appeared in a Forme of Cury, the cookbook of Richard II’s chef, and was referred to as ‘ypocras’ presumably with reference to Hippocrates, a physician in ancient Greece, because the drink was regarded as medicinal.  Food was regarded as either hot, cold, wet or dry.  As good health was believed to be reliant on a balance of these qualities (also related to the four humours found in the body) the addition of the warm ingredients of sugar and spices to that of the cold wine was seen as health giving.  Sugar was also regarded as a medicine although only the wealthy could afford to include such an expensive ingredient - the less well-off would add honey.  Ypocras (or Ipocras) was often prescribed by doctors to aid digestion.  By the end of the eighteenth century, and certainly by the nineteenth, the medicinal qualities of such a drink were found to be spurious and warmed spiced wines, which remained popular, were referred to by other names such as Smoking Bishop.

Equipment

  • Weighing scales
  • 2 large saucepans
  • 6 heat-proof glasses

Preparation method

  • Place all the ingredients in the saucepan and bring to boiling point (don’t fully boil or the alcohol will evaporate) and remove from the heat.
  • Allow the spices to infuse for a two hours.
  • Sieve the Ipocras into another saucepan and heat until very warm but not hot.
  • Use a ladle to pour into heat proof glasses and place a cinnamon stick in each glass.

More wine-based drink recipes
Easy mulled wine
Hippocras
Smoking Bishop

Tudor

Serves:
6
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle good red wine, preferably Claret
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 cm piece root ginger, peeled
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 10 cloves
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 100 g demerara sugar

To serve

  • 6 cinnamon sticks

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Ipocras
Serving Size
 
144 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
172
Percent of Daily Value*
Fat
 
0.1
g
0
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.1
g
1
%
Sodium
 
9.9
mg
0
%
Potassium
 
189
mg
5
%
Carbohydrates
 
20
g
7
%
Fiber
 
0.1
g
0
%
Sugar
 
17
g
19
%
Protein
 
0.2
g
0
%
Calcium
 
24
mg
2
%
Iron
 
0.7
mg
4
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Keywords

Brown sugar, Red wine, Spices

© Dr Caroline Gordon 
2026
Illustrations by Chichi Parish
Site by Anselm Eustace