Making Mauby

Here is the recipe for my mom's mauby that I rave about in my column this week.

For mauby concentrate:
1 & 1/2 cups water
5 - 6 large pieces of mauby bark
3 sticks of cinnamon
9 cloves
1/2 nutmeg, cracked

For mauby drink:
1 gallon water (16 cups)
1 stick of cinnamon
4 - 5 cloves
1/2 nutmeg, cracked
Sugar to taste

1. Place all the ingredients for the concentrate in a saucepan and bring to a boil until the liquid is reduced to half (3/4 cup)
2. Let cool
3. Fill a large, clean bucket or container with the gallon of water
4. Strain the cooled mauby concentrate into the water (do not throw away the boiled bark and spices!), add the fresh spices and sweeten to taste. (Bear in mind that you will add ice when serving so sweeten adequately)
5. Brew (using a large cup, dip into the mixture, fill the cup and then pour it back into the container. Do this for at least 3 minutes.)
6. Cover the container and set aside.
7. Add 1 & 1/2 cups of water to the reserved bark and spices. Cover.
8. The following day, a full 24 hours later, open the container with the mauby and strain the liquid from the reserved bark and spices into the mixture and brew - for 3 minutes. At this stage, you will start to smell the ripening of the mauby.
9. Cover the container and set aside
10. Add another 1 & 1/2 cups of water to the reserved bark and spices. Cover.
11. The next day, 48 hours later, strain and pour the reserved bark and spice mixture into the mauby (you may now discard the bark and spices) and brew for 3 minutes.
12. Cover the container and set aside.
13. 3 hours later, taste the mauby for desired sweetness and strength. If you feel it is too strong, then add some water, adjusting to your taste.
14. With the strength and sweetness to your desired taste, strain the mauby into bottles - plastic or glass and referigerate.
15. Served chilled with ice.