For novice home brewers, creating a simple mead is one of the most accessible beverages.
But what exactly is mead?
And where did it originate?
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As National Mead Day approaches, celebrated on the first Saturday of each August, read on to learn more about this intriguing drink.
1. Mead comes in various names and types
“Mead, commonly referred to as honey wine, stands out as one of the most remarkable fermented drinks known to mankind,” Julia Herz, executive director of the Colorado-based American Homebrewers Association, mentioned in an email to Fox News Digital.
While wine is crafted from fermented grapes, mead is made from fermented honey—which is why it’s sometimes called “honey wine.”
Mead is an alcoholic drink made from fermented honey. Each year, mead enthusiasts honor this beverage on the first Saturday of August. (iStock)
The ancient Greeks referred to mead as “ambrosia” or “nectar,” as noted on the American Homebrewers Association’s website.
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Mead can also be blended with other beverages.
A mead that’s “combined with beer or brewed with hops and malt” is designated as a “braggot,” while mead mixed with fruit is called a “melomel,” according to the American Homebrewers Association.
“Hydromel is a diluted variant enjoyed in Spain and France,” the website further states.
Mead can be infused with various fruits and herbs to create unique flavors. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The specific type of honey utilized in making mead is crucial, according to Herz.
“Mead can also incorporate fruit, herbs, and spices added to fermented honey for additional sensory enjoyment,” she commented. “With numerous honey varieties, the experimentation possibilities are endless.”
2. Mead has historical significance in religious customs
Mead “was considered the drink of the gods and believed to fall from the heavens as dew before being collected by bees,” the American Homebrewers Association explained.
“Many cultures in Europe regarded bees as divine messengers and preferred mead over wine for rituals and significant ceremonies.”
Norse mythology suggests that warriors who arrive in Valhalla are served mead. (Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
A wide range of ancient civilizations, including the Egyptians, Celts, Greeks, Chinese, and Vikings, consumed various forms of mead, as noted by Kinsale Mead Co.
Mead held particular significance for the Vikings as well as in Norse legends, elucidated by the American Homebrewers Association.
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In Norse mythology, warriors who made their way to Valhalla were promised “a cup of mead, brought by celestial maidens” as a form of reward, emphasized the association.
Even in contemporary times, a type of mead called “Tej” or “T’ej” serves as Ethiopia’s national drink, according to the mead resource site “Got Mead?” This beverage has been brewed in Ethiopia since the fourth century.
Tej, a type of mead brewed and enjoyed in Ethiopia, stands as the national drink of the country. (iStock)
3. Mead is one of the oldest alcoholic drinks
Archaeological findings in northern China indicate pottery dating back to 9000 BC contained traces of mead, according to the BBC, making mead significantly older than the wheel.
Evidence suggests that mead was first brewed in Europe between 2800 and 1800 BC, as reported by the BBC.
As Herz stated, mead is “essentially liquid history in a glass.”
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The earliest meads, Herz elaborated, were concocted using rainwater and naturally occurring fermentation processes.
“From the time when rainwater diluted honey within the hollow of a tree, allowing wild yeast to ferment it, this ‘wine’ has positively impacted the world,” she remarked.
Mead has been brewed for millennia, even predating the invention of the wheel. (iStock)
To this day, mead is still produced with those original ingredients.
According to the American Homebrewers Association, a classic dry mead consists of nothing more than water, honey, and yeast.
4. Mead may have inspired the term ‘honeymoon’
After tying the knot, it’s customary for the newlyweds to embark on a “honeymoon.”
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One theory regarding the origin of this term ties it to mead, as stated by Dictionary.com.
The term “honeymoon” might derive from a tradition involving mead consumption. (iStock)
The expression “honeymoon” traces back to the Old English phrase “hony moone,” according to Dictionary.com.
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“Several theories exist regarding the origin of this term. It may relate to the ‘Mead Moon’ or ‘Honey Moon,’ an ancient name for the June full moon,” it notes.
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At that time, mead was believed to enhance fertility and bring prosperity to newlyweds, with the custom of consuming mead throughout a whole lunar cycle.
