It’s said that workers, soldiers, pirates, and even royalty have enjoyed mead back in the day. So, don’t be surprised if you feel like you’ve landed in the Renaissance Faire when you sip a glass of this delicious drink. Mead may seem like a newcomer in the alcohol industry, but not many know that it has ancestral roots! What makes it unique is its complexity and taste, which is similar to that of a good wine along with the diversity and flavor of a beer. Here’s your complete guide to what is mead alcohol!
History Of Mead
Sure, the history of wines can be traced back to ancient times. But there is one alcoholic beverage that seems to surpass that history – mead! This alcohol is believed to date back to around 3000 B.C.E. Some historians claim that in ancient times, Greeks, Chinese, Romans, and Africans, all consumed mead. There are sayings about ancient Greeks consuming a fermented combination of honey with water as an offering to Goddess Aphrodite. This is why mead is often regarded as the ‘Nectar of the Gods’.
There are many more stories about the history and origin of mead. For instance, it’s said that the Nordic Vikings drank it to celebrate their long voyages and battles. Another interesting story of mead is associated with Africans. The liquid made by honeybees in the hollowed-out tree trunks was consumed by the African tribes. Many people believe that this is how mead came into being.
Mead was also used for treating various health problems in early England. Many people mixed it with different types of herbs. This was believed to aid issues like depression and digestive problems. During medieval times, a tradition of honey wine was followed after a wedding. It’s said that during those times, consuming mead after marriage increased fertility.
There’s no definite answer for when and where mead actually originated. However, the knowledge of producing mead spread far and wide, and this alcohol slowly gained popularity. Right from the Vikings, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, it became famous with various dynasties. Today, it’s gaining more popularity. Maybe Theon Grejoy from Game of Thrones made you curious about this alcoholic beverage. Well, whatever the reason, this drink is definitely worth trying!
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What Is Mead?
When honey and water are fermented with yeast, an alcoholic beverage called mead is obtained. It’s basically honey wine. There are various types of meads available in the market. Some are flavored with fruits, hops, or spices. Mead comes in both sparkling and still forms. It usually has an ABV of between 6% to 22%. Most of the meads are gluten-free. You’ll find some very sweet whereas others are dry. Some tend to be somewhere between the two.
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How Is Mead Made?
Just like the production process of most other alcohols, the first stage for making mead is the fermentation process. Since honey is thick in texture, water is added to it so that it gets diluted. After that, the yeast is responsible for turning the sugars in the honey into alcohol. This is known as the primary fermentation process. Post this, the mead is transferred into a different fermentation vessel.
Some mead makers heat the diluted honey mixture before adding yeast to it. This is also a part of the primary fermentation process. It helps to avoid any funky flavors that can come from any unwanted yeast or bacteria present in the beverage. Some mead makers believe that this process may drive off certain aromas of the honey that can make the mead taste better.
To make the mead, the fermentation should keep going. For the yeast to make the drink taste well, only adding honey and water to it won’t bring in all the necessary nutrients. That’s why, sometimes, mead makers add powdered nutrients and oxygen to help the yeast carry out its process.
The amount of honey that’s added, the type of yeast used, and the fermentation temperature will decide how much sugar the yeast will consume. This, in turn, will determine how much alcohol is generated by the yeast and how much unfermented sugar stays behind.
In order to make sure that the fermentation process is healthy, some mead makers continue to add yeast nutrients throughout the fermentation process. After the fermentation process is complete, it takes several months and sometimes, even years for all flavors in the mead to unify. In the case of carbonated meads, a small amount of sugar and live yeast is added to the bottle for an additional fermentation process inside it.
When you read about the making process of mead, it may seem simple to you, but it’s not. Just like wine, the making of mead is quite complex. Just so you know, honey can have several different flavor profiles. It’s similar to that of wine grapes whose flavor depends on the type of flower pollen used.
As we mentioned earlier, mead is also known as honey wine. Does that make you think it’s sweet in taste? Well, all we have to say is don’t go by its name! The brewing process of mead can be done in several different styles. It can taste dry, semi-sweet, and even sparkling, depending on how it’s made.
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What Are The Different Types Of Meads?
The most common mead is made with honey, water, and yeast. It’s also known as traditional mead. But, there are many other variations wherein additional ingredients are added to it. Let us take you through the different types of meads:
Melomel: In this variation, fruit juices are added to the mead. It includes cyser (mead made with apples) and pyment (mead made with grapes).
Metheglin: Meads in this form are made by adding herbs and spices. It includes capsicumel (mead made with chili peppers) and tej (mead made with gesho, an Ethiopian and Eritrean specialty).
Braggot: This is essentially a mead-beer hybrid. The process involves mead made with honey along with malted barley.
Acerglyn: Maple syrup is added to traditional mead.
Bochet: This type of mead has caramelized honey used in its making process.
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What Does Mead Taste Like?
Mead gets its unique flavor from the honey that’s fermented. But its taste may vary depending on the kind of ingredients used to make it. It can taste like a fruit wine, white wine, or even like a hard cider. In order to enhance its flavor and color, fruits, tree bark, flowers, spices, roots, or vegetables are added to it. Before the mead batch starts to ferment, these ingredients are added to it. They’re usually removed after steeping for two weeks.
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How Should You Drink Mead?
Mead can be enjoyed neat, chilled, or even at room temperature. This will depend on the type of mead you’re drinking. It also tastes great in cocktails. Because of its burgeoning popularity, it’s also used as an ingredient in various cocktails. So, the way you want to enjoy your mead is entirely up to you! You can use it to make your own cocktail. Otherwise, pour some in a glass or straight out of the bottle. The latter might be frowned upon by most people But, as we said earlier, the choice is yours, so drink it the way you like!
Summing Up
There are so many fantastic variations of mead coming up in recent years! It’s time you go visit your local liquor store and hunt for a mead that’ll suit your palate. Now that we’ve taken you through what is mead alcohol, finding the right one for you shouldn’t be that difficult. Happy drinking!
FAQs
Why Is Mead Alcoholic?
The making of mead involves the fermentation process. The honey is diluted with water and then yeast is added to it. It is this yeast that turns the sugars of the honey into alcohol.
What Is Mead And How Do You Drink It?
Mead is one of the most versatile alcoholic beverages. It’s also known as honey wine. You can make a drink for yourself by mixing some soda or tonic water in a glass of mead and garnishing it with a lemon slice. You can also make interesting cocktails by mixing mead with wines like Prosecco.
Why Is It Called Mead?
The word ‘mead’ comes from an Old English word ‘medu’. It basically stands for ‘fermented honey drink’. Although mead is referred to as ‘honey wine’ it’s not essentially a wine. Mead can be considered a type of alcohol, just like beer or Sake.
Is Mead A Type Of Alcohol?
Mead is said to be one of the oldest types of alcohol.
Is Mead Sweet Or Bitter?
This depends on the type of honey and yeast used to make it. If the amount of honey added is more, the mead tends to taste sweet. But, if the yeast quantity is more, it can taste bitter.
Do You Drink Mead Hot Or Cold?
It’s said that the traditional way of drinking mead is enjoying it chilled. However, there’s no right way to drink it. You can choose to enjoy it the way you like.
Is Mead High In Alcohol?
The alcohol level in mead can be from 6% ABV to 22% ABV.
What Food Pairs With Mead?
Fruits like blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries, Gouda and Cheddar cheeses, and steaks and stews can be paired with mead.
