Mead is a honey wine that is made by fermenting honey and water using yeast. However, it can be given added flavours by adding fruits or spices. Although, the alcoholic drink is argued to be both wine and beer. It is often classified as wine because of the alcohol content it has. It is stronger than beer.
If you look back at how mead originated then there are various stories. If we consider the mythological side, the drink was believed to be the ‘drink of the gods.’ It is believed that Rigveda, a sacred book of Vedic religions, describes the drink as soma. The ancient Greeks used to call Mead ambrosia or nectar dewing directly from heaven.
Historically, mead, one of the oldest alcoholic drinks, was discovered by chance. The extracts of the alcoholic drink were found in the pottery vessels dating back to 7000 BC. It is believed that it was produced when raindrops fell into a pot of honey and fermentation occurred. After that, China’s Henan province started drinking it.
In the last few years, the drink has gained immense popularity and is now a favourite drink of many. The taste of the drink varies as per the quality of honey. Traditional mead is said to be made using mild honey such as orange blossom, clover or acacia. However, modern mead like melomel is made using fruits like blackberry and raspberry.
Do you know mead is a signature drink for your ‘honeymoon’? The term ‘honeymoon’ originated from the ancient tradition of drinking honey wine for a full moon cycle after a new marriage. It was believed to be a fruitful tradition to have plenty of children. Also, experts believe that mead, when mixed with spices and herbs, was used as a health tonic during medieval times. Although, there is no medical proof for the claim.
So, next time you take a sip of mead, sip it like a legend!
