While mead is often associated with Vikings, you donโt have to be a seafaring Norseman to appreciate this drink. Honey mead is an alcoholic drink made from, well, honey, and itโs quickly earning a revival. If you have a keen interest in the drink, you can put down the Viking hat, as weโre seeing more and more meaderies opening up here and abroad โ most of which are churning out modernised, โcraftโ versions of the ancient beverage.
Want to learn more about mead? Below, we cover some basics, from what itโs made of, how itโs made, how to drink it, and where you can score bottles of this unique drink.
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What is mead? A brief history of the drink
Mead is a drink made from fermented honey and water. It is often called โhoney wineโ because of its similarity to wine in taste and alcohol content. Unlike wine โ which requires a certain climate to grow grapes โ mead can be made pretty much anywhere thereโs a source of honey.
Mead is believed to be the oldest fermented drink on earth. When you drink mead, youโre drinking the same thing ancient Greeks, Chinese, and, yes, Vikings used to drink. According to Eater, Vikings hold mead to an especially high regard because of a legend called โPoetic Meadโ, which contained the blood of an all-knowing man called Kvasir. The blood-laced mead gifts its drinker with the intelligence of the wise man.
Mead was also popular in Ireland! The Spruce shares that everyone from peasants to monks to High Kings enjoyed the drink, and that it is believed that the word โhoneymoonโ originated from mead-drinkers. See, in Ireland, itโs a tradition for newlyweds to drink honey on the full moon!
Is mead making a comeback?
As more meaderies crop up here and abroad, we think itโs right to say that mead is experiencing a renaissance of sorts. And you can thank the โcraftโ drink trend for that!
Brian Rutzen of the Northman Cider Pub & Bistro told Forbes that, โIn many ways, it is the happy medium between a cider and a cocktail. The wild flavour combinations could even lend themselves as welcome additions to creative new cocktail recipesโ.
Even former Disney child actor Dylan Sprouse (Cole Sprouseโs twin) is a mead-maker! His meadery is called All-Wise. While unconfirmed, we bet thatโs a nod to the legend of Kvasir!
Are there different kinds of mead?
Yes! There are dozens of different kinds of meads, depending on what is added into the mix. For example, mead mixed with maple syrup is called โacerglynโ, while mead brewed with hops (the same stuff beer is made of) is called โbraggotโ. Some meads are spiced with herbs like ginger, cloves, nutmeg, or cinnamon. These are called metheglin!
How is mead made?
Mead is relatively easy to homebrew. But itโs not for the faint of heart; if you make it wrong, the mixture might end up poisonous!
Step 1
Mead is typically made with honey, water, yeast, and an air-tight vessel. The process starts with sterilisation, which prevents mead from either poisoning you or turning sour โ which entirely negates the point of making mead!
NOTE: There is some debate about whether itโs okay to use distilled water when making mead. Some believe that distilled water doesnโt contain enough minerals for the yeast to grow, while others say there isnโt much of a difference.
Step 2
Boil the water and honey in a vat. The amount of honey you mix in changes the taste of your mead. More honey means a sweeter taste! Raw honey also enhances the sweetness.
Let the mixture cool before proceeding to the next step.
Step 3
Pour the cooled mixture into an air-tight container. Add in your yeast and sit back and wait for it to ferment. After several weeks, โrackโ or siphon out the liquid and transfer into a separate container.
5 mead brands you should try (and where to buy them)
Maxwell Mead
Maxwellโs is probably the most well-known Aussie mead out there. Theyโve had over 50 years of mead production under their belt, after all. They offer four varieties: sparkling mead (described as a cross between โginger beer and ciderโ), spiced mead, liqueur mead, and the classic honey mead.
Maxwellโs Meads can be bought at Dan Murphyโs for $AUD17.99 per 750mL bottle.
Stone Dog
The Land once claimed that Stone Dogโs meadery was โtaking the mead world by stormโ. And itโs easy to see why. With the ownerโs combined passion and creativity, Stone Dog produces unique flavours, such as the Casual Profanity mead that is made with scotch thistle honey, the malty Triple IPA Braggot, and the Odinโs Reserve which is made with caramelised honey.
As if honey wine didnโt sound good enough, Stone Dog makes it even more scrumptious!
Bee Mead
Bee Mead has the distinction of being Australiaโs first sparkling mead. They offer three delicious flavours โ Original Manuka Honey, Honey & Ginger, and Honey & Spice. The latter has got โintense cinnamon and delicate nutmegโ in the mix, which, according to some fans, tastes just like Christmas!
Bee Mead can be purchased from Dan Murphyโs at $AUD4.99 per 330 mL bottle.
Sunlight Liquor
As its name suggests, Sunlight Liquor produces bright and sunny drinks that are, according to their site, โideally suited to the Australian climate and lifestyleโ. Drawing inspiration from craft beers and gins, Sunlight Liquor sells two fun flavours โ the sparkling rosรฉ-inspired Gums & Roses and the zesty Sparkling Orange Blossom.
Check out their website for a list of stockists.
Aurum
Arumโs founder, Louis Costa, blends his skill at winemaking with his love for mead. The result is a premium mead of the highest calibre. Similar to Sunlight Liquorโs Gums & Roses, Aurum has a Sparkling Rosรฉ Mead that is โco-fermented with native rosella and strawberry gum leafโ. If youโre looking for something subtler and closer to white wine, try their Still White, which is made with lemon zest, white flowers, and lightly grilled macadamia nuts.
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