A Few Fun Facts About Mead
Mead is the planet's oldest fermented beverage. Its history dates back over eight thousand years.
Mead is truly a global drink. It independently originated in very diverse cultures including Egyptian, Celtic, Indian and Scandinavian.
Honey used to ferment naturally in the bee hive so that mead could be eaten or drunk.
Mead was the wine of Northern Europe. In the colder, non-grape producing regions, they knew no other wine than mead. Beowulf, Bede Wagner and Canterbury Tales all have references to mead. In Norse Mythology, Valhalla was said to have had rivers flowing with mead.
Our word medicine is derived from an herb-based style of mead called Metheglin.
Like grape wine, the kind and quality of honey used will effect the taste of the final product.
Mead is the national beverage of Ethiopia. There it is called T'ej.
Honey can be mixed with different juices to recreate traditional styles. Grapes and honey make a pyment of clarre. Cider and honey combine for a cyser. When other fruits, such as raspberries or cranberries are added it is known as a melomel.
Mead is currently produced by over two dozen North American wineries.
The American Homebrewers Association has several mead categories in its national competition, both carbonated and still. They also award the Meadmaker of the Year award.
The American Mead Association publishes a quarterly journal on mead that includes research, recipes, history and information on where and how to buy commercial meads.
In Medieval times, it was customary for a newly married couple to be given enough mead to drink a glass every night for the first month (or moon cycle) of their marriage. If the wife became pregnant and bore a son, the mead maker was congratulated and held in great esteem for his potent nectar. This is the origin of the term honey-moon.
The most interesting mead stories, however, will be the ones that you create while making and drinking your very own mead. Wassail!
RESOURCES
American Mead Association Grand Junction, CO 1-800-693-MEAD. A great source of information and friendly help. They also have a complete listing of meaderies that will mail order.
The Mead Hall: http://alpha.rollanet.org/MHall.html. You can also look up three meaderies on the web: Honey Run, Erle Estates and Life Force Winery. Search the net for "honey" or "mead".
Jimbo's Naturally in Del Mar at 12853 El Camino Real 793-7755 carries 3 fruit meads.
Cost Plus has Chaucer's Mead during the Winter (all locations as far as I know).
yala Restaurant in La Mesa serves mead with their fine Ethiopian food.
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