I happen to really enjoy a good Mead. There was a fella who used to make his own and many of us were waiting in line to get our hands on some.  Mmmm.  I sure do miss that tasty beverage.  Somehow store-bought mead just does not measure up.

The exact origin of mead is unknown; but, its history can be traced throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa.  If we look toward archaeological evidence, it suggests that mead could have been a part of society as far back as 7000 BC.  The evidence in question is the identification of pottery from Northern China that contained a mixture of Honey, rice and fruits along with compounds utilized in fermentation.¹ And, really, how can you not be fascinated by a drink that wound up being something that takes you back to the crazy, amazing Vikings? Their meadhalls are things of legend, no small thanks to tomes like Beowulf.

“LO, praise of the prowess of people-kings
of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped,
we have heard, and what honor the athelings won!
Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes,
from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore,
awing the earls. Since erst he lay
friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him:
for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve,
till before him the folk, both far and near,
who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate,
gave him gifts: a good king he!”²

Given my love of history, I find this absolutely fascinating. This drink has been around literally ages. What more fascinating piece of living history could there be? Well, other than knitting; but, that is a whole other discussion.

Back in the way back (about four thousand years ago) when a couple would marry, the bride’s father would supply them with all the mead that they needed/wanted for the next lunar cycle (what we now call a month). This is, from a few sources, the origin of the term “honeymoon”.

What is mead and why would “honey” be part of the term instead of “Meadmoon”? Mead is a honey-wine. It is made by fermenting honey, yeast and water, essentially. Though, you can add grains, spices, etc to flavor and otherwise add interest to the drink.

“The proportions of the honey and water determine the final strength and sweetness of the drink, also how long it takes to make. The ratio ranges from 1 lb. honey per gallon of water for a very light ‘soft-drink’ to 5 lbs. per gallon for a sweet dessert wine. The less honey, the lighter the mead, and the quicker it can be made.”³

This drink was such a solid and simple beverage to create that it never died out. Instead, it grew and expanded across the globe. Staying the same, at its base, for all these millenia.¹

In fact, this drink was so valued that years later it was spoken of in the Rigveda (1300-1000 BC) which is part of the four canonical sacred texts of Hinduism known as the Vedas.  The value of it was such that it was offered up to “God, as our Priest” for first drink.

“3 Adhvaryus, make the sweet libations ready, and bring the beautiful bright juice to Vāyu. God, as our Priest, be thou the first to drink it: we give thee of the mead to make thee joyful.
4  Two arms-the Soma’s dexterous immolators-and the ten fingers set and fix the press-stone. The stalk hath poured, fair with its spreading branches, the mead’s bright glittering juice that dwells on mountains.”⁴

The word, itself, comes from a wide variety of roots.

mead (1) ”fermented honey drink,” O.E. medu, from P.Gmc. *meduz (cf. O.N. mjöðr, Dan. mjød, O.Fris., M.Du. mede, Ger. Met ”mead”), from PIE base*medhu- ”honey, sweet drink” (cf. Skt. madhu ”sweet, sweet drink, wine, honey,” Gk. methy ”wine,” O.C.S. medu, Lith. medus ”honey,” O.Ir.mid, Welsh medd, Breton mez ”mead”). Synonymous but unrelated early M.E. meþeglin yielded Chaucer’s meeth.

mead (2) ”meadow,” O.E. mæd ”meadow,” from P.Gmc. *mædwon (cf. Du. made, Ger. Matte ”meadow,” O.E. mæþ ”harvest, crop”), from PIE *metwa-,from base *me- ”mow” (see mow).⁵

To make that more clear: The English word mead derives from the Old English meodu, from Proto-Germanic meduz, from Proto-Indo-European *médʰu (honey, fermented honey drink). Slavic med / miod , which means both “honey” and “mead”, (Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian: med vs. medovina, Polish ‘miód’ pronounce [mju:t] – honey, mead) and Baltic medus “honey”/midus “mead”, also derive from the same Proto-Indo-European root (cf. Welsh medd, Old Irish mid, and Sanskrit madhu).

And, now – for the fun stuff.

Here is a mead recipe from Kevin Karplus.  He based his recipes on Elizabethan style meads and are of the variety known as “metheglin” (or spiced).  Looking through all the recipes on the web (and in a couple of books), this one looked like the one I would be the most likely to try as my first mead.  This is just the ingredients list from Mr. Karplus’ recipe.  If it looks like something you would like to try, visit his page.  It is chock full of information and instructions on how to make this mead.  (I think I am going to give it a go.)

Batch: M7
Type: Sack Mead

3 gallons Water
16 lbs honey
1/4 cup keemun tea
1/4 cup oolong tea
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp whole aniseseed
18 cardamum seed clusters crushed (about 1 tsp)
20 whole allspice slightly crushed (about 3/4 tsp)
about 1 inch galingale root crushed (about 2 1/4 tsp)

(Fining agent: 1 pkg unflavored gelatin in 1 cup of water)

Started: 26 Dec 1981
Wine Yeast added: 27 Dec 1981
1 rack: 10 Jan 1982 (vat -> carboy)
2 rack: 31 Jan 1982 (carboy -> carboy)
3 rack: 30 April 1982 (carboy->carboy)
gelatin added: 23 May 1982
bottled: 3 July 1982
Yield: 3.7 gallons

Comments:
sweet, smooth, potent. A dessert wine.³

Bibliography:

1. McGovern, Patrick E., Juzhong Zhang, Guangsheng Cheng, Zhijun Zhao, Changsui Wang, Jigen Tang, Zhiqing Zhang, Gretchen R. Hall, Robert A. Moreau, Alberto Nuñez, Eric D. Butrym, Michael P. Richards, and Chen-shan Wang. “Fermented beverages of pre- and proto-historic China.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. N.p., 21 Dec. 2004. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC539767/?tool=pubmed>.
2. ”Beowulf.” Project Gutenberg. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://www.gutenberg.org/files/981/981-h/981-h.htm>.
3. Karplus, Kevin. “Mead .” Kevin’s Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://users.soe.ucsc.edu/~karplus/mead-recipe.html>.
4. Griffith, Ralph T.H.. “Hymn 5.” Rig Veda. 1896. vs 3 and 4. Print.
5. ”Online Etymology Dictionary.” Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2011. <http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=mead>.