What Is Mead? A Beginner’s Guide
A honey wand oozing honey atop a white background.
Mead, believe it or not, is one of the oldest types of alcohol that humans have ever crafted and imbibed. Despite this, its heyday seems to have passed and the mention of mead now typically conjures mental images of medieval taverns.
Despite its decline in popularity, however, mead is on the rise again. With meaderies popping up in many metropolitan cities and more people seeking out and trying this somewhat mysterious alcohol, it’s safe to say there’s been a renewed interest in the substance. To begin, let’s get a working definition going of what mead actually is.
What Is Mead?
Mead, also known as honey wine (though it’s much different from “traditional” wines so don’t let that cloud your perception), is an alcohol made from fermented honey. At its simplest, the drink contains only two ingredients: honey and water.
However, people have long been adding other flavorings, such as fruits and florals, to zhoosh up the drink and add depth to its flavor. Many different cultures across the majority of continents have had their own take on mead at some point in time, incorporating different ingredients and using different types of honey.
However, mead, as many are aware, fell out of fashion at some point. But, why?
Why Mead Declined In Popularity
While ancient sources on mead aren’t exactly abounding, there are some pretty reasonable theories about why mead faced a significant decline. For one, wine and beer were both easier to make, making them more attractive for business-savvy brewers and winemakers. In addition, honey has always been a somewhat pricier commodity due to the somewhat complicated process of tending to beehives and collecting honey.
Beyond these reasons, honey can also come in a wide range of qualities. Before thorough research and methodologies were developed to always glean high-quality honey, batches that took long times to ferment could be hit or miss.
Ultimately, a confluence of these factors caused wine and beer to reign supreme as the popular drinks of choice and caused mead to fall into relative obscurity for many generations. That is, until now.
The Rise of Mead In Current Times
Believe it or not, Dylan Sprouse of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody fame is actually a master mead brewer and founder of All-Wise Meadery based out of New York City. Check out this awesome video of him breaking down how mead gained popularity in the modern era: Mead In the Modern Age.
Some theories he drops around why mead is having a resurgence include honey production becoming more accessible and mead-making being an accessible way for home brewers to foray into alcoholic beverage creation, thereby creating a new interest in and demand for mead.
In addition, Sprouse states that mead has become more referenced in the media, sometimes touching on historical tropes about this particular form of alcohol and ultimately raising awareness about it.
Much like natural wine seems to be having a moment, it kind of feels like mead is on its way there as well. While it’s still pretty niche at the time of writing this, it definitely feels like it has a sustainable momentum and is rising in popularity for its novel vibe and the interesting mead makers helming the movement.
How Is Mead Made?
To further answer the question “What is mead?” It can help to have a rough estimation of how it’s made. At its core, the process involves filling a container with water and mead (and sometimes other ingredients) and letting the mixture ferment.
The fermentation process will include waiting and some way of allowing gases to escape the container every once in a while. Different meads will require different lengths of fermentation time, and just like beer and wine, there are endless variations in the ways mead can be prepared.
If you’re interested in the way that mead was historically made, we recommend checking out this video on the mead-making process by one of our favorite YouTube channels Tasting History With Max Miller: Making Medieval Mead Like a Viking.
What Is Mead FAQS
Let’s dive in and explore answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about mead.
What is mead made of?
The main ingredients in mead are honey and water. However, other ingredients, such as fruits and florals, can be added to this beverage to add flavor and depth.
Where can I find mead?
Where you’ll be able to find mead will depend on where you’re located. Many metropolitan American cities now have at least one meadery. In many places, certain taprooms may carry one or two meads.
If you don’t have any luck with those, it can be helpful to check large alcoholic beverage retailers in your area to see if they have any meads available.
Is mead a type of wine?
While it’s not made from grapes, mead is technically a type of wine. However, the flavor profile of meads can vary significantly from those of traditional wine, so this classification should be taken with a grain of salt if you’re curious about trying mead.
