Mead
Mead is an alcoholic beverage traditionally made by fermenting honey and water, sometimes enhanced with yeast and various spices. Its origins are debated, but many experts suggest that mead may be among the oldest alcoholic drinks known to humans, potentially dating back to around 7000 BCE. The fermentation process transforms the sugars in honey into alcohol, producing a drink that varies in flavor based on the type of honey used. Some variations of mead, known as metheglin, incorporate spices like cloves and ginger.
Culturally, mead has significant historical relevance, often regarded as the "drink of the gods" in various ancient societies, including the Greeks and Norse. In Greek mythology, mead was associated with divine attributes and used in rituals to honor deities. Similarly, Norse mythology featured mead as a source of inspiration and strength for warriors. The beverage also appears in notable literary works, such as the epic poem "Beowulf" and Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales." Additionally, mead has played a role in marriage traditions, with couples drinking it during their honeymoon month, a practice that contributed to the term "honeymoon." Overall, mead traverses a rich tapestry of cultural history, mythology, and literature.
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Mead
Mead is an alcoholic beverage, which in its traditional form, is made by fermenting honey and water. In some cases, yeast, cloves, ginger, or a variety of other spices may be added. While its exact origins are unknown, some experts believe mead may be the first alcoholic drink discovered by humans. The beverage has been consumed for thousands of years and was believed by some cultures to be the drink of the gods. Mead has been mentioned in several famous literary works and may even have contributed to the origin of the word honeymoon.
Overview
Mead is created when honey and water undergo a chemical reaction known as fermentation. The process breaks down the sugars found in honey and converts them into alcohol. Traditional mead is created using only honey and water. Occasionally, yeast is introduced to speed up the fermentation process. The taste of traditional mead can vary depending on the type of honey used. Spiced mead using ingredients such as cloves, ginger, rosemary, nutmeg, or thyme is called metheglin.
Evidence found on Chinese pottery suggests humans were fermenting mead around 7000 BCE, centuries before the first evidence of beer or wine making. While there is no definitive proof that mead is the world's oldest alcoholic beverage, archeologists believe fermented honey would have been a logical candidate. They speculate that ancient humans may have discovered the properties of fermented honey when they drank water from a rain-filled beehive. Upon feeling the intoxicating effects from the drink, they may have believed it contained mystical qualities.
The ancient Greeks believed mead was the favorite drink of their gods and was sent down from heaven as dew. Some historians believe it may have been the inspiration for the mythical ambrosia, or the "nectar of the gods." The Greeks drank mead to honor the goddess Aphrodite and used by prophets to see visions of the future. They also believed that mead would bring strength, good health, and a longer life.
Mead was also viewed as the favored drink of the gods in Norse mythology. Odin, the king of the gods, was said to become more powerful by drinking mead. Fallen Norse warriors were also welcomed into the afterlife by beautiful maidens carrying cups of mead. Norse myths also told of legendary mead that gave all those who drank it the gift of poetry. According to Celtic myth, a river of mead ran through the center of their heavenly paradise. The Anglo-Saxons on the island of Britain believed mead inspired poetry and knowledge, and could lead to immortality.
The importance of mead to ancient cultures is evidenced by its inclusion in several important classics of literature. In the epic poem Beowulf, believed to have been written as early as the seventh century CE, the titular hero battles a monster named Grendel in the king's mead hall. Fourteenth-century author Geoffrey Chaucer makes mention of mead as a favorite drink of the townsfolk in the Canterbury Tales.
According to a medieval tradition, mead was also considered an aphrodisiac. During the first month of marriage, newlywed couples often drank mead to help increase the chances of conceiving a child. Because a month coincides with one cycle of the moon, this tradition eventually helped inspire the word honeymoon.
Bibliography
Berry, Allison. "5 Essential Things You Should Know about Mead." Time, 2 Aug. 2013, style.time.com/2013/08/02/5-essential-things-you-should-know-about-mead/. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017.
"A Brief History of Mead." The Colony Meadery, 6 Apr. 2016, www.colonymeadery.com/blog/2016/4/8/a-brief-history-of-mead. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017.
"A Brief History of Mead." Sky River Mead, www.skyriverbrewing.com/Mead/mead-history.html. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017.
"History of Mead." Beer 100, www.beer100.com/history/meadhistory.htm. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017.
"Making Mead: The Art and the Science." National Honey Board, www.bjcp.org/mead/makingmead.pdf. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017.
Marsteller, Amanda. "10 Things You Didn't Know about Mead." Liquor.com, 19 Feb. 2015, www.liquor.com/articles/10-facts-about-mead/#gs.wiRT5zQ. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017.
Mead—A Collection of Articles on the History and Production of Mead. Read Books, 2011.
Zimmerman, Jereme. Make Mead Like a Viking. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015.