The history of mead
The discovery of mead likely happened accidentally. In Ancient Egypt, honey was not only used as food but also as preservative. If the honey was diluted with water, a spontaneous fermentation would ensue, and mead was born.
The Teutons and people from the North discovered mead as well. In Germanic and Nordic mythology, mead is regarded as a drink of the gods. That’s why it was consumed extensively and played an important role in spiritual rituals.
Mead stayed very popular in Central Europe until medieval times. However, its popularity started decreasing with the rise of beer. The reason for this was not the taste but the fact that beer and wine were cheaper to produce.
In the last five hundred years, the tradition of mead was barely cultivated in Western Europe. That’s why most of today’s mead brands come from Eastern or Northern Europe.
How is mead produced?
Compared to other alcoholic beverages, the production of honey wine is relatively simple, although a few things should be kept in mind: A low amount of honey results in a faster fermentation but also in a weaker taste. While mead used to be mostly produced through spontaneous fermentation, it’s now common to use yeast to speed up the fermentation. In this case, it’s important that selected yeast is used and that the temperature doesn’t fall under 15 °C during the process. After fermentation, mead has to be separated from the lees as it contains dead yeast rests. When the separation is done, different spices can be added.
How to drink mead
Mead can be consumed warm or cold. For especially authentic enjoyment, a drinking horn or a clay mug can be used. Indeed, there are several mead brands that offer their mead in clay bottles.
Mead at Gustero
Our mead assortment is small but excellent. That’s why you’re in the right place if you’re looking for an exquisite bottle of mead. Try the Original Wikinger Met in the clay bottle for an especially authentic drinking experience. Make sure to check back again later– we’re expanding our selection constantly!
