“When the world was young, when the gods walked the earth and communed with men, […] mead was the liquor drunk by gods and men alike”¹

Mead (from the Old English meodu or medu), known as “the nectar of the gods,” is an alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermentation of honey diluted with water.

It is believed to be the oldest alcoholic drink in history, as it was produced from honey, requiring no agricultural techniques.

The earliest historical evidence of mead was found in China, dating back 9,000 years. It was consumed in Egypt and Vedic India. In Europe, it has been documented since the Bronze Age, and it was widely popular in Greco-Roman culture as well as among the Celts and Vikings.

Having been rediscovered a few decades ago, this ancient yet novel flavor is once again delighting palates around the world.

1. G. Robert Gayre “Wassail! In Mazers of Mead”, Brewers Publications ↩︎

© Photo credit Willfried Wende