As it’s somehow already July, I wanted to make sure I slipped in a Liquor Literacy for everyone to enjoy before the summer flies by. When you think of summer, I am sure mead is not the first drink that comes to mind but this cocktail could change that. I hadn’t set out looking to fall into the rabbit hole that is the history of mead while trying to focus on summer, but as someone drawn to all things history and mythology, I am not surprised.
The Drink
Mead was the drink of royalty and was called the nectar of the gods for centuries. Perhaps you’re familiar with the drink from books or TV shows, but what exactly is mead?
Mead is the result of honey fermenting with water, a sort of honey wine, although it’s technically not wine since it’s not made from fermented fruits. The type of honey used determines the overall flavor of the mead as, of course, the honey acquires the flavor of the flowers the bees are pollenating. The variety of mead flavorings is wide but traditional meads use mild honeys flavored with orange blossom, acacia, alfalfa and other softer flavors as opposed to flavors such as blackberry or wildflower honey. Like wine, mead can be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet.
Today I’m making a mead cocktail that will be a perfect drink for summer.
The History of Mead
As long as it’s been around, mead might not be the oldest alcoholic drink in the world. Traces of mead have been found as far back as 7000 BC within a piece of Chinese pottery, about a thousand years older than the oldest traces of wine. For a long while, that trace of mead outdated any trace of beer throughout history as well. Recently, however, a find in Raqefet Cave in Israel was dated to five thousand years before the oldest trace of mead, making beer the clear winner for the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage–for now.
Since mead is naturally occurring, it’s been theorized that the first people to consume it could’ve stumbled upon a rained-on beehive that had fermented with airborne yeast and drank the contents. I was surprised to learn how widespread the consumption of mead was around the world. From Asia and Europe to the Middle East and Africa, mead was drunk by commoners, kings, queens, Vikings and more. It was believed to be the favorite drink of Queen Sheba and King Solomon. Traces of mead were even found in cups discovered with King Midas’s funeral feast in his tomb. There’s evidence that it was being made in Britain as far back as the Roman period and that it was being produced and stored in a castle in Cornwall for feasts in the fifth and sixth centuries.
Within Europe, mead was a popular inclusion within mythology. Roman, Celtic, Greek, Norse and German mythologies and epic poems have gods and mortals drinking mead aplenty. In some, mead gave the drinker special magical abilities or was the drink of heroes and the divine. In Norse mythology, it represented the blood of Kvasir, the product of two kinds of gods and wisest of all men. Odin was said to exist purely on mead in the same way the Greek gods lived on it alone. It played an important role in rituals throughout several ancient cultures as well and is still used by those keeping traditional pagan beliefs alive.
Throughout Europe, mead was very popular but wine was preferred in warmer climates such as those in Italy, France and Spain. However, in cooler climates mead was the drink of the Early Middle Ages and Medieval Europe. The Welsh are said to have had a special interest in mead. Though I can’t find much information on it, it’s said that the 10th century Welsh king, King Howel the Great, actually created official rules for mead making. The drink was associated with the bravery of warriors and Welsh poet Taliesin wrote its praises in a poem titled Song to Mead: “May Maelgwn of Môn be drunk with mead and us likewise, From frothing horns of finest purest mead, Which bees collect but ne’er enjoy. Mead refined, glistening is everywhere praised.”
According to ancient Celtic tradition, newly married couples were given a month’s worth of mead—some say as celebration, some say as part of the woman’s dowry. While conflicting stories exist, it seems the mead was for either the couple themselves or part of month-long celebrations for the marriage. It’s also said that it was drunk by the groom until he could barely stand before he returned to his wife with hopes of conceiving a son. Whatever the truth may be, mead was believed to increase fertility and the goal of the month’s amount of mead was children—sons, specifically. This month of mead, a moon’s worth, if you will, is the origin of the honeymoon for newly married couples.
Mead was a favorite for more than the belief it increased fertility, though. Celtic mythology said a river of mead ran through paradise, Anglo-Saxon culture believed it bestowed drinkers with knowledge, poetry and even immortality; and the Welsh used it for medicinal purposes as well as a generally enjoyable drink. A popular variant of mead was metheglin, a spiced mead named for the Welsh word meddyglyn, meaning physician. Though metheglin only refers to the spiced drink, the word ended up being used interchangeably with regular mead when the Tudors brought some Welsh culture to England in the early 16th century.
While many factors played a role in mead becoming a relic of the past, it seems that it faded away as it first became popular, as a drink of the upperclass. Though it began as a drink worthy of kings, it did eventually become a drink for all, commoners included. When beer was introduced to England, mead fell off with commoners and became a drink more exclusive to the elite once again. Beer was cheaper, easier to produce and had a longer shelf life thanks to hops—it was only natural that the commoners preferred it. However, mead eventually fell out of popularity with the elite, too. Wine imported from the Mediterranean became the king of drinks for the upperclass. Along with taxation and regulations on the ingredients of alcoholic beverages, sugar from the West Indies was imported in large quantities in the 17th century, making beekeeping for honey to sweeten foods unnecessary and almost wiping out mead making completely. However, British monasteries continued to keep bees and kept the art of mead making alive as a byproduct. The final blow to mead in England came from none other than King Henry VIII himself. In his movement to do away with any ties to the Roman Catholic Church and name himself head of his new Church of England, Henry closed down all monasteries and effectively ended the production and enjoyment of mead in England.
While mead has been mentioned in epic poems and classic literature such as Beowulf and Canterbury Tales, many modern readers have been made familiar with the drink through books such as A Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings, and even Harry Potter. Stories such as these—especially the Game of Thrones TV show and the show Vikings—have been credited with helping bring mead to the attention of the modern public. What used to be kept alive mostly by Renaissance fairs and enthusiasts of pagan lore and history is now seeing a big comeback.
The Recipe
Today’s recipe is very, very simple compared to the previous recipes I made for Liquor Literacy (which you can read here and here). As I can’t make mead myself, I thought I’d choose a cocktail recipe that would be easy and refreshing for summer.
This cocktail is called A Cure for What Ails You and I found the recipe here. With only three ingredients, this recipe is super simple. I was surprised to find mead at my local liquor store and while I’m sure it’s not the fanciest, it will do just fine. I’m sure you’ll be able to find some easily, too.
A Cure for What Ails You
2 1/2 ounces of mead
1 1/2 ounces of ginger beer
1 ounce of lemon juice
Lemon peel
Directions
Again, with only three ingredients, there’s very little to do before enjoying this cocktail. Simply shake the mead and lemon juice together over ice before pouring it in a glass filled with ice. Then add the ginger beer and run the lemon peel around the edge of the glass before dropping it into the drink.
That’s it!
I must say, it’s a relief to not have to roast any clove-studded fruit for this recipe. Just shake, sip and enjoy!
Pairs Well With
Tudors
by Peter Ackroyd
If you, like me, were interested in the connection between the Tudors and mead, perhaps you’d like to learn more about the Tudor era. An in-depth history book, Tudors will give you the facts about England throughout the Tudor era while keeping you engaged.
The Name of the Wind
by Patrick Rothfuss
Mead is a common inclusion within many fantasy books and is very tied to the idea of traditional fantasy worlds for many readers, such as myself. If that’s your cup of tea, I highly, highly recommend The Name of the Wind. It’s a fantastically compelling traditional fantasy where the main character happens to drink metheglin on more than one occasion.
Perhaps you’re more interested in the mythological ties of mead. If so, I have you covered.
A Treasury of Irish Fairy and Folk Tales
by Various
A collection of Irish fairytales and folktales, this little book feels like a doorway to another land and another time with its stories of Fae, gods and more.
The Book of Celtic Myths
by Adams Media
Similarly to the previous book, this little book of tales gives us a glimpse into the beliefs of an ancient people. It’s a quick, fascinating read and great inspiration for writers interested in old magic.
The Book of Viking Myths
by Peter Archer
Perhaps you’re more interested in mead’s Viking connection or perhaps you’ve become more familiar with the drink through the TV show. Either way, this may be the perfect read for you.
Final Thoughts
Researching mead through the ages was a fascinating, fun journey and the cocktail was a hit. I’m so glad that I’ve finally tried mead. The drink of the gods is not exactly what I was expecting but it’s quite good and sweet. The cocktail itself is absolute perfection for a hot summer day–it’s bright and citrusy with the mead adding a nice depth to the overall flavor. I highly recommend trying it.
Thanks for reading,
Madison