Mead and hydromel wine

Mead is a traditional alcoholic drink derived from the fermentation of diluted honey in the presence of appropriate yeast. Depending on the proportion to which honey is diluted, at 1:0.5, 1:1, 1:2, or 1:3 (honey:water), different types of mead are obtained.

Mead was a part of the rituals of the Celts, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. It was believed to have magical, healing powers even capable of increasing fertility.

A mead may be categorized as hydromel, standard, or sack strength. A hydromel was traditionally a mead that had been weakened by dilution. The strength of a mead is primarily based on the original gravity. Hydromels (watered mead) will have specific gravities roughly less than 1.080. Standard strength meads will be in the original gravity range from 1.080 to 1.120. Sack meads will generally be greater than 1.120.

Stronger meads can have a greater honey character and body (as well as alcohol) than weaker meads, although this is not a strict rule.

Literally, hydromel means ‘water-honey’ in Greek. It is also the French name for mead. (Compare with the Catalan hidromel, Galician aiguamel, Portuguese hidromel, Italian idromele, and Spanish hidromiel and aguamiel). It is also used as a name for a light mead.

To enhance its character and complexity, a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, or spices (ginger, cardamom, cloves, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, sage, parsley, fennel, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon or orange peels, among others) may be added to, during, or after fermentation.
Mead and hydromel wine

Mead – honey fermented drink

According to a late fourteenth century English recipe copied in a medical manuscript, mead resulted merely from boiling honey and water.

Mead is said to have been the principle of the Britons before the use of malt liquor among them; and long after the introduction of the latter beverage, mead was a favorite drink. It is an alcoholic beverage made from honey and water via fermentation with yeast.

It is alcoholic content may range from that of a mild ale to that of a strong wine.

It may be carbonated or sparkling; it dry ,semi sweet or sweet. Meadhing is the practice of brewing honey, therefore mead also known as ‘honey wine’.

A mead that contains spices such as cloves and cinnamon or herbs such oregano and lavender is called metheglin.

It was said that by drinking mead, the drink were thought to confer good health, longevity and fertility.

Mead – honey fermented drink