“Pour me some mead!” grunts a knight in armor as he enters a tavern. It’s the first drink that comes to mind when picturing Medieval England, but its history goes back even further. Mead is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages, drunk from India to Scandinavia for thousands of years.
Mead might be on tap next to ale and beer at your local brewery. Due to proximity, it may seem like they’re similar. It begs the question: mead vs. beer, what’s the difference?
In this guide, we take a deep dive into mead history and how it sets itself apart from beer brewing.
What Is Mead?
Mead gets the moniker “honey wine” and can look frothy and cloudy like craft beer or IPA. Yet it’s neither wine nor beer. It actually comes from honey.
Making mead involves fermenting honey, instead of fermenting and brewing grains like malts and hops. Since honey doesn’t expire, mead brewers dilute it with water to create a substance known as “must.” Adding in yeast kicks off the fermentation process, wherein those honey sugars break down into ethanol.
It’s a bit trickier to ferment than beer but, it’s easier to brew. Further, it’s more sensitive to flaws in production since the flavor profile won’t cover them up. Mead also loves soaking for generations in the cask-like wine; age adds flavor and value.
ABV starts off low, at a measly 2%. This makes it perfect for those who want a relaxing drink, not a punch in the face.
The heavy stuff can go all the way up to 20%-more like wine. You’ll most often find it in glass bottles rather than aluminum cans.
What Does It Taste Like?
Mead aficionados liken it to a sweet, light, white wine, hence “honey wine.” It’s very common to add a lot of fruits and spices. Floral, fruity, earthy, herbal notes are common in mead.
This honey drink comes in all different types, from fruited “melomels” to spiced “metheglins.” Although honey is the base ingredient, it’s not pronounced unless the brewer upended the honey jar.
History of Mead
The earliest mead was, in all likelihood, an accident. Water leaked into someone’s clay jar of honey, fermenting rather than spoiling it.
That crazy person didn’t dump it into the river. Instead, they decided the best course of action was to have a tipple of this never-before-seen concoction. Voilà, mead.
The earliest historical mention is on some Chinese pottery about 9,000 years ago. Since then, it’s made its way from India to Greece (nectar of the gods) to Scandinavia. Even the Vikings imbibed it from drinking horns, both at feasts and before going into battle.
Then England perfected the drink. If you wanted a good Briton mead a thousand years back, you got it from the monastery.
Monks were sometimes beekeepers, and in the process mastered making candles and, you guessed it, mead. One of the longest-running mead traditions continues in Lindisfarne. This is, ironically, the site of the first Viking raid.
As one final fun fact, mead is the origin of the word “honeymoon.” People once believed mead to be an aphrodisiac-something that, ahem, stimulates sexual desire. Newlyweds would drink it during their first month to kick off the baby making process.
What Is Beer?
Making beer is a very different process. It begins with malting, or heating barley to extract the sugars. Producers then mash the grains, soaking them in hot water known as “wort.”
Hops and other flavorings are added later in the process. These give beer its characteristic bitter, herbal, grassy flavor.
Beer tends to have a semi-transparent amber color. It can be lighter or darker, and is sometimes cloudy. It ranges from 4% to 7% and is best served from the can or tap.
Beer is not only one of the most popular drinks, but its also the most diverse. It comes as lager, ale, IPA, stout, pilsner, porter, and so much more. You’ve got major breweries from Anheuser Busch to craft breweries, like yours truly.
History of Beer
Beer is old, that no one is quite sure when humans first made it. We know it’s been on tap since the oldest human agricultural civilizations, and perhaps even since the Stone Age.
Like every alcoholic beverage, we likely stumbled upon it by accident. Some lazy human left their grains out in the sun and rain. When they went back to check, there was a puddle of something intoxicating, and the rest is history.
Since then, beer has been a staple and mainstay. It was safer to drink than water and made you feel good. Plus, it was an effective way to avoid grain spoilage throughout the winter.
Egyptians, Sumerians, and Babylonians all wrote about it. They had gods in honor of it, paid people in it, and treated ailments with it. Even children drank it, although a low-alcohol, diluted version.
Mead vs. Beer: What’s the Difference?
The only connection between mead and beer is that they’re alcoholic. They have different production processes, different tastes, and different industries.
Production and Industry
Mead has a honey base, while beer comes from barley and hops. Though both use yeast and both involve fermentation, but that’s the process for the majority of alcoholic beverages.
You won’t often find a brewery making both mead and beer. Mead-only producers tend to be old. England has only recently seen an increase of meaderies post-2014, after 500 years with the same producers.
Taste
Beer is hops-heavy, bitter, and smells like flowers. Mead is reminiscent of white wine, with a sweet taste, good for those who like their alcohol to come easily.
You won’t have any trouble telling one apart from the other!
Visit Upstream
Mead vs. beer: one is made from honey, the other from grains. Both have long, storied histories. The one you choose will depend on what your tastebuds are up for.
Upstream Brewing Company gives you a top-notch drink menu with food to match. Check out our special brews and get delivery straight to your porch!
When you’re ready to enjoy craft beer alongside a delicious meal make a reservation today online or call 402-344-0200!