Bees and Mead
You can now get a taste of what the ancient gods and kings drank. Mead, commonly known as “honey wine,” is an alcoholic drink made with honey, wine, and yeast (for fermentation). Similar to beer, it can be flavored with fruits, spices, and grains, but it isn’t quite beer and is stronger than beer, ranging from 8% to 20% ABV. Mead isn’t quite wine, but it can be dry, sweet, still, or sparkling like wine. As a result, mead is its own category of alcohol.
The History of Mead
Mead may be one of the first alcoholic beverages on earth. Enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, Africans, Romans, Vikings, Polish, Ethiopians, and Chinese alike, its roots go back as early as 3000 B.C, where it’s speculated that the first drinkers were people in China’s Henan province when rainwater mixed with honey.
The divine history of mead lends an air of mystery and power. In Greek mythology, mead was branded as “the drink of the gods” because bees were seen as the gods’ messengers that collected mead from the heavens. This imbued mead with the effects of immortality or god-like powers. In Norse mythology, mead came from the blood of a man created by the gods mixed with honey, and whoever drank the concoction had the man’s power of intelligence.
Although mead was ubiquitous around the world, its great decline came in the 1700s because of tax laws, the availability of sugar over honey, and most importantly, the rise of beer and wine, which were much easier to make than mead.
How Do I Make Mead?
Mead is made with fermented honey and water. The “must” – the mixture of honey and water – is blended together before fermentation and is sometimes heated to kill unwanted bacteria. Then, by adding yeast, the honey’s sugar transforms into alcohol—oxygen and nutrients are also added to facilitate the fermentation process. At any point during fermentation, fruits, spices, or any flavorings can be added.
The sweetness and alcohol content of mead is impacted by the honey dilution, type of yeast, and fermentation temperature. Before it is sold, the aging process of mead can take anywhere from months to years after fermentation.
Here are a few mead recipes you can try making yourself:
Mead’s Comeback
As old styles and trends creep back into the present, mead is no exception. In 2015, the number of American meaderies doubled in the previous three years. In April 2019, there were around 500 meaderies, up from 150 ten years ago, and 200 are waiting for their federal licenses to be approved. According to 2018 data, on average, a new meaderie opens every three days in the US.
Beekeepers and Breweries
Many breweries and meaderies partner with beekeepers to source quality, dependable honey for their meads, either by keeping their own bees, purchasing honey from local farms, or employing a hybrid model.
For example, Meadiocrity Meadery in San Marcos, CA, manages its own hives and works with local beekeepers to keep the bee population healthy. It also collaborates with local farmers and ranchers to graze its own bees on crops and flowers. Wild Blossom Meadery & Winery in Chicago raises its own bees around the city.
Green Bench Brewing Co. in St. Petersburg, FL, houses 60,000 honey bees on its roof but also purchases 95% of its honey from a local farm. B. Nektar in Ferndale, MI, obtains its honey from as many local sources it can.
Where Can I Find Mead?
If you want to get a taste of this ancient beverage, local meaderies and breweries offer mead:
- All-Wise Meadery in Brooklyn, NY (founded by actor Dylan Sprouse)
- Enlightenment Wines in Brooklyn, NY
- B. Nektar in Ferndale, MI
- Kuhnhenn Brewery in Warren, MI
- Redstone Meadery in Boulder, CO
- Brothers Drake Meadery in Columbus, OH
How LeaseHoney Can Help
Using LeaseHoney, breweries can partner with local beekeepers to keep hives on their rooftops or properties and create the quality honey they need to make mead. If you’re a brewery that keeps your own bees but wants additional space, you can rent out land from farmers and landowners or find farmers that need their crops pollinated by your bees.