Mead Definition: What Is Mead and How Is It Described
Mead takes many forms and has a rich history of names. Mead definitions have come from many places. That was to be expected when a beverage has evolved on every continent since the beginning of time. This list will continue to grow as we discovery new mead definitions from history. Mead is older than written history, yet remains one of the last frontiers of our day. The definition of mead may never truly be pinned down but that is what makes it so exciting.
Mead Types and Definitions: Exploring Mead Styles Around the World
- Acerglyn: Fermented honey and maple syrup
- Balche: A native Mexican version
- Black Mead: A name often used for a blend of honey and black currants.
- Bochet: The honey is caramelized or burned. Toffee, caramel, smoky, malty and toasted marshmallow flavors
- Bochetomel: A Bochet with added fruit
- Braggot: of Welsh origin (bragawd). Honey and Malt, with or without hops.
- Capsicumel: flavored with chili peppers. Heat is determined by the mazer’s choice of peppers.
- Chouchenn: A varietal from Brittany, FranceCyser: A blend of honey and apple juice fermented together; see also cider.
- Dandaghare: from Nepal, combines honey with Himalayan herbs and spices. It has been brewed since 1972 in the city of Pokhara
- Gverc or Medovina: Croatian mead prepared in Samobor and many other places. The word “gverc” or “gvirc’ is from the German “Gewürze” and refers to various spices added
- Hydromel: Literally “water-honey” in Greek. It is also the French name for mead. It is also used as a name for a light or low-alcohol mead.
- Medovina: Czech, Croatian, Serbian, Montenegrin, Bulgarian, Bosnian and Slovak for mead.
- Melomel: Melomel is made from honey and any fruit. Depending on the fruit base used, certain melomels may also be known by more specific names like Cyser and Pyment.
- Metheglin: The traditional name for mead when herbs or spices are added.
- Morat: honey and mulberries.
- Myod: Traditional Russian mead, also see medovukha.
- Omphacomel: A medieval mead recipe that blends honey with verjuice; making this a type of pyment
- Oxymel: honey with vinegar
- Pitarrilla: Mayan drink made from a fermented mixture of wild honey, balché-tree bark and fresh water
- PymentPyment: Pyment blends honey and red or white grapes
- Rhodomel: honey and roses. Can include rose petals, rose hips and rose attar
- Sima: Finnish variety, low alcohol and traditionally for the Vappu festival
- Tej: Ethiopian variety with gesho added, which imparts bitterness
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Everything You Need to Know About Mead Definitions
Mead is an ancient alcoholic drink made from fermented honey and water, sometimes with fruits, spices, herbs, or grains. Its definition varies globally, with names like cyser, metheglin, or pyment describing different styles.
Popular types include acerglyn (honey with maple syrup), bochet (caramelized honey mead), braggot (honey with malt), cyser (honey and apple), and melomel (honey and fruit).
Mead and honey wine are essentially the same; “honey wine” is often used to explain mead to new audiences. Both refer to alcoholic drinks made by fermenting honey with water.
Mead has origins all over the world, including Ethiopia (tej), Nepal (dandaghare), Finland (sima), France (hydromel), and Wales (braggot). It’s one of the oldest alcoholic beverages, dating back thousands of years.
Mead is made primarily from honey, while beer is made from grains and wine from grapes. Mead’s flavor profiles are unique, often reflecting the type of honey and added ingredients.
Yes! Mead is experiencing a revival worldwide, with craft meaderies and wineries producing both traditional and modern styles that appeal to today’s drinkers.