M is for Mead

“...It was a happy gathering. In my whole life I have never seen mead enjoyed more in any halls on earth...”

--Beowulf, translated by Seamus Heaney, lines 2014-2016

I have a sentimental attachment to mead, the sweet alcohol that has been made from honey for centuries. Back in my college days, when I was studying Beowulf in my Great Books class, my classmates and I took no end of pleasure out of the many poetic glorifications of the beverage in the story. If you’ve read the book, you know what I’m talking about; and didn’t you find it funny that while Grendel was breaking into the mead hall every night to pick off the warriors one by one, they still slept there instead of seeking the safety of their homes? Well, I did. And I reached the conclusion that the mead must have been pretty amazing.


It may have been the drink of champions in Beowulf, but it was also the drink of kings and of the common people from ancient times and on through the middle ages. In fact, it is widely considered to be the first fermented beverage, and it’s made its mark in virtually every culture.


I’m not sure if this will live up to what Hrothgar served in his mead hall, but if you want to try your hand at making your own mead, here’s a recipe from The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in the Middle Ages:

“Dissolve four pounds honey in a gallon of water with half an ounce of ginger. Boil for approximately forty-five minutes, then pour into a barrel or wooden container. Before it cools completely, add yeast and wait for it to ferment. After fermentation, seal and store for six months.”