World's oldest drink makes a comeback

Fermented honey, known as mead, had been enjoyed for centuries around the world. But what was thought of as a bygone beverage is now enjoying a renaissance

Mead, have you heard the name? Most probably, yes. Have you tasted it? Most probably, no. The drink finds common reference in British literature, be it classics, period drama or fantasy fiction. The popular drink was guzzled by nobles, mythical creatures like Norse Gods, dwarves and wizards. 

 

They say fashion and food habits are cyclical and staying true to the saying, the world’s oldest drink is making a comeback as its popularity has seen an uptick in recent times. Mead, created by fermenting honey, is now enjoying a renaissance in the United States and is making its way to the UK and Canada as well.

 

Its roots can be found in classical Greece and imperial Rome which later spread on to Europe after the collapse of the Roman Empire. Mead is known to have been enjoyed for centuries around the world.

 

It has widely been used in English literature and many fantasy-fiction novels mention the drink. One could find a group of hobbits sipping on their mugs of mead in the realm of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. It is also mentioned as a widely popular drink among wizards in the sixth installment of the Harry Potter series as Dumbledore calls oak-matured mead as Madam Romerta’s finest. It is also given prime importance in the epic of Beowulf which even mentions a grand mead hall called Heorot. 

 

In the video, Founder of Gosnells London Mead Tom Gosnell says, “We have already maxed out production here so we were doing about 3,000 - 3,500 bottles a month, It's growing by 2,000% a year.(sic)”

 

According to the American Mead Makers Association Mead sales have jumped to 130 % from 2012 to 2013 with meaderies multiplying across the country. With the growing interest, production and market for the alcoholic beverage should continue to increase by a substantial amount in times to come.