Mead is a beverage that’s made by fermenting honey. This is one of the world’s oldest beverages and is one that is sometimes called ambrosia, and sometimes called honey wine. It’s also a beverage that’s celebrated on the first Saturday in August by observing a holiday called Mead Day. This holiday is designed to not only raise awareness about this sweet fermented beverage but also to foster goodwill and camaraderie between all the different mead brewers in the world.

The History of Mead Day

Mead Day is a holiday that was first created in 2002 by the American Homebrewers Association. The purpose of creating this holiday is to encourage more people to brew mead at home and to foster camaraderie between everyone who is making mead—both at home and among the different mead manufacturers.

The History of Mead

Scientists have discovered that mead dates back to at least 7,000 BCE. Vessels made out of pottery have been found with traces of honey, rice, and the organic compounds that are usually present during the fermentation process in China. Evidence of mead fermentation was also found in ceramic containers in Europe that date back to 2,800 BCE. The word “mead” comes from an Old English word “meodu” and from a word in Proto-Germanic “meduz.” These words basically mean a “fermented honey drink.”

Facts About Mead

Even though mead has been made for approximately 9,000+ years, it’s not brewed as frequently as wine, beer, or hard liquors, so most people aren’t all that familiar with it. If people think of it at all, they usually think of it as a Medieval drink like ale or one that’s associated with Beowulf. To change this perception about this beverage, we’ve decided to list out some facts about mead that we believe everyone should know.

• According to Greek mythology, mead was a drink enjoyed by the gods.
• Mead has been mentioned in some of the oldest examples of literature in the world.
• Mead was once considered to be an aphrodisiac.
• During the Middle Ages, it was traditional to drink mead after a wedding for a full moon cycle, hence the term “honeymoon.”
• Although mead is often called honey wine, it’s not actually a wine because wine is made from fermented fruit.
• Mead also isn’t a beer, as that term applies to fermented grains.
• To make mead, all a person needs is three basic ingredients: water, honey, and yeast.
• The variety in the different types of mead is a result of the sources from which the three main ingredients are derived.
• Mead was supposed to be the preferred drink of Aristotle.

Observing Mead Day

The best way to observe Mead Day is to pour yourself a glass of mead. Drinking mead is like tasting history, and there’s no other alcoholic beverage that’s capable of giving a person that feeling of connection to the past. It’s also a good day to learn how to make mead for yourself. While you’re enjoying the festivities of this holiday, be sure to use the hashtag #MeadDay to let the world know that you’re observing this day.