VIKING SPIRIT
Meet the ancient libation that’s making a sweet return
It may be the world’s oldest tipple, but mead is making waves again.
In Norse mythology, a magical tincture existed called “Poetic Mead”. Crafted with honey and the blood of a wise man, it gave the gift of great intelligence to anyone who drank it. Mead (of a stockstandard, non-poetic variety) was also the drink of choice for the Greek gods, and vikings were rewarded with a bottomless cup of it upon reaching Valhalla (like a viking heaven). While tinctures made with the blood of wise men would certainly not meet modern food safety standards, a selection of other mead-based innovations are currently infiltrating bottle-shop shelves and inner-city bar menus.
Believed to be the world’s oldest tipple, predating beer and wine, mead’s production has been dated back to China 7000BC. In the US, the number of dedicated meaderies has increased from 30 in 2003 to more than 300 in 2018, with former child star Dylan Sprouse (The Suite Life Of Zack & Cody) set to open one in Brooklyn this year. Its current trend-worthiness can be traced back to a few things. First is craft beer’s entrance into the mainstream – in the mid-noughties, craft beer events began adding mead competitions to the line-up, such was the demand. Mentions of the liquor in pop culture did their part, too (see: 2007’s Scandinavian odyssey Beowulf), and the revived interest in medieval and fantasy worlds – thanks, Vikings and Game Of Thrones – set mead up to be the, ahem, buzz-worthy drop it is today. Scientists have even vouched for its health benefits – the honey’s antibacterial properties help fight infection, reduce stress and aid digestion. (Arguably, a spoonful straight from the jar would do the trick, but where’s the fun in that?)
Though the traditional liquor can be dense and syrupy, modern versions are lighter, fresher and often sparkling. “Ours is a dry, sparkling style that is super refreshing, and is a more sessional alternative to sparkling wine because it’s less sweet than cider and naturally gluten free,” says Eddy Collett, from Adelaide’s Sunlight Liquor, who might be the first to take mead to the masses via the humble tinnie. “Australia is the continent of flowering plants, and the diversity of honey is extraordinary; we’ve been using some unique native botanicals, like strawberry gum leaves. Once you think of mead as the product of the nectar of flowers, rather than just a winter drink for vikings, the possibilities are endless.”