Quencher of the gods

Mead is quite possibly the first alcoholic beverage that ancient humans knew. The drink, which is fermented honey, is thousands of years old, predating wine and beer. The Greeks drank mead and so did the Vikings. It is known to have been popular in most civilizations and is still consumed around the world, though here in the US we don't come across it that much.

Last year I attempted to make mead for the first time -- I've made my own hard cider for four years now -- and it came out OK. I just bottled this year's batch (see photo), which has a nice golden color to it. Because honey is more expensive than apples, I make much less mead than cider. Still, making it at home is cheaper than buying it, if one can find mead at the local liquor store.

Come by and we will raise a glass of mead together, just as Beowulf and Hroogar do in the 1,200-year-old epic poem before the hero heads out to slay the monster.