Makin' Mead

For our first meeting we started mead production. Mead is a fermented honey and water alcoholic beverage that is typically flavoured with fruits, spices or hops. It's similar to wine in alcoholic content, usually ranging from 14-16%. Mead has been referred to as 'the common drink of the masses,' (Thickner Edwards, as quoted in Hagen, 2006, p.226). It's believed mead has been consumed in Europe since the first millennium A.D., most likely originating in the middle-east (McGee, H. as cited in Hagen, 2006).

It was really important to us to start fermenting right away -- mead takes some serious time to ferment! the flavour is richer and more wine-like when there is ample fermentation. We first stared our mead on September 26th and it will ferment until roughly November 7th.

We used this following recipe:

• one gallon of water
• 2 lbs of unpasturized honey
• one package of yeast
• two cloves
• one cinnamon stick
• a pinch of grated nutmeg
• small box of raisins

Production:

1) First, we grated the nutmeg

2) Next, we added all of the ingredients together

3) After adding all the ingredients, we shook it all up until it dissolved (it takes awhile - it's one good arm workout!)

4) Next, we let the mead aerate for about a minute.

5) We then stored the mead in a large container and stretched a ballon over top that had a few holes poked into it.

A couple notes about our process and production:

1) Unfortunately not a lot is known about Viking mead production. We're using an amalgamation of  information from contemporary production and academic sources. 

2) Of course Vikings would not have plastic balloons or containers available to them. Unfortunately, our group is on a strict student budget! We could not afford to purchase glass wear and an air-lock (we asked around to our beer-making friends, but unfortunately they were either using their fermentation supplies or they took them back home over the summer). This may have a change in the outcome of the mead, which we will account for in our final report.

3) At first glance, you may think that the spices we used were too exotic. However, spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg have been traded since the 2nd century throughout Europe. The Vikings were proficient traders (and raiders), believed to have traded as far as central Asia. There is strong evidence to believe that they had access to these spices.

If you have any questions about our mead production, please ask!

Bibliography:

FORTE, A., ORAM, R.D., and PEDERSEN, F., 2005. Viking Empires. England: Cambridge Press.

HAGEN, A., 2006. Anglo-Saxon Food and Drink. England: Anglo-Saxon Books.

MITCHNER, M., 1987. Evidence for Viking-Islamic Trade Provided by Samanid Silver Coinage. East and West 37(1), pp.139-150.

WARD, C. 10/17/2013 - last update, Alcoholic Beverages and Drinking Customs of the Viking Age. The Viking Answer Lady.
Available: http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/drink.shtml [Oct, 17, 2013].

THE NATIONAL HONEY BOARD., n.d., Making Mead: the Art and the Science. 
Available: http://www.honey.com/images/downloads/makingmead.pdf