The Rebirth Of Mead

Mention mead to anyone and they'll cringe. The drink brings up wince worthy visions of cheesy Renaissance fairs and lame costumes.However this centuries old drink is having a renaissance on its' own. thanks to mead producers and fans.It's not that honey drink served in a plastic cup and eaten with ye olde corn dog.It's a refreshing change to traditional wines, full of the taste of meadows and flowers.

The drink was the subject of an article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. Michael Sanders, new to the section, interviewed various mead manufacturers. There have been some great innovations in the industry in the last few years. Traditionally the honey has to be boiled and sterilized before it's allowed to ferment with water. Then filtering occurs however this can cause sediment to happen. Most modern mead makers agree that filtering should be nixed to produced a smoother, clearer looking liquid.Another change is the honey being used. Autumn and winter honeys call for alfalfa and barley while  spring and summer ones call for apple blossom. In the past, any honey was used, no matter what time of year it was.

Usually mead has a caramelized honey flavor however now it can be as sere and flinty as an unoaked  Chablis. Some  meads can even taste like prosecco, that fruity, light sparkling Italian white wine. Some can even be as rich as a lush chocolate dessert. Added secondary flavors, such as sage, saffron, fruits and juniper berries are being thrown into its' making to give it complex undertones. There are also mead cocktails where the drink  mixed with other liqueurs. Some bartenders combine  it with apple flavored brandy or cranberry bitters for a fruity play on the traditional.Others blend it wth stronger drinks like mezcal  and this causes the two flavors  to balance  out each other.

Mead is not that cheesy  Renaissance fair staple. It's as complex as any grape based wine and just as flavorful. Try it just to taste a modern approach on a centuries old drink.