Mead

Mead is a brewed alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey with water and yeast. It is different from a simple drink made by dissolving honey or from a liqueur. Its alcohol content ranges from 5% to 16%. The flavor changes depending on the type of honey, the water, the production method, and the aging period. One of its defining features is that the taste differs by the country where it is made. It looks like white wine, but has a distinctive sweetness and aroma. Enjoyed both before and after meals, mead is loved around the world.

Mead is said to be the world's oldest alcoholic drink. Honey, its main ingredient, is mentioned in Japan's oldest historical record, the Kojiki, and mead was also introduced in the Dutch studies book Onsei Ihō Meibutsukō from the late Edo period (1800–1868). Made from honey, which is known for its moisturizing and antibacterial properties, it was imported to Japan in the 1960s and enjoyed as a “honeymoon drink.” There are also accounts of it being consumed in Norse mythology and during Viking voyages.

Mead offers a wide range of flavors depending on how it is made, how long it is aged, and what kind of honey is used. Either single-flower honey or multi-flower honey is used. There are two main flavor profiles: sweet and clean. Japanese-made mead is also brewed with no secondary ingredients, no added fragrance, no coloring, and is gluten-free. It can be enjoyed chilled, straight, on the rocks, mixed with soda, or served hot depending on the season.

Featured in anime and films, and boosted by the craft beer and craft drink boom, mead has been drawing growing attention. Its ancient appeal and modern craft culture come together in a drink that has found a place in everyday life through many different ways of enjoying it.