What is Mead?
As with most topics I raise with friends, I hear of the first from a podcast. I know, big time shocker that I am a public radio nerd. But one day I was listening to one of my favorite shows and they began to discuss Mead. And it lead me to think - what the heck is mead anyways?
History of Mead. Mead, plainly put, is fermented honey and water. After that the styles can vary quite a bit. If the recipe includes just honey, water, and spices - it may be referred to as honey-wine. However, many brewers at hops and brew mead that more closely resembles honey-beer.
When I Think of Mead, I think Small Distilleries. While researching this post, I came across a few websites that featured a few small distilleries. As a fan of small wineries, one of my goals in the coming year is to visit small distilleries and local breweries more often. A few that I have on my wish list include:
- Breuckelen Distillery, Brooklyn, NY. This distillery produces a gin called "Glorious Gin." I am becoming more and more interested in gin these days, and with a name like that, how can I pass it up?
- Greenbar Distillery, Los Angeles, CA. I think it may be putting it lightly to say that I am obsessed with this place. I featured a few of their spirits in a recent post, but this place is definitely worth mentioning again.
- Tito's Handmade Vodka, Austin, TX. I don't know what it is about this place, but I am a big fan of Texas. The food is great, there is a ton of culture, and it's almost like going to a foreign country without leaving the U.S. As if I needed another reason to visit, checking out Tito's vodka would be it. I have seen Tito's being poured in several local bars across Philadelphia - but I bet checking out the distillery in person would definitely be worth the trip.
So while I may have written a post on Mead, I still have never tried it. If you have tried it, let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Cheers!