When we think of mead, many people will picture medieval Kings and Queens sipping from golden goblets, and it’s not far from the truth since mead is traditionally known as ‘The God’s Drink’. Mead is believed to be the oldest alcoholic drink in the history of mankind. But, is it really different from wine? In this article, we’ll explore how mead differs from wine.

From the Pages of History

Looking back at the history of each, both mead and wine were most likely invented by accident. But did you know that mead was a favourite drink during the medieval ages? Wine would become more popular than mead sometime later, but mead remains the world’s oldest beverage, and it’s delicious. The oldest known fermented drink in the world, mead or honey wine, were made from a mixture of honey, rice and fruit. It is also known as the Drink of the Vikings. 

Ingredients

To distinguish between the two, we can look at the base ingredients. Honey mead is made from fermented honey, while wine is produced from fermented grapes. The two ingredients, however, can be mixed – so grapes can be incorporated in a mead recipe, while for special flavour, honey can be mixed in during wine production. 

Flavour

There are several types of mead, depending on texture and taste. Different varieties are dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet or sweet, just like wine. Still, mead and wine have their own unique tastes and flavours. There several combinations and mixtures of mead, depending on its basic ingredients of honey, water, and yeast.

Shelf Life

Because of its honey and sugar component, honey mead can actually last longer than wine once opened. The amount of sugar in the honey keeps mead preserved (given proper storage) for up to a month. In contrast, most wines start to sour and have a shelf life of only a few days once opened, with exceptions to port and sherry. If you want to buy high-quality and delicious honey mead Australia-wide, visit Honey Wines Australia today.

One of the best and premium quality honey wines or mead is sold at Honey Wines Australia. Honey Wines Australia is not only a fully functioning beekeepers, but also mead makers. The meadery is based in the Hunter Region of NSW with shipping available anywhere in Australia, and wholesale available too. Shop now!

Honey Wines Australia has been brewing mead for over 10 years and beekeeping for over 5 years. The honey used is raw untreated honey produced in the Hunter Region of NSW, so you know you’re getting high quality, locally-sourced produce.
So don’t delay, for the best quality wine selection, visit Honey Wines Australia today.