For the life of me there are just certain kinds of alcohol I can’t understand why aren’t more popular. Cider is one, which I’ve mentioned before in very early posts on this blog. Another is mead. It never fails, anytime I bring up mead in conversation or have it in tow for a party, I get odd stares. So to make it easy for everyone, here’s the run-down on mead. If anyone ever wants to know the basics, this is a good reference.
1. What is mead?
It’s a honey wine made from basically water, yeast and honey. The honey is fermented just like any other alcoholic beverage. When mead is just this simple recipe it’s usually called Show Mead. If you use a fast-acting fermentation process it’s called Short Mead. Trojniak is a Polish recipe that is very easy; it’s 2 parts water for every 1 part of honey.
2. What other kinds of mead exist?
Mead is really old and made in many places, from Europe, to Africa to North America. There are Mexican recipes, Ethopian versions, and so on. Most famously it’s associated with the Vikings, particularly from references made to it in the sagas and Beowulf. There are meads that are basically white wines with a lot of honey in them. Some mead can be made into a liqueur (Krupnik, for example, another Polish drink), and others can be partially frozen and served as honey jack. Still others add spices and fruit, and you can create mulled drinks with mead that are like hot, spiced cider or gluhwein (pronounced, “glue-wine.”).
3. When/Where is a good time to drink mead?
Anytime you want to drink. Typically if mead is in your local grocery store at all, it’s by the sake or dessert wines. Because it’s made with honey this often associates it with such beverages. This doesn’t limit it though and mead is great with certain foods just like any other wine, and fine for any course. Mead is also particularly appropriate as a celebratory drink. For example in the ceremony sumbal, an ancient toasting ritual, the old Scandinavian pagans would toast their accomplishments and bless each other with good fortune in the future. Though most don’t practice the sumbal anymore, mead is right for toasts and rituals of any kind. 
4. How drunk will it get me?
Your typical bottle of Chaucer’s is 11.8% by volume. Basically it’s equivalent to a normal glass of wine or a particularly strong Trappiste or Belgian ale. One bottle will get you pretty ripped, and it’s better tasting than some crappy wine cooler, ice cooler thing, hard lemonade or other piece of crap sugar drink.
5. Where can I get it?
Whole Foods normally carries Chaucer’s in standard show mead formula or raspberry flavor. Chaucer’s is the most widely distributed mead I’ve encountered, and it’s average at best. A Google Shopping search turns up plenty of other products along with the Chaucer’s stuff, and premium wine and liquor stores will probably carry a few bottles. The other, and probably best source are neopagans – as in your Wiccans, Asatruar, etc. These guys spend lots of time brewing their own beer, cider and mead as part of their rituals and culture. If you happen to know one, make friends, keep and open mind and maybe one of them will let you in on their stash.
6. Where can I learn more?
Wikipedia and Got Mead are two broad sources that will tell you more than you wanted to know. 
Go check it out, and listen to this kick-ass Amon Amarth video while you’re at it.
Oh and remember the proper toasts for mead – “Brost!” (German) “Skaal!” (Swedish)
