Looking into the long history of mead

Mary O’Riordan looks at the long history of honey wine — aka mead.

he importance of bees to life on earth takes a different but convivial twist in the uplifting and tasty drink of mead. Probably the world’s oldest alcoholic drink, mead is essentially fermented honey and water and has a long and glorious history.

It is referenced in the ancient cultures of China, India, Greece and Egypt. The earliest documentary evidence suggest that a fermented honey beverage was drunk in India some 4000 years ago. The ancient Greeks called mead ambrosia or nectar and it was believed to be the drink of the gods, descended from the Heavens as dew, before being gathered in by the bees.