Mead was a part of the rituals of the Celts, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. It was believed to have magical, healing powers even capable of increasing fertility.
A mead may be categorized as hydromel, standard, or sack strength. A hydromel was traditionally a mead that had been weakened by dilution. The strength of a mead is primarily based on the original gravity. Hydromels (watered mead) will have specific gravities roughly less than 1.080. Standard strength meads will be in the original gravity range from 1.080 to 1.120. Sack meads will generally be greater than 1.120.
Stronger meads can have a greater honey character and body (as well as alcohol) than weaker meads, although this is not a strict rule.
Literally, hydromel means ‘water-honey’ in Greek. It is also the French name for mead. (Compare with the Catalan hidromel, Galician aiguamel, Portuguese hidromel, Italian idromele, and Spanish hidromiel and aguamiel). It is also used as a name for a light mead.
To enhance its character and complexity, a variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, or spices (ginger, cardamom, cloves, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, sage, parsley, fennel, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon or orange peels, among others) may be added to, during, or after fermentation.
Mead and hydromel wine
