Mead

/miːd/ noun

Definition

An alcoholic drink made from honey, water, and yeast, popular in medieval times; also an archaic/poetic word for meadow.

Etymology

From Old English 'medu,' related to Sanskrit 'madhu' (honey) and Old Norse 'mjöðr.' The word is one of the oldest in English, predating even ale in historical records.

Kelly Says

Mead is actually older than beer in human history—it's the first alcoholic drink humans deliberately made because honey ferments naturally, so ancient peoples discovered it accidentally and then mastered it before cultivating grain for beer.

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