What do the world’s oldest books, rainwater and honeymoons have in common?
Honey wine, or mead.
If you’re looking to taste the world’s oldest fermented beverage, look no further than mead. The honey wine known also as the “nectar of the Gods,” has been around since the beginning of time. Though technically not wine at all, which is typically produced from fermented fruits and berries, honey wine also has quite an extensive history that’s intertwined with cultural foodways, spiritual practices and written historical literature as old as The Canterbury Tales, the Bible and even excerpts from The Epic of Gilgamesh — “Drank of the mead seven bumpers; his spirits rose (and) exultant, Glad was his heart and cheerful his face.”
Traces of the sweet elixir’s base – pure honey – were also found inside of King Tut’s tomb during excavation, and ancient pottery shards found in both Asia and Europe revealed traces of mead. Even the term “honeymoon” comes from the old practice of gifting a newly wedded couple a month’s worth of mead because it was believed to be an aphrodisiac. And, because its ancient traditions urged young wives to drink this honey concoction for 28 days for optimum chances of conceiving a son. Obviously, evidence can’t support that this would dictate the sex of a child, but nevertheless continued as an old-wives tale.
But perhaps no group has become more synonymous with mead than the Nordic. It was common in their dietary habits along with fish (smoked, salted and dried for long voyages) due to their seafarer lifestyles. They ate onions, carrots, used milk to make butters, cheese and some forms of yogurt. Because sugars were limited, they also practiced beekeeping so they could incorporate honey when needed.
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Craft “meadories” are beginning to become easier to find than previous years, and there are recipes you can use to create your own if you’re feeling adventurous and have the appropriate levels of time, patience and creativity. It can take weeks for the honey to ferment properly and you will need the proper equipment.
Or you could support a local up-and-coming entrepreneur approaching one year who has found a way to create the craft honey wine while also paying homage to Nordic roots. Bee and Brew, a local meadery, uses local raw honey as the basis for its delicious potent potions that is a delicate balance of both acidic and a medium sweet wine. Chris Minicucci is not only the owner, but produces bottles by hand and distributes his product in-house.
He began learning the practice and perfecting his recipes almost a decade ago after retiring from a career in the Canadian military. Last year he relocated to Fort Worth to begin his entrepreneurial journey in Cowtown. No doubt his passion for the beverage gave him the confidence to take the leap, and he launched his business in August 2022. He sells honey wine (both seasonal and traditional flavors) but also merchandise such as T-shirts, horns and mugs.
The top-seller “Allfather” is also all-flavor. It’s a beautifully rich blend of honey with figs with subtle hints of melons and berries. Bee and Brew’s website lists suggested pairings for his small batch meads that help you determine if you’d like to serve with red meats, pasta or dark chocolate, for example. The seasonal “Lothbrok” is only available twice a year and sources his freshly emptied bourbon barrels from neighboring local-owned Blackland Distillery.
“The smooth rich flavors of oak and bourbon blended with the aromas of Texas wildflower honey give rise to mead unique to the heart of Texas.” Big words from a small craft beverage start-up. But his product is remarkably good and definitely worth buying and tasting the high-quality ingredients for yourself.
Deah Mitchell writes about more than food. You can email her at deah.mitchell@fortworthreport.org.
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