Mead is the world’s oldest alcoholic drink — fermented honey and water that predates both wine and beer in the archaeological record, with evidence of mead-making dating back over 9,000 years. The ‘Sip Back in Time’ post captures both the historical context of mead and the practical experience of brewing two batches at home: a traditional plain honey mead at OG 1072 and a raspberry jam mead at OG 1080. The OG difference reflects the additional sugar from the jam in the second batch, which will produce a slightly stronger and more complex finished mead.
Two Batches, Two Approaches
A plain mead at OG 1072 will ferment to approximately 9-10% ABV — enough to be properly strong while retaining enough sweetness if fermentation is stopped early or the yeast reaches its tolerance limit. The raspberry jam mead at OG 1080 will produce something in the 10-11% range with the additional flavour complexity of the fruit — jam meads (called melomels when made with fresh fruit) have a wonderful depth when they come together, with the honey and fruit character interweaving through a long fermentation.
Verdict
Mead making rewards patience above almost anything else — both these batches will need months of conditioning before they’re at their best. The plain mead will show the honey character most clearly; the raspberry jam mead will be richer and more complex. Both are worth the wait. Exploring mead’s ancient history while making your own is one of homebrewing’s most contemplative pleasures.
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