Types of Mead: Main Characteristics and Step-by-Step Tasting Guide

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Mead — sometimes also called honey wine — is an ancient fermented beverage that combines water, honey, and yeast, with a versatility that makes it one of the most fascinating drinks in the world.

Let us explore below its main characteristics, the types of mead according to their ingredients, their particularities, their brewing technique, and a basic guide on how to taste them properly.

Types of Mead and Their Characteristics

The classification of meads varies according to additional ingredients, fermentation method, and final organoleptic properties.

According to the BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) guidelines, the main styles are:

1. Traditional mead

This pure style uses only honey, water, and yeast. It is a perfect canvas for highlighting the characteristics of the honey used.

Light honeys produce floral and light profiles, while dark ones offer robust notes of molasses and spice.

Fermentation can result in a dry, semi-dry, or sweet mead, depending on the level of residual sugars.

2. Melomel

This style includes fruits during fermentation, adding a fruity dimension that can vary in acidity and sweetness.

Popular combinations include apples (cyser), blackberries, and cherries, bringing vibrant colors and a natural balance between sweetness and acidity.

3. Metheglin

It incorporates herbs and spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, rosemary, or cloves. This type is highly aromatic and often has medicinal or relaxing properties.

It is a versatile choice for both festive occasions and daily consumption.

4. Braggot

A fusion of mead and beer that includes barley malts. This style is robust, with complex flavors that blend the sweet notes of honey with the toasted and bitter tones of hops and malt.

5. Sack mead

It is a sweet and alcoholic mead, characterized by a high honey and residual sugar content.

Its dense body and velvety texture make it ideal for accompanying desserts or as an after-dinner drink.

6. Sparkling mead

This style has natural or added effervescence, similar to champagne. It is refreshing and light, perfect for celebrations or as an aperitif.

7. Bochet

In this type, the honey is caramelized before fermentation, creating intense flavors of caramel, toffee, and nuts.

This process also gives the mead a darker color and a rich, complex profile.

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8. Mead with tea or coffee

A more modern style that incorporates tea or coffee, adding herbal or toasted notes, depending on the base ingredient.

9. Oxymel

This style includes vinegar and honey, often used for its medicinal properties and its ability to balance sweet and sour flavors.

Main Characteristics

Meads are characterized by attributes that distinguish them from other fermented beverages:

1. Sweetness

According to the level of residual sugars, they are classified as dry (0 g/l), semi-dry (12 to 30 g/l), and sweet (more than 30 g/l).

2. Carbonation

They can be still (uncarbonated), petillant (lightly carbonated), or sparkling (highly effervescent).

3. Alcohol content

Alcohol by volume ranges from light (3.5 to 7.5% ABV), standard (7.5 to 14% ABV), to strong (14 to 18% ABV).

4. Aroma and flavor

These depend on the type of honey and additional ingredients, each offering unique profiles.

5. Body and texture

The mouthfeel can range from light and fresh to dense and velvety.

Guide to Tasting Mead

Tasting is a process that requires careful attention to fully appreciate the complexity of mead:

1. Observation

Pour the mead into a clear glass and analyze its appearance. Appreciate the color, which can range from pale to dark amber, its clarity, and the formation of bubbles.

2. Aromas

Bring the glass to your nose and inhale deeply, identifying primary notes (honey, fruits, spices) and secondary notes (herbs, fermentation).

3. First sip

Take a small sip and coat the inside of your palate with it, noticing how the flavors evolve, paying attention to the finish, which can be dry, sweet, or lingering.