Here’s a fun piece of mead trivia for you: how many different types of mead do you think there are? If you guessed just a handful, you’d be quite off the mark. In fact, we shared a post late last year detailing twenty popular varieties of mead. If you’re curious about that comprehensive run-down, you can check out it here.

Today, however, we’re tackling a different question: How can we simplify the classification process of mead?

It’s safe to deem mead the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage. Sorry beer, sorry wine—mead takes the crown. This ancient drink traces back thousands of years, likely originating by happy accident through the combination of honeycombs, rainwater, and airborne yeast.

At its simplest, mead is just that: honey and water, fermented together to create a delectable nectar. But humanity thrives on variety, and there are simply too many creative minds out there to stick with just one style of mead. This is why we see such an array of mead types today.

However, to grasp how we can make mead classification simpler, let’s first consider how we categorize beer and wine.

One? Try "Many"! Listing every beer and wine variety would be an exercise in madness due to sheer volume. Yet, we can group individual varieties into broader, umbrella-like terms to make life easier.

For instance:

Beer: Lager, Pale Ale, India Pale Ale (IPA), Porter, Stout

Wine: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Merlot

Do these umbrellas cover every single nuance? Not at all. Do they help avoid overwhelming choice paralysis? Absolutely.

We can even simplify further:

Beer:

• Light: Lager, Pale Ale (mostly), IPA (sometimes)
• Heavy: Pale Ale (sometimes), IPA, Porter, Stout

Wine:

• White: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay (often lighter body, sweeter taste)
• Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Merlot (often heavier body, richer taste)

Just like its fermented counterparts, there are straightforward ways to classify mead. While we encourage you to explore the rich complexities that come with this ancient drink, we also value keeping the classification simple for your sanity.

Here’s a simplified take:

Unflavored Meads: Sweet, Dry, Semi-Sweet, Semi-Dry

Flavored Meads:

• • Melomel: Made with fruits
  • Metheglin: Made with herbs and spices
  • Braggot: Mixed with beer

Chances are, whether you’re at the start of your mead journey or a seasoned aficionado, you’ve sampled a mead that fits into one of these categories. Simple as that!

Understanding and simplifying mead’s classification is a great way to make it more accessible to everyone, from newcomers to seasoned drinkers. By breaking it down into easy-to-understand categories, we can all appreciate the diversity and richness of mead without feeling overwhelmed.

So, whether you're sipping a sweet Melomel or a robust Braggot, here's to enjoying the world's oldest—and still one of the most delightful—alcoholic beverages. Cheers to simplicity, craftsmanship, and community!

Ready to delve deeper into the world of mead? We have several varieties of mead available for purchas here. While we’d love to share a glass with you in person, we’re thrilled to offer you a batch of mead to enjoy at home. Check out our selection today and join our vibrant community of mead enthusiasts!