Mead

Illustration: Atsuhiro Saisho

“Dating back to Biblical times, mead is a beverage made by fermenting honey, water and yeast with flavorings such as herbs, spices or flowers.”—The Food Lover’s Companion, fourth edition

Although mead brings to mind medieval fairs and Viking gods, the stuff was around long before Chaucer and Nordic pillaging; its first mention can be found in the Sanskrit Vedic texts of the ancient Hindus. If you fancy leading the first mead crawl since the Middle Ages, the bar at Gramercy Tavern (42 E 20th St between Broadway and Park Ave South, 212-477-0777) serves traditional English mead ($7) from the Lurgashall winery that tastes exactly like honey. For a similar flavor that packs an alcoholic punch, Spuyten Duyvil (359 Metropolitan Ave at Havemeyer St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-963-4140) favors Tower of London mead ($6), fortified with Scotch whiskey. Dry drink fans can opt instead for Brooklyn Buzz ($8) by Manhattan Meadery, a tipple made from Finger Lakes honey that tastes like a crisp white sherry. For a fruity swig, try Hop Devil Grill (129 St. Marks Pl between First Ave and Ave A, 212-533-4468) for blueberry, strawberry-raspberry, pear and apple cysers (mead made with fruit juice) from the Long Island Meadery ($8 a glass or $34 a bottle). More robust drinkers should seek Dogfish Head’s Midas Touch ($7) at Blind Tiger Ale House (281 Bleecker St at Jones St, 212-462-4682), a quaff of honey, barley, grapes and saffron that was supposedly the favorite of King Midas himself.—Anna King

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