Vikings and Mead (opens in new tab)

I've been thinking a lot about Vikings and mead lately, probably because I've recently started two batches fermenting in the basement: a spiced pomegranate and a pineapple coconut. It's funny how much mythology surrounds this drink versus what actually happened. So here's the thing: Vikings didn't invent mead. Not even close. Archaeologists have found evidence of mead production in China from like 7000 BCE. That's roughly 8,000 years before the first Viking longship set sail. The stuff basica...