A nation of Tyrs

[Admiral Yi]

Those Welsh sure are an affectionate bunch.

[mongers]

Well then. Don't bother. I mean, I'm not sure how a gallon jug is going to put you out of so much space that you need to resort to the bathroom, .....

Just for Meri, a story about mead:

The drink of kings makes a comeback
By Kim Gittleson
BBC News, Maine

Long relegated to the dusty corners of history, mead - the drink of kings and Vikings - is making a comeback in the US.

But what's brewing in this new crop of commercial meaderies - as they are known - is lot more refined from the drink that once decorated tables across medieval Europe.

"Do we have any mead makers or home brewers in the group?" asks Ben Alexander, eying a crowd of a dozen or so people who have come to his Maine Meade Works, in Portland, on a rainy Friday for a tour.

When no-one raises their hand, Mr Alexander launches into the full spiel.
.....

Rest of article here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24184527

[merithyn]

I've made period mead. There's a reason that no one makes it like that anymore.

[Jacob]

I've made period mead. There's a reason that no one makes it like that anymore.

How does it taste?

[merithyn]

I've made period mead. There's a reason that no one makes it like that anymore.

How does it taste?

Harsh and sour.

The biggest difference is that in medieval times, the concept of letting a wine or mead age was alien to them. You made it to drink, not to sit in a cask somewhere. Oh, sure, higher lords and royalty could - and often did - have aged wines and meads, but those were for big events where they were showing off. It required space to store the mead, casks that could be made air-tight (an expensive proposition for your average 14th century brewer), and usually some form of preservative, which wasn't always full-proof.

The typical beer and mead was made, allowed to ferment for a few days - maybe a week or two at most - bottled, and then drank almost immediately. If you've ever had raw beer or mead, you'll understand what I mean. It's... rough. And not very alcoholic to make up for it.

[Ed Anger]

I made Mulsum.