Are these people retarded? :wacko:
http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/oct/02/counterfeit-goods-surge-uk
Quote
It is now a €1bn market across Europe, growing by the day, and one in which a new generation of brand-obsessed British consumers are prepared to risk their health, and even their lives, in order to save money. Counterfeit goods have gone mainstream.
A new report by accountants PwC reveals British adults admitting that they regularly buy fake designer clothes, bags, accessories and perfumes as well as potentially lethal counterfeit alcohol, medicines and cigarettes. Illegal copies of films, car parts and even dangerous electrical goods are also in big demand.
The report shows that 18% of consumers admit to buying fake alcohol, despite the presence of toxic solvents that can cause blindness and even death. Some 16% said they had bought counterfeit medicines – often useless or dangerous versions of well-known drugs such as Viagra or slimming pills – and 13% have bought imitation branded cigarettes, despite the obvious health risks of such products.
Consumers have clearly ditched their scruples in their enthusiasm to own a pair of hair straighteners with GHD written on the side, or headphones emblazoned with the Beats by Dr Dre logo. They told PwC researchers that they were more worried about their bank details being stolen by counterfeiters and dubious traders than by the prospect of being caught and prosecuted. They know goods are deliberate rip-offs of popular designer brands, but only a third of buyers worry about getting caught.
Counterfeit or "knock-off" goods have long been sold at car boot sales, pubs, markets or fairs, making it difficult for fraudsters to be traced. But fake merchandise has also moved online, presenting huge challenges for auction sites such as eBay, which are trying to crack down on counterfeiting and piracy.
The PwC report come two weeks after the UK's biggest single counterfeit raid, when nearly £3m-worth of fake goods were seized from market stalls in south Warwickshire following a joint agency operation which led to four arrests. More than 20 police officers, including members of the special constabulary for both Warwickshire and West Mercia forces, were involved in the all-day raid at Wellesbourne Market. Goods recovered from the market, vehicles, and homes that were subsequently raided included fake SuperDry T-shirts and jackets and copycat Ugg boots together with pirate DVDs, counterfeit branded trainers, watches, jewellery, make-up, electrical items and perfume.
Illicit trade and counterfeiting is a growing problem across the world, the report says. Estimates vary, but global sales of copycat goods are now put at $650bn a year.
In Europe alone, almost 40m products were impounded by EU customs in 2012, with an estimated value of €1bn, according to the EU Commission's annual report on customs actions.
Demand for must-have "branded" designer headphones and gadgets such as hair straighteners have fuelled sales of copycat devices to such an extent that there has been a sixfold increase in the number of counterfeit and potentially dangerous electrical goods seized in the UK in the past four years.
Professor Paul Wallace, chief medical advisor for the charity Drinkaware, said that commonly used substitutes for ethanol in fake spirits "include chemicals used in cleaning fluids, nail polish remover and automobile screen wash, as well as methanol and isopropanol which are used in anti-freeze".
The charity has recently issued fresh guidance on the dangers of drinking counterfeit booze to the hundreds of thousands of students who have just started the new university year. In a traditional seasonal crackdown council trading standards teams across the UK will again urge shoppers not to buy or consume counterfeit drinks in the run-up to Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Consuming methanol can lead to blindness, and in one case last year was linked to the death of a man in Worthing, West Sussex, who drank a bottle of vodka he had brought back from Poland. Tests subsequently found the drink contained 40% methanol. In the Czech Republic, in September 2012, 26 people died as a result of drinking counterfeit vodka and rum laced with methanol.
London is the most fake-infested region. Scotland is a model of relative rectitude with significantly fewer fake purchases than the national average. The less affluent buy more fakes across the board. Young people are also more likely to buy counterfeit goods, with 60% of those in the 18-34 age group saying they bought pirated films and music and 55% buying clothes.
Mark James of PwC's anti-counterfeiting team, said: "Counterfeits have an obvious impact on profit and jobs, yet people increasingly see access to fakes as a normal, consumer choice. Companies invest significant amounts of time, money and effort in developing their products. Manufacturers and buyers of counterfeit goods strike right at the heart of that. Ultimately, companies are seeing their brand, reputation and revenues stolen."
I say: they bought their ticket, let 'me crash!
Quote from: Ed Anger on October 01, 2013, 09:34:39 PM
I say: they bought their ticket, let 'me crash!
As a non-brand obsessed subject of Her Majesty I find myself compelled to agree with this sentiment.
I'm sure our politicians'll blame this all on the bankers as per normal, anyway.
People are poor & still require a buzz. You do with what you have.
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 02, 2013, 09:12:08 AM
People are poor & still require a buzz. You do with what you have.
Is alcohol that expensive?
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 02, 2013, 09:12:08 AM
People are poor & still require a buzz. You do with what you have.
Fuck that. Brew your own beer if you need a fix that badly.
:huh:
I've never bought fake alcohol. Supermarket own brand vodka is terrible enough :x
Knock off goods- meh, you get what you pay for, but knock off consumables- idiocy
Quote
Is alcohol that expensive?
In Britain yes. And the government keeps thinking the way to stop binge drinking is raising prices. :rolleyes:
Fake alcohol? In Sweden moonshine is the preferred solution for poors AFAIK, not buying fake stuff.
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 09:18:17 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 02, 2013, 09:12:08 AM
People are poor & still require a buzz. You do with what you have.
Is alcohol that expensive?
I don't know. I'm not a Brit & I am a teetotaler.
Quote from: Tyr on October 02, 2013, 09:23:12 AM
Quote
Is alcohol that expensive?
In Britain yes. And the government keeps thinking the way to stop binge drinking is raising prices. :rolleyes:
:hmm:
I remember as a student that liquor was expensive which led to me drinking a lot of beer and wine.
The figures are suspiciously high, especially since the market is rated at only €1bn for all of Europe, looks like someone wants to create a stir.
Quote from: Tyr on October 02, 2013, 09:23:12 AM
Quote
Is alcohol that expensive?
In Britain yes. And the government keeps thinking the way to stop binge drinking is raising prices. :rolleyes:
Another of my rare moments of agreement with Tyr, here. At best binge drinkers will simply substitute low grade spirits for the "cheap" beers and ciders, at worst we'll simply manage to put more money in criminals pockets as consumers turn to them in a "mini-prohibition" type way.
Oh, and the most likely outcome is that regular drinkers are going to be affected more than the binge drinkers as the price of all types of legal alcohol lurch up to maintain the differentials while the Treasury grins at the increased revenues the general price hikes cause. :glare:
And since we've had a "binge drinking" problem for at least 300 years ("blue ruin" etc.) and seem to have survived it so far I'm not particularly impressed by the amount of time all parties waste on the issue. :mad:
The government should take a tip from Hogarth and reduce (remove IMO) duty on beers and ciders below 5% alcohol content which cause far less damage than the nasty substitutes often favoured by the young or poor.
Again I say, brew your own. :)
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 09:51:47 AM
Again I say, brew your own. :)
That takes some pretty expensive stuff and a lot of space.
I've wanted to brew my own for years but I've never had a place big enough.
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 09:51:47 AM
Again I say, brew your own. :)
I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.
Looking into this the Guardian has simply used the PWC press release which, as these things, always are, is as sensationalist as possible to get coverage.
It's impossible to tell from the report itself, but I'd bet a pound to a penny that when you ask people whetehr they have bought counterfeit alcohol or fags they will assume you are taking about contraband i.e. genuine brands smuggled to avoid tax.
Moonshine hardly exists here. Even most winos drink cheap super-strength lager or cider rather than ethanol.
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:01:22 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 09:51:47 AM
Again I say, brew your own. :)
I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.
This is all but impossible, I don't think there's a way to inadvertently brew methanol, if a sugary concoction undergoes fermentation with yeast, then you'll get some ethanol which is a natural anti-bacterial preservative.
A totally failed fermentation, might produce a unpleasant rancid mixture as it goes off, but you'll not be able to drink that anyway.
I'm sure Cal and Meri can set us both straight on the matter.
Quote from: mongers on October 02, 2013, 10:17:08 AM
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:01:22 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 09:51:47 AM
Again I say, brew your own. :)
I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.
This is all but impossible, I don't think there's a way to inadvertently brew methanol, if a sugary concoction undergoes fermentation with yeast, then you'll get some ethanol which is a natural anti-bacterial preservative.
A totally failed fermentation, might produce a unpleasant rancid mixture as it goes off, but you'll not be able to drink that anyway.
I'm sure Cal and Meri can set us both straight on the matter.
Appears you are right. :)
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/03/14/can-homemade-booze-kill-you/
QuoteWhat About Homebrewed Beer?
As it turns out, homebrewed beer probably wouldn't hurt you, because the simple fermentation produces only ethanol, not its toxic cousin methanol, said Gary Glass, president of the American Homebrewer's Association. Even contaminated homebrewed beer can't make you sick, he said.
"There are no known pathogens that can survive in beer because of the alcohol and low pH," Glass said. "So you can't really get photogenically sick from drinking bad homebrew. It could taste bad, but it's not going to hurt you."
Dale DeGroff, the legendary bartender who became famous for his gourmet cocktails at New York's Rainbow Room in the 1980s, agreed. He said the only way to get methanol during a homebrew is to somehow pick the wrong herbs and accidentally yield methanol during fermentation. But since most homebrews come with kits that include pellets of hops, homebrewers aren't foraging for ingredients, anyway.
"It's hard to mess up beer and wine to the point where you can really hurt yourself," DeGroff said. "You can give yourself a pretty bad hangover though."
Quote from: Gups on October 02, 2013, 10:12:51 AM
Looking into this the Guardian has simply used the PWC press release which, as these things, always are, is as sensationalist as possible to get coverage.
It's impossible to tell from the report itself, but I'd bet a pound to a penny that when you ask people whetehr they have bought counterfeit alcohol or fags they will assume you are taking about contraband i.e. genuine brands smuggled to avoid tax.
Moonshine hardly exists here. Even most winos drink cheap super-strength lager or cider rather than ethanol.
:yes:
Though I think they've been a few recent incidents of east europeans/gangs illicitly blending vodkas for their communities. I'm not sure if there have been any deaths, but wasn't there an explosion in manchester linked to one of these gangs running a bottling operation in an industrial unit?
edit;
found it, Boston actually:
QuoteBoston fire blast unit producing illegal vodka
An industrial unit in Lincolnshire, where five men were killed in an explosion, was being used to produce illegal vodka, police have confirmed.
The five victims of the blast in Boston on Wednesday were all Lithuanian nationals living in Peterborough.
It is thought Vaidas Krupenkinas, 39, Laimutis Simkus, 32, Ovidijus Mejeris, 26, Ricardas Gecas, 24, and Erlandas Duzinskas, 18, died instantly.
Police said the exact cause of the explosion was still being determined.
Officers said the unit at the Broadfield Industrial Estate housed a "filtration plant that was being used for the production of illicit alcohol being distributed and sold as vodka".
....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-14188297 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-14188297)
Quote from: Tyr on October 02, 2013, 09:53:11 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 09:51:47 AM
Again I say, brew your own. :)
That takes some pretty expensive stuff and a lot of space.
I've wanted to brew my own for years but I've never had a place big enough.
Um. No, and No.
It takes a one-gallon jug, water, a balloon, some honey, and some yeast. That's all that's really necessary to brew mead. It requires as much space as a gallon jug takes up.
It will be as strong as the yeast you use allows, and the amount of honey you add. For instance, champagne yeast with five pounds of honey to 3/4 of a gallon of water will net you about 18% alcohol. (But it's super dry and I don't particularly like it.)
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:01:22 AM
I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.
Um, yeah. Not really. Some impurities may give you a headache, but that's what bleach water rinses are for. :)
Brewing is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to get good alcohol for minimal effort. You
can spend a lot and use up a lot of space, but it's not necessary.
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:18:40 AM
Appears you are right. :)
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/03/14/can-homemade-booze-kill-you/
QuoteWhat About Homebrewed Beer?
As it turns out, homebrewed beer probably wouldn't hurt you, because the simple fermentation produces only ethanol, not its toxic cousin methanol, said Gary Glass, president of the American Homebrewer's Association. Even contaminated homebrewed beer can't make you sick, he said.
"There are no known pathogens that can survive in beer because of the alcohol and low pH," Glass said. "So you can't really get photogenically sick from drinking bad homebrew. It could taste bad, but it's not going to hurt you."
Dale DeGroff, the legendary bartender who became famous for his gourmet cocktails at New York's Rainbow Room in the 1980s, agreed. He said the only way to get methanol during a homebrew is to somehow pick the wrong herbs and accidentally yield methanol during fermentation. But since most homebrews come with kits that include pellets of hops, homebrewers aren't foraging for ingredients, anyway.
"It's hard to mess up beer and wine to the point where you can really hurt yourself," DeGroff said. "You can give yourself a pretty bad hangover though."
Yeah. The "pretty bad hangovers" are usually from impurities that are introduced when bottling. Just make sure you keep everything clean, and you'll be fine. It's taste that's an issue more than anything else, but that's what mixers are for. :D
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kegworks.com%2Fimages%2Fblogpost%2FmrBeerKit.jpg&hash=155259d4b5451fc664dbbfa678c34ae32a3499a4)
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 10:23:44 AM
Quote from: Tyr on October 02, 2013, 09:53:11 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 09:51:47 AM
Again I say, brew your own. :)
That takes some pretty expensive stuff and a lot of space.
I've wanted to brew my own for years but I've never had a place big enough.
Um. No, and No.
It takes a one-gallon jug, water, a balloon, some honey, and some yeast. That's all that's really necessary to brew mead. It requires as much space as a gallon jug takes up.
It will be as strong as the yeast you use allows, and the amount of honey you add. For instance, champagne yeast with five pounds of honey to 3/4 of a gallon of water will net you about 18% alcohol. (But it's super dry and I don't particularly like it.)
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:01:22 AM
I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.
Um, yeah. Not really. Some impurities may give you a headache, but that's what bleach water rinses are for. :)
Brewing is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to get good alcohol for minimal effort. You can spend a lot and use up a lot of space, but it's not necessary.
Meri you have no idea how crowded this country is. Last thing it needs is chavs and assorted youngsters having a go at brewing beer in their rooms.
Quote from: Tamas on October 02, 2013, 10:42:43 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 10:23:44 AM
Quote from: Tyr on October 02, 2013, 09:53:11 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 09:51:47 AM
Again I say, brew your own. :)
That takes some pretty expensive stuff and a lot of space.
I've wanted to brew my own for years but I've never had a place big enough.
Um. No, and No.
It takes a one-gallon jug, water, a balloon, some honey, and some yeast. That's all that's really necessary to brew mead. It requires as much space as a gallon jug takes up.
It will be as strong as the yeast you use allows, and the amount of honey you add. For instance, champagne yeast with five pounds of honey to 3/4 of a gallon of water will net you about 18% alcohol. (But it's super dry and I don't particularly like it.)
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:01:22 AM
I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.
Um, yeah. Not really. Some impurities may give you a headache, but that's what bleach water rinses are for. :)
Brewing is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to get good alcohol for minimal effort. You can spend a lot and use up a lot of space, but it's not necessary.
Meri you have no idea how crowded this country is. Last thing it needs is chavs and assorted youngsters having a go at brewing beer in their rooms.
:unsure:
Ahhhh, the UK.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maciejdakowicz/sets/1391696/
I don't know to :wub: or :yucky:
I'll stick with :yucky:
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:44:11 AM
Quote from: Tamas on October 02, 2013, 10:42:43 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 10:23:44 AM
Quote from: Tyr on October 02, 2013, 09:53:11 AM
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 09:51:47 AM
Again I say, brew your own. :)
That takes some pretty expensive stuff and a lot of space.
I've wanted to brew my own for years but I've never had a place big enough.
Um. No, and No.
It takes a one-gallon jug, water, a balloon, some honey, and some yeast. That's all that's really necessary to brew mead. It requires as much space as a gallon jug takes up.
It will be as strong as the yeast you use allows, and the amount of honey you add. For instance, champagne yeast with five pounds of honey to 3/4 of a gallon of water will net you about 18% alcohol. (But it's super dry and I don't particularly like it.)
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:01:22 AM
I'd be concerned that I would poison myself. Also what Jos said about having space to do so.
Um, yeah. Not really. Some impurities may give you a headache, but that's what bleach water rinses are for. :)
Brewing is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to get good alcohol for minimal effort. You can spend a lot and use up a lot of space, but it's not necessary.
Meri you have no idea how crowded this country is. Last thing it needs is chavs and assorted youngsters having a go at brewing beer in their rooms.
:unsure:
IDK man, if Caliga fucks up his beer-brewing and it starts being all wet and smelly all over the place, maybe the racoons notice it, in the forest in the middle of his estates. Much more annoying in a crowded neighbourhood.
Or I am just basing it too much on the smell of the palinka (moonshine) making place down the road from us when I was a kid.
<insert beet joke here>
Quote from: Tamas on October 02, 2013, 10:42:43 AM
Meri you have no idea how crowded this country is. Last thing it needs is chavs and assorted youngsters having a go at brewing beer in their rooms.
Dude, if kids in dorm rooms can manage it, you guys can. (And I have been to London a couple of times, Tamas. I do actually have an idea of how crowded it is there. ;)
Tamas's got the place, he just hasn't realized it year.
(your bathroom)
Quote from: Tamas on October 02, 2013, 10:47:35 AM
IDK man, if Caliga fucks up his beer-brewing and it starts being all wet and smelly all over the place, maybe the racoons notice it, in the forest in the middle of his estates. Much more annoying in a crowded neighbourhood.
Or I am just basing it too much on the smell of the palinka (moonshine) making place down the road from us when I was a kid.
Brewing != distilling
A bubbled over jug is no worse than spilled soup in terms of clean up, and it's not likely to smell of anything but yeasty honey, which is actually quite nice.
Quote from: Ed Anger on October 02, 2013, 10:49:02 AM
<insert beet joke here>
<insert comment about yokels moving to civilization>
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 02, 2013, 10:51:32 AM
Tamas's got the place, he just hasn't realized it year.
(your bathroom)
:huh:
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:52:56 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 02, 2013, 10:51:32 AM
Tamas's got the place, he just hasn't realized it year.
(your bathroom)
:huh:
Oh thank god. I thought my cold had addled my brain, but no.. it's just GF's English. :D
That's not English, that's just words that are in English.
I should fix it, but I won't.
I am just saying Tamas can brew beer by stashing the jug in his private bathroom.
:hmm:
I'm not sure his pay is quite that bad, plus, his family will give him loads of booze to bring over when he visits :cool:
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 02, 2013, 10:51:32 AM
Tamas's got the place, he just hasn't realized it year.
(your bathroom)
that`s kind of my point. How low it is to brew booze in your bathroom? :rolleyes:
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:52:38 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on October 02, 2013, 10:49:02 AM
<insert beet joke here>
<insert comment about yokels moving to civilization>
I wasn`t aware that you classify brewing beer in flats as "civilization"
Quote from: Tamas on October 02, 2013, 10:59:54 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 02, 2013, 10:51:32 AM
Tamas's got the place, he just hasn't realized it year.
(your bathroom)
that`s kind of my point. How low it is to brew booze in your bathroom? :rolleyes:
Oh look at Tammy boy. Got out of Hungary and is acting all bougie-like, putting on airs.
Quote from: Tamas on October 02, 2013, 11:00:35 AM
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:52:38 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on October 02, 2013, 10:49:02 AM
<insert beet joke here>
<insert comment about yokels moving to civilization>
I wasn`t aware that you classify brewing beer in flats as "civilization"
Doesn't have to be low brow. :)
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on October 02, 2013, 10:57:30 AM
:hmm:
I'm not sure his pay is quite that bad, plus, his family will give him loads of booze to bring over when he visits :cool:
The father of my de-facto brother in law makes excellent palinka, actually, and that is coming from me who doesn`t really like palinka that much. :cool:
Quote from: Tamas on October 02, 2013, 10:59:54 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on October 02, 2013, 10:51:32 AM
Tamas's got the place, he just hasn't realized it year.
(your bathroom)
that`s kind of my point. How low it is to brew booze in your bathroom? :rolleyes:
:huh:
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, but it wasn't really you I was talking to. Tyr is the one who said that it was too hard and required too much equipment. I was just saying that that isn't true. *shrugs*
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 11:01:01 AM
Quote from: Tamas on October 02, 2013, 11:00:35 AM
Quote from: garbon on October 02, 2013, 10:52:38 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on October 02, 2013, 10:49:02 AM
<insert beet joke here>
<insert comment about yokels moving to civilization>
I wasn`t aware that you classify brewing beer in flats as "civilization"
Doesn't have to be low brow. :)
And at worst, it's still not as bad as drinking wood alcohol.
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 10:50:50 AM
Quote from: Tamas on October 02, 2013, 10:42:43 AM
Meri you have no idea how crowded this country is. Last thing it needs is chavs and assorted youngsters having a go at brewing beer in their rooms.
Dude, if kids in dorm rooms can manage it, you guys can. (And I have been to London a couple of times, Tamas. I do actually have an idea of how crowded it is there. ;)
I assume it's a lot like Soylent Green, but with worse accents and more hoodies.
Those Welsh sure are an affectionate bunch.
Quote from: merithyn on October 02, 2013, 11:04:35 AM
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:
Quote
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 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24184527)
I've made period mead. There's a reason that no one makes it like that anymore. :ph34r:
Quote from: merithyn on October 03, 2013, 04:14:05 PM
I've made period mead. There's a reason that no one makes it like that anymore. :ph34r:
How does it taste?
Quote from: Jacob on October 03, 2013, 04:16:28 PM
Quote from: merithyn on October 03, 2013, 04:14:05 PM
I've made period mead. There's a reason that no one makes it like that anymore. :ph34r:
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.
I made Mulsum.