Mead is one of the world's oldest alcoholic drinks — made by fermenting honey with water and yeast. Often called honey wine, it ranges from bone-dry and sparkling to rich and dessert-sweet, and takes beautifully to fruit, spices and herbs. Whether you're after a light, quaffable session mead or a big traditional worth ageing for a year, it all starts with three ingredients and a little patience.
How mead is made
At its simplest, mead needs just honey, water and yeast. The honey and water are combined into a 'must', yeast is pitched, and over a few weeks the yeast converts the honey's sugars into alcohol.
Because honey is low in the nitrogen yeast needs, mead makers add yeast nutrient to keep fermentation healthy — and careful sanitation throughout is what separates a clean, bright mead from a spoiled batch. A typical batch ferments for around a month, then rewards time to age and mellow.
Popular styles of mead
Mead · Cyser · Still · Off-DryCherry Blossom Honey Mead (Cyser-Style)
A cyser is a traditional mead made with apple juice instead of water, resulting in a drink with a richer body and a naturally fruity sweetness. This cherry blossom cyser recipe takes that classic base and adds dried cherry blossom petals for a subtle floral lift and delicate fragrance. It's a beautifully layered homemade mead, somewhere between an apple wine, a mead, and a light country wine, and one of the most elegant brews in this collection. Ideal for those who love food-pairing-friendly homemade wines.
Mead · Melomel · Still · Sweet–Semi-SweetStrawberry Melomel
Strawberry mead, or strawberry melomel, is a crowd-pleasing summer brew that captures the sweet, candy-like essence of ripe strawberries. This strawberry mead recipe works beautifully with British summer strawberries at the peak of the season, or with frozen fruit for a year-round batch. Light and fragrant with a soft pink hue, this is one of the most approachable melomels for beginner meadmakers, and it ferments out quickly compared to heavier fruit meads.
Mead · Melomel · Still · Semi-SweetRaspberry & Rose Hip Melomel
This raspberry and rose hip melomel is a stunning ruby-red mead that makes the most of two wild British hedgerow ingredients. Raspberries bring vivid fruit and sharpness, while dried rose hips add depth, a slight nuttiness, and a boost of vitamin C. This fruit mead recipe is ideal for late summer brewing and produces a gorgeous, aromatic drink with a silky finish. A brilliant choice for gifting or showing off at a dinner party.
Mead · Metheglin · Sparkling · Dry–Off-DrySparkling Elderflower Mead
Elderflower mead, sometimes called an elderflower metheglin, is a quintessentially British summer brew. This sparkling elderflower mead recipe captures the delicate, floral, muscat-like aroma of freshly harvested elderflower blossoms combined with wildflower honey. It's light, effervescent, and absolutely perfect for warm evenings. Pick your flowers in May or June when they're fully open and fragrant; timing is everything with this recipe.
Mead · Melomel · Still · Semi-SweetBlackberry Melomel
A rich, jewel-toned blackberry melomel is one of the most rewarding homemade meads you can brew. Combining the deep berry flavours of wild blackberries with the natural sweetness of honey, this blackberry mead recipe is perfect for autumn hedgerow picking season. It produces a beautifully coloured, full-bodied drink with an ABV of around 12%. Forage your own fruit or use frozen blackberries for a year-round brew.
Mead · Classic Mead, Still, DryTraditional Dry Mead
This traditional dry mead recipe is the perfect starting point for any aspiring meadmaker. Made with just honey, water, and yeast, a dry mead showcases the pure floral complexity of raw honey. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned home brewer, this easy dry mead recipe produces a crisp, elegant wine-like drink that pairs beautifully with cheese, poultry, and light desserts. Ready in as little as 3 months.
Mead — frequently asked questions
How long does mead take to make?
Most meads ferment in around 2–4 weeks, but they improve dramatically with age — many makers leave a traditional mead 3–6 months (or longer) before it really hits its stride.
What kind of honey should I use?
Any raw or pure honey works. Mild honeys like clover or orange blossom give a clean, approachable mead; stronger honeys like heather or buckwheat carry far more character into the glass.
How strong is mead?
It varies widely — from a sessionable 5–6% ABV up to 14% or more for a big traditional, depending on how much honey you use and your choice of yeast.
Is mead the same as honey wine?
Yes — 'honey wine' is just another name for mead. Add fruit and it becomes a melomel; add spices and it's a metheglin.
Do I need special equipment?
Not much — a fermentation vessel, an airlock, a hydrometer to track gravity, and something to sanitise it all. Many people make their first mead in a single demijohn.
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