Mead in India: It’s all about the honey

Produced with a minimal carbon footprint, Indian meads rely on existing bee colonies on farmlands, and are slowly making a buzz in the country

What is the most sustainably produced alcoholic beverage? It is a non-grain recipe, once known as the elixir of the gods: Mead. Crafted from honey and water and fermented by yeast, mead leaves a small carbon footprint since it depends on bees and nectar already available on existing farmlands, unlike grains that are cultivated specifically for beer, rum or whiskey. In terms of alcohol content, mead is closer to wine than beer, ranging between eight to 20% ABV (the amount of alcohol/ethanol in a drink). Mead is widely thought to be one of the oldest alcoholic beverages, with evidence of a fermented beverage made of honey, rice, and fruit dating to 7BC in China. Over the past decade, meaderies in India have slowly been taking this story forward in some pockets of the country. In barely a year since it opened, Nashik-based Cerana Meads is supplying to select hotels and restaurants in Mumbai, Pune, Thane and Nashik.