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Difference between: cider and mead

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Erin Nudi

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What is this mead people are talking about? Do we need to know about it? Is it a kind of cider, or wine?

Let’s explore the difference between cider and mead. (We’re talking about hard cider, here, not that nonalcoholic stuff.)

Definitions

  • Cider: the juice pressed from apples (or formerly from some other fruit) used for drinking, either before fermentation (sweet cider) or after fermentation (hard cider), or for making applejack, vinegar, etc.
  • Mead: an alcoholic liquor made by fermenting honey and water; any of various nonalcoholic beverages

A Little History

The origin of cider is a bit debatable. Some historians say cider was in the Old Testament, but under a different name. Evidence of apple trees can be traced back to the Nile River circa 1300 BC, although there is no evidence ancient Egyptians used them for cider.

There is evidence of the English drinking cider at least 1,000 years ago, and of them bringing it to the colonists. Colonists preferred cider to water, which was often considered unsafe to drink.

When exactly mead came on the scene is also open to discussion. Some say it dates back to 7000 BC in northern China. Other sources indicate it originated in Africa over 20,000 years ago. Reportedly, nomadic people in Africa collected honey and rainwater in the same space, unintentionally creating the fermented beverage later known as mead.

However, one thing is fairly certain: mead is considered to be the oldest alcoholic beverage.

Taste & Alcohol Content

Cider tastes like apples! No surprise there, as it is made from fermented apple juice. Mead can also taste like apples, when it’s created with that particular fruit.

There are actually many types of mead, which can be flavored by fruits or hops. Depending on the type of mead, it could be cider-like, wine-like, or even beer-like. To start with, mead is always created from honey, yeast, and water, and the type of honey used can also vary the taste quite a bit.

When it comes to alcohol content, cider comes in at 1.2 to 8.5 percent, and mead is 8 to 20 percent. (Wow.)

Mead is Making Strides

Mead is not as well known or as widely consumed as hard cider or craft beer. But it’s catching up. As of February 2015, there are 250 meaderies in the US (this number has probably increased since then); as of January 2018, there are 820 cider makers in the country.

Breaking It Down

In conclusion, while there are different types of ciders, it’s primarily an apple-flavored alcoholic drink.

Mead is an alcoholic drink with a higher alcohol concentration than cider, that comes a variety of flavors that can be similar to cider, wine, or beer. But, it is in its own category separate from those three.

Have you ever had mead before? What did you think? Let us know below!

Learn the difference between apple cider and apple juice >>

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