Mead’s flavour is heavily influenced by its ingredients and sweetness level. Sweet meads tend to be rich and syrupy, while dry meads offer a crisp, wine-like finish. Add in fruits like cherries or blackberries—or spices like clove and cinnamon—and you get something that feels like medieval magic in a glass. Think Game of Thrones, but with fewer beheadings.

Beer’s taste is driven by the complex dance between malt, hops, and yeast. A lager might be light and clean, while a porter delivers roasted notes of coffee and cocoa. Beers also tend to have a bitter edge, thanks to the hops, which gives them a sharp contrast to the often-sweeter mead.

Mead-making is both ancient art and delicious science. It starts by heating honey and water into a syrupy liquid called must. Once it’s cooled, yeast is added to start fermentation. Depending on the style and desired alcohol content, fermentation can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

According to the American Mead Makers Association, mead ferments best at warmer temps, helping the yeast thrive and encouraging a higher ABV. Some meads have alcohol levels similar to wine, while others stay in the lighter beer range.

Beer brewing begins with mashing—soaking the malted grains in hot water to release sugars. This creates wort, which is then boiled with hops for flavour and sterilisation. After cooling, yeast is added to ferment the sugars into alcohol. Carbonation develops either naturally during fermentation or is added before bottling.

Brewing beer involves more steps than mead and tends to demand precision, especially when it comes to timing and temperature. But it’s also faster—ideal for beginners looking for quick results.

Mead may have fewer steps than beer, but it demands more patience. Its longer fermentation time means you’ll need to wait before tasting the fruits (or honeys) of your labour. Beer, though more technical, can be brewed and enjoyed in a much shorter time frame.

Mead is steeped in myth and legend. It appears in Norse mythology, Greek poetry, and archaeological digs from ancient China. Once reserved for royalty, rituals, and celebration, mead is one of the oldest known alcoholic drinks.

Beer’s story is tightly woven with the birth of agriculture. From the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia to the monks of medieval Europe, beer has nourished and comforted people for millennia. Today, the rise of the craft beer movement—especially in the United States—has brought back a passion for small-batch brewing and flavour experimentation.

Culturally, mead and beer live in different worlds. Mead often conjures up images of Renaissance fairs, Viking feasts, and fantasy lore. Beer, meanwhile, is the life of the party—from cosy British pubs to hip American microbreweries.

Both have passionate fanbases. Mead lovers embrace its artisan appeal, while beer enthusiasts obsess over hops, fermentations, and pairings.

Mead generally has a higher alcohol content than beer. While beers typically fall between 4% and 12% ABV, mead can range from as low as 5% to as high as 20%, depending on style and fermentation length.

Beer is usually poured into pint glasses, mugs, or steins—best enjoyed cold and crisp. Mead, due to its strength and wine-like qualities, is often served in smaller portions—like wine glasses, snifters, or goblets—to encourage slow sipping.

Mead’s honey base makes it a dream with roasted meats, sharp cheeses, or sweet desserts. Think glazed ham, aged cheddar, or honey-drenched pastries.

Beer, depending on style, can stand up to a massive range of foods. Pair hoppy IPAs with spicy curries, wheat beers with seafood, and rich stouts with chocolate cake or grilled steak

Because mead is honey-based, it usually contains more sugar—and therefore more calories—than beer. However, it’s also free of additives and often gluten-free, which is ideal for some dietary needs.

Beer’s grain base means it generally contains gluten and fewer natural sugars, but can still be high in carbs depending on the style.

f you’re gluten-free, mead is a natural alternative to beer. Just be mindful of sugar content. If you're watching calories or sugar intake, dry meads or light beers might be your best bet.

Mead and beer offer two completely different drinking experiences. One sweet and historic, the other bubbly and bold. One made with honey, the other with hops. Whether you’re raising a horn of mead like a Norse warrior or sipping a cold IPA at a sunny beer garden, both drinks offer something rich in flavour, tradition, and personality.

Next time you’re browsing your local tasting room, brewery, or wine shop—skip the usual and grab a bottle of mead or a beer style you’ve never tried. Because the biggest difference between the two? One sip might just change your drink of choice forever.