Merfolk Mead

Merfolk Mead The first craft mead production in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador! Award-winning boutique-style meads made from local ingredients

06/15/2026

The Lost-Then-Found Bochet of 1393

In this short we dive into the fascinating history of Bochet Mead, a mysterious medieval French honey wine first recorded in 1393 in Le Ménagier de Paris.

Check out the full video here: https://youtu.be/l12sIpVKGvI

Together we'll explore the origins of bochet, uncover how a single translation helped launch a modern brewing phenomenon, examine the latest historical research, and then recreate this remarkable drink ourselves.

May mead be on your table!

06/12/2026

Can you make mead with crystallized honey? Absolutely!

Many new mazers assume crystallized honey has gone bad, but crystallization is actually a natural process and often a sign of minimally processed honey. In this Mead Minute, I explain why honey crystallizes, which varieties crystallize fastest, and several easy ways to use crystallized honey in your next batch of mead.
Whether you're making a traditional mead, hydromel, or even a bochet, that bucket of crystalized honey is still packed with fermentable sugars and ready to go.
Have you ever made mead with crystallized honey? Let me know in the comments!

06/06/2026

The Best Brewing Hack Ever! How to get a stuck cork out of a bottle

Nothing worse than having a cork slip down into a bottle - it doesn't happen often but when it does, we use this quick hack to save the bottle and the day! Watch to see this great brewing hack in action and let us know if it's worked as well for you as it did for us!

~ May mead be on your table ~

Welcome to Of Mead & Myth - where we share history, facts, and folklore on all things mead!

06/03/2026

Before they went extinct, giant wild cattle ruled Europe—and the wealthiest Viking chieftains turned their horns into ultimate luxury statements. Precious metal rims, mythical beasts, and rare imported glass. This is how the elite threw a feast.

In this short we show that behind the fanfare and myths, Norse drinking horns of the realm’s most important figures were ornate, bold and crafted to impress.

While we instantly associate the drinking horn with the mead halls of the Viking Age, these incredible vessels were already ancient artifacts by the time the Norse inherited them.
But where did this legendary vessel actually come from? Check out the linked full video for an in-depth look at drinking horns; their use and purpose on the tables of the ancient Norse.

Welcome to Of Mead & Myth - where we share history, facts, and folklore on all things mead!

*Find citations for all images used listed in description of full video

06/02/2026

What did the everyday Norse farmer and warrior drinking horns really look like?

Behind the romance and myths, real Norse drinking horns were practical, handmade, and surprisingly beautiful. Here’s how they were actually made!

While we instantly associate the drinking horn with the mead halls of the Viking Age, these incredible vessels were already ancient artifacts by the time the Norse inherited them.

But where did this legendary vessel actually come from? Check out the linked full video for an in-depth look at drinking horns; their use and purpose on the tables of the ancient Norse.

Welcome to Of Mead & Myth - where we share history, facts, and folklore on all things mead!


06/01/2026

Mead minute! Ever feel like your mead tastes great but feels flat or watery?
That’s where tannins come in! In this Mead Minute, we look at how these plant compounds give your brew a proper backbone, balance out cloying sweetness, and deliver that perfect, lingering finish. From oak chips to black tea, find out how to level up your mouthfeel!

05/31/2026

Gift from the Valkyries: The Drinking Horn in Odin’s Valhalla

As the drinking horn held significance in life, so too did it in death, its symbolism extending beyond life itself.
This connects directly to one of the most beautiful and well known stories of Norse mythology: The fallen warrior’s arrival at Valhalla. According to legend, when a warrior died bravely in battle, they became one of the Einherjar — Odin’s honoured dead. They were carried to and welcomed in Valhalla by Odin’s shieldmaidens, the Valkyries. And waiting for them was an offering - a drinking horn brimming with mead.

In this short, we cover this beautiful Norse myth and highlight once more the magic and power of the legendary drinking horn.

While we instantly associate the drinking horn with the mead halls of the Viking Age, these incredible vessels were already ancient artifacts by the time the Norse inherited them.

Check out the linked full video for an in-depth look at drinking horns; their use and purpose on the tables of the ancient Norse.

Welcome to Of Mead & Myth - where we share history, facts, and folklore on all things mead!

Sources:
Wright, George. Queen Wealhtheow bearing the mead-horn to Beowulf. Illustration. 1904.
Bissen, Herman Wilhelm. Valkyrie. Bronze sculpture. 1834–1835. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.
Larsson, Carl. King Gylfi before the High, Just-as-High, and Third. Illustration. 1893.
Doepler, Emil. The Feast in Valhalla. Color plate. Ca. 1901.
Sander, Fredrik. The Goddess Sif. Wood engraving. 1893.
Morrill, Rowena. The Einherjar in Valhalla. Painting. Late 20th Century.
Gehrts, Johannes. Walhalla. Engraving. 1889.
Arbo, Peter Nicolai. The Valkyrie. Oil on canvas. 1869. National Museum of Art, Architecture, and Design, Oslo.
The Life of Saint Edmund. Manuscript illumination. Ca. 1430–1440. Harley MS 2278, folio 39v. British Library, London.
McConnell, James E. The Viking Raid. Illustration. Mid-20th Century.



05/30/2026

The Mythical Drink That Created the Ocean Tides

When Thor was challenged to empty a giant’s drinking horn, he couldn’t do it— but not because he lacked the strength. The horn was secretly connected to something massive…

In this video, we cover the myth of Thor and Útgarða-Loki’s Drinking horn. Watch to see how one Norse myth explains the ocean tides, and why the drinking horn was the ultimate symbol of power of the ancient Norse peoples.

Check out the full video linked in the comments for an in-depth look at drinking horns; their use and purpose on the tables of the ancient Scandinavians.

Welcome to Of Mead & Myth - where we share history, facts, and folklore on all things mead!

* Thor Drinking from the Horn of Útgarða-Loki" by Elmer Boyd Smith. Originally published as line art in Abbie Farwell Brown’s In the Days of Giants: A Book of Norse Tales (Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1902). MyNDIR - UVIC
* Giant Skrymir and Thor" by French illustrator Louis Huard (1814–1874). Featured in Annie & Eliza Keary's The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology (Macmillan and Co., 1870/1891 editions). MyNDIR - UVic
* "Thor" by famed Golden Age illustrator Arthur Rackham. Created in 1910 for Richard Wagner's opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung (specifically The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie).
* Medieval European drinking horn featuring gilded/silver decorative metalwork (approx. 14th-15th century display piece, heavily reminiscent of classic Late Anglo-Saxon and North Sea structural styles). www.artandhistory.museum
* Scenic coastal boardwalk view from the High Tide Trail, part of the historic Damnable Trail network located on the Eastport Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Damnable Trail
* Thor’s Well (also known as the drainpipe of the Pacific), a striking saltwater sinkhole powered by the tide, located near Cape Perpetua on the Oregon Coast, USA.

05/29/2026

Ancient Norse Drinking Game Inspired By Nature’s Vessel?

While we instantly associate the drinking horn with the mead halls of the Viking Age, these incredible vessels were already ancient artifacts by the time the Norse inherited them. In this video, we review a fun fact about this ancient vessel and Norse table manners: drinking mead from the mighty horn was an honour and performance of loyalty and strength in the mead hall.

Check out the full video (link in comments!) for an in-depth look at drinking horns; their use and purpose on the tables of the the ancient Norse.

Historical Artifact Source:
Object: Ale Horn from Bohuslän, Sweden (Undated). Horn featuring folk carvings imitating expensive metal mounts.
Repository: Nordiska museet (The Nordic Museum), Stockholm, Sweden.
Image Credit: Nordiska museet / Wikimedia Commons. Registered under file: Ale_horn,_Bohuslan,_undated,_horn_with_carvings_imitating_metal_mounts_-_Nordiska_museet_-_Stockholm,_Sweden_-_DSC09766.jpg

Welcome to Of Mead & Myth - where we share history, facts, and folklore on all things mead!

05/22/2026

Happy Friday Merfolk fam!! 🧜‍♀️🍷 We were inspired to do a fun mead minute today and decided to feature one of the most well-known wine yeasts, Lalvin EC1118. From her lightning-fast fermentation and massive 18% ABV tolerance to rescuing those incredibly fussy stuck ferments, she is a low-maintenance warrior. But she does have a catch—that extra dry finish can strip away some of your mead’s delicate aromas and flavours, leaving a temporary bite.

Is she the perfect fit for your next batch? Watch and find out! And if you’re looking for a sweet libation and some blueberry bliss to go with your weekend, find our Blue Ambrosia at select NLC locations 🍯🫐 TGIF everyone, and may mead be on your table 🍷❤️💫

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