Why Should You Choose Mead Over Whisky

All alcoholic beverages have their unique appeal, and each has a place at the table. While whisky can be enjoyed as a standalone drink, honey wine (mead) pairs beautifully with fruits, cheeses, and charcuterie. The choice between mead and whisky is ultimately a matter of personal preference. Both can be enjoyed together, depending on individual tastes.

Alcohol Content:

Whisky is known for its intense flavors—caramel, toffee, vanilla, butterscotch, smoky, woodsy, and spicy notes. With an alcohol content of around 40% ABV, it’s a drink meant for sipping and savoring. 

In contrast, mead offers a wide range of flavors, from light and floral traditional meads to fruity melomels and spicy metheglins. Mead’s alcohol content varies widely, from 7% for session meads to 18% or higher. Spiced and barrel-aged meads can mimic certain whisky profiles but with significantly lower alcohol content, reducing cognitive impairments and appealing to those with lower alcohol tolerance.

What is ABV, and Does It Affect Mead’s Taste?

ABV (alcohol by volume) refers to the alcohol percentage in a beverage. While higher ABV can intensify flavors, mead’s taste is shaped more by its ingredients and production methods than its alcohol content.

Gluten-Free:

Mead is nearly 100% gluten-free, made from honey, fruits, and spices, making it ideal for those with gluten intolerance. Whisky, made from grains like barley, corn, rye, and wheat, is considered gluten-free by the FDA if it contains less than 20 ppm of gluten. However, individuals with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should consult their physician before consuming any gluten-containing products.

Raw Honey Benefits:

Mead’s primary ingredient is raw, organic, unpasteurized honey, which offers numerous health benefits. Honey is rich in polyphenols, providing antioxidant properties that protect cells from free radical damage. It also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, as recognized in medical literature. At Clear Skies, we use raw honey, frozen organic fruits, and modern fermentation methods to retain all the flavors and nutrients. Our mechanical clarification process ensures meads retain essential nutrients and aromatics, with minimal processing and no preservatives or additives.

Environmentally Sustainable:

Honey production is more sustainable than grain or grape cultivation, requiring fewer land resources, irrigation, and pesticides. Bees, our vital pollinators, support biodiversity and food production. Clear Skies sources honey from ethical producers in Brazil and Mexico, preserving forests and reducing deforestation. Our mead production generates 25% less biological waste than other agricultural beverages, and we encourage customers to use refillable growlers to promote environmental stewardship.

At Clear Skies Meadery, we’ve modernized mead production, blending traditional methods with contemporary techniques to create diverse, flavorful honey wines for adventurous craft beverage enthusiasts.