Mead is rising in popularity, thanks to Game of Thrones
We all know that Game of Thrones has been a financial boon for HBO, but the network isn’t the only organization that’s shared in the show’s success. Game of Thrones has helped funnel tourism to Northern Ireland and Croatia, and according to online news site Quartz, it’s been a driving force behind a resurgence of interest in mead.
Mead, for those unfamiliar with drinks that peaked in popularity during the Middle Ages, is an alcoholic beverage sweetened with fermented honey. As sugar replaced honey as the world’s preferred sweetener, mead fell out of favor and ceded territory to wine and beer, but it’s recently made a bit of a comeback. The 2nd Annual Mead Industry Report, which is a thing that exists, notes that sales of mead jumped by 32% between 2012 and 2013. In 2014, sales went up by 42%. During that same year, wine sales increased by a mere 6.2%, which would worry wine industry officials if they weren’t all feeling too warm and sleepy to take action.
It should be noted that, compared to wine and beer, mead is still very much a specialty beverage, but the sudden surge in interest is pronounced enough to make people curious. According to Michael Fairbrother, the President of the American Mead Makers Association, there’s a definite connection between the popularity of Game of Thrones, which is set in a medieval-esque world, and the growth of the mead market. Fairbrother admitted that he was “tickled to death when Game of Thrones came out.”
Interestingly, although I can recall plenty of characters discussing wine and ale both on the show and in the books, I don’t recall many mentions of mead. Nevertheless, the general medieval connection seems to be enough for people. “We have a much broader market than we used to and people know what mead is now,” said Sophia Fenton, the owner of UK brewer Cornish Mead. “Game of Thrones has helped make people aware of it and we have had Game of Thrones theme nights requesting mead.” Whatever works, I guess.
Drunk Cersei hopes you enjoyed this post.
H/T Daily Mail
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