Mead at Slate? Who'da Thunk It?

Those of you who know me well know that I'm a mead maniac as well as a beer fan. It's just so darned easier to get beer, and lots of varieties thereof, than meads.

So imagine my surprise to be looking at today's Washington Post and find a link, buried in an ad box in another column, to this piece in, of all online places, Slate. It's at least intriguing to consider, although I would argue vehemently against the author's proposition that mead has "terroir" and beer doesn't (hey, ever had a good Belgian beer? Or New Glarus' Belgian Red or Raspberry Tart? Or even Oxford Raspberry Wheat?). Also, there's a bit of "where has this fella been hiding that he just noticed mead?" And, as usual with Slate, the "comments" don't really invite any discussion, but are more individual rants. But I digress and defer.

I might also add to the piece by pointing out that the vast majority of meads consumed at "rennfests" (pointed out in the column) tends not to be of superlative quality--akin to giving folks Natty Boh as the "definitive" American beer. (Maryland's Renaissance Festival is particularly guilty of this, pouring a bulk product from Liganore that is roundly decried by anyone who has had any better mead such as Chaucer's or Lurghashall.)