Make Mead Like a Viking

February 1, 2016

Zimmerman originally documented his brewing experiments on his blog, jereme-zimmerman.com. After enthusiastic feedback from participants in the author's mead workshops, he decided to publish a handbook on making mead with wild yeast, a practice at which the Vikings excelled. His recipes are straightforward and easy to follow, frequently including a story or tips to improve it. They often call for not only standard mead but also an unusual ingredient such as mushrooms, garlic, horehound, or marshmallow plant. Zimmerman packs this slim tome with honey-based brewing recipes, Viking mythology, Viking cultural history (as it applies to mead), a history of beekeeping, a guide to picking honey, how to drink mead, and equipment advice. While there are many mead-making titles on the market, the emphasis on wild yeast along with Zimmerman's philosophy of experimentation and self-sufficiency make this a unique offering. VERDICT Adventurous mead makers or brewers who want to move beyond the basics will find plenty to savor here.--Ginny Wolter, Toledo-Lucas Cty. P.L.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2015
After an exhausting day raiding coastlines and terrorizing natives, Vikings loved to relax with a nice quaff of mead. Over the centuries, mead retreated to merely a historical curiosity. But thanks to creative and adventuresome home brewers such as Zimmerman, mead has roared back to life. Zimmerman promotes natural fermentation from airborne yeasts, but for those lacking bold Viking genes, he offers advice on fermentation from commercial yeasts. Text is clear and very encouraging, and he makes mead accessible to both tyros and experienced brewers. Summarizing relevant equipment and ingredients, Zimmerman emphasizes that his disciples will produce their best meads if they don't go overboard on sterilizing their equipment or take all the joy out of mead making. Recipes go beyond basic mead to include Ethiopian t'ej, fruit-enhanced melomel, and metheglin, which scents mead with herbs and spices. A valuable addition to any collection that seeks to satisfy the creativity of home brewers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)