Known as the ancient kin from which all alcoholic beverages are derived, mead at its purest is a fermented blend of water, yeast and honey—the drink is often referred to as “honey wine.” Though meads don’t vary quite as widely as beer styles, they range considerably in body, sweetness, aroma and strength. All meads, however, should appear clear with no particulates, offer harmonious aromas and showcase honey in their flavor. The mead genus includes substyles like metheglins and braggots that are classified according to adjuncts like fruit and spices, but traditional meads are subdivided further into three broad categories—sweet, semi-sweet and dry—based on their levels of residual sugar, or the amount of honey left unfermented. Semi-sweet meads rest predictably between dry and sweet meads; they offer noticeable but not intense honey characteristics in the nose and flavor, and moderate sweetness.