Like melomel and metheglin, braggot is a sub-style of mead, the fermented honey drink known to be the ancestor of all alcoholic beverages. Braggot’s most distinctive characteristic is its beeriness: This particular species is brewed with both honey and malt—and quite often, hops, too—lending the honey wine a noticeable beer quality. A good braggot effortlessly balances beer and mead: Features of both should be apparent, with the malt or base beer style apparent in the flavor yet harmonious with the honey. Colors range from light straw to almost black, and though braggots should appear nearly as clear as other meads, they’re typically less brilliant.