Yggdrasil is one of the most powerful symbols in Norse mythology. Known as the Tree of Life, it stands at the center of the Viking worldview and represents connection, resilience, and the structure of the cosmos. For modern enthusiasts of Norse culture, Yggdrasil remains an emblem of balance, strength, and the continuity of life.

Let's explore the mythic roots of Yggdrasil, the meaning attached to it by the Vikings, and how the symbol has evolved into a key element of modern culture.

Yggdrasil as the Heart of the Norse Cosmos

In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is the great tree that anchors the Nine Realms. These realms include Asgard, Midgard, Jotunheim, and others that together form the Viking understanding of existence. The tree is vast and alive with activity. Gods would gather near its roots, creatures climb its branches, and events that shape the worlds revolve around it. Yggdrasil creates order and connects everything. Nothing in the universe stands apart from its branches or roots.

The Vikings saw the cosmos as a system built on relationships. Yggdrasil functions as the structure that keeps this system in balance. It holds the heavens, supports the earth, and reaches deep into unseen territories. Its presence shows that strength comes from interconnectedness. Every realm affects the others, and every action echoes through the tree. This idea is central to Norse thought and continues to shape how people interpret the symbol today.

The Nine Realms and Their Link to the Tree

Each root and branch of Yggdrasil anchors a realm. Asgard rests in the upper branches. Midgard lies somewhere along the middle span. The roots reach into the mysterious lands of the giants and the dead. These connections show how the Vikings viewed the world as layered and diverse, yet unified by a single living structure.

This vision reflects the belief that life is not fragmented. Instead, each realm has a purpose. The gods, humans, spirits, giants, and other beings rely on each other even when they are in conflict. Yggdrasil reveals that existence depends on balance and relationship. Nothing grows in isolation.

Because of this, the Tree of Life carries meaning beyond simple mythology. It represents the framework that holds everything in place and supports harmony between different forces.

Symbols of Renewal, Endurance, and Strength

Yggdrasil is not static. It faces threats that would break lesser structures. Serpents gnaw at its roots. Stags chew on its leaves. Events tied to Ragnarök suggest that the tree trembles under the weight of coming change. Yet it continues to stand.

This endurance made Yggdrasil a symbol of strength for the Vikings. They understood struggle as part of life. Hardship was not something to avoid but something to withstand. Yggdrasil demonstrates resilience. Even in difficult conditions, the Tree of Life continues to grow.

The tree also carries the idea of renewal. Some stories describe it as evergreen. Others mention wells beneath it that grant wisdom and healing. This connection to both endurance and rebirth made Yggdrasil a powerful emblem of perseverance and personal growth.

Daily and Spiritual Meaning for Modern Life

People today often adopt Yggdrasil as a symbol that guides personal reflection. Many see it as a reminder to stay rooted while growing upward. It encourages a stable foundation paired with continuous development. This blend of groundedness and ambition resonates with anyone seeking balance.

The circular designs found in modern Yggdrasil art often represent the cycle of life. They highlight the idea that progress moves in stages. The symbol helps people remember that growth takes time, and every experience fits into a larger pattern.

Others use the Tree of Life as a representation of wisdom. Since the wells at the base of the tree hold knowledge, Yggdrasil becomes a symbol of learning. It reminds people to seek insight, ask questions, and reflect on their actions.

These meanings extend beyond personal development and reach into cultural identity. Yggdrasil connects many individuals with their Scandinavian roots, Viking heritage, or appreciation for Norse stories.

Yggdrasil in Viking Art and Craft

Viking artisans carved the Tree of Life into wood, bone, stone, and metal. It appeared on amulets, tools, runestones, and ceremonial items. These designs were not used for decoration alone. They carried meaning. They signaled a belief in connection and stability.

The flowing branches and roots fit easily into the artistic styles of the Viking Age. Interwoven knotwork, linear carvings, and geometric layouts made Yggdrasil an ideal motif. These same qualities continue to inspire modern jewelry, apparel, and décor.

Yggdrasil in Modern Culture

Today, the Tree of Life shows up in many parts of global culture. Its presence continues to grow as interest in Norse mythology expands.

In media

Movies, books, video games, and television often include Yggdrasil. It appears as a gateway, a cosmic map, or a symbol of ancient wisdom. These portrayals help introduce the mythology to new audiences while keeping the core ideas alive.

In spirituality and wellness

Many people use Yggdrasil in meditation, personal rituals, or as a symbol of grounding practices. Its structure reflects the balance between stability and growth, which fits well with mindfulness paths.

In modern art and design

Artists use Yggdrasil in illustrations, tattoos, graphic design, and home décor. Its shape works well in both traditional and modern styles. For many, it represents a connection to nature and the reminder that all life grows from shared roots.

In fashion and jewelry

Yggdrasil designs appear in pendants, rings, bracelets, and clothing. These items serve as expressions of identity, admiration for Norse culture, or personal symbolism linked to strength and balance.

Explore our Yggdrasil collection and discover pieces inspired by the Tree of Life.

Drinking horns are commonly associated with Vikings, but these drinking vessels have been found across cultures for millennia. Nearly always symbolically powerful, the drinking horn presents itself and its contents in a manner meant for some combination of prestige, social bonding, celebration, divine connection, and high status.

Let’s explore the history of drinking horns while highlighting their use in the Viking Age.

Ancient Origins of Drinking Horns

Before the Vikings used drinking horns, they were found across the globe. They were often tied to cultures that used cattle as a primary food source, resulting in the use and meaning of their horns.

It began around 2,600 years ago in the Early Bronze Age with the Proto-Indo-European people of the Pontic-Capsian steppe, around modern-day Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Romania. Drinking horns continued in traditions to the Greek, Roman, Celtic, Germanic, and Scandinavians.

Viking Ölhorn Drinking Horn

The strongest early evidence is from 400-700 BCE with the Scythians and Thracians, both with roots in the same Pontic-Capsian steppe region. These were primarily found with warriors and leaders with potential connections to royalty. The Greeks used their own form of drinking horns during this time as well.

The Celts provide the clearest early use of drinking horns in a way we think of with Vikings. The Celtic people of the time, the Gauls, used drinking horns from aurochs, an extinct cattle species, gilding them with gold, bronze, iron and silver and using them in feasts as the Vikings later did as well. The horns were symbols of honor, divinity, and hospitality amongst the community.

Viking Age Drinking Horns

In the Viking Age, natural horns from aurochs, bulls, goats, and rams were used with metal rims and tips (end portion). Those metal pieces are much of what we have remaining as evidence for horns of this time, though they show us plenty about the horn’s size, shape, and designs.

Drinking horns were primarily used for ceremonial purposes and special occasions. For everyday use, more practical drinking vessels were created from pottery or wood.

Nevertheless, feasting and drinking were central to Viking traditions. That means drinking horns held a frequent and meaningful role in their society. Passing a drinking horn around a mead hall was a ritualistic and communal event to show camaraderie and hospitality.

When guests were to be honored, they would be offered a mead horn as both a beverage and an appreciative gesture. This was typically offered by the women of the home, which may be why horns have been more commonly found in women’s grave sites than in men’s.

Connection to Norse Mythology

Various references to drinking horns were made in Norse mythology, as found primarily through the Prose Edda.

Odin’s story with the Mead of Poetry is one of the most significant. In this, Odin steals the Mead of Poetry from the giant Suttungr. This story solidified drinking horns as vessels with divine connection.

Thor’s story was of drinking from a horn that secretly contained all the seas. Despite his power, Thor wasn’t able to drink the horns in full, but his efforts led to lowering the sea level and creating tides.

Valhalla, the hall of the Asgard, is home to where fallen warriors live on. Mead is served by Valkyries, the hosts who bring fallen warriors to Valhalla. The mead flows continuously from Heidrun, the mythical goat.

Drinking horns were common in religious practices as well, being used to toast the gods, ancestors, and fallen warriors. The deep spiritual and social connections that horns were bound into show how deeply meaningful and rooted they were in Viking culture.

Post-Viking Age Medieval Europe and Ceremonial Horns

Drinking horns were progressively less used during the Viking Age in favor of more practical vessels, and this decline continued afterwards. By the year 1400, horns were primarily relics that represented ritual and preserved pieces of the past. Like artwork, they were more often given as gifts to be appreciated for their styling rather than their functional abilities.

Christianity decreased the appearances of drinking horns as well as they were associated with pagan practices. However, modern Scandinavian and worldwide appreciation of Viking culture as well as Modern Heathen and Asatru practices has helped to return drinking horns to popularity, even if symbolic.

Drinking Horns Today

Drinking horns are common accessories for anyone aspiring to a Viking aesthetic. You will see them in reenactments, at medieval festivals, used in fantasy cosplay, and in collections.

Horns today are still made from animals like cattle, goats, and rams. Some are adorned with silver, bronze, iron or gold and intricate patterns from ancient Viking artistry. Artifacts can be found in auctions at times, but most horns purchased today are replicas and recreations. Aside from your own collection, you may find a drinking horn in a mead brewery.

Viking Ölhorn Drinking Mug

Drinking horn users today can be found around the world, in some cultural and religious practices that still use them ceremonially and symbolically, to local renaissance faires and festivals and celebrations at home. The drinking horn remains what it was for Vikings a thousand years ago: a representation of community, divinity, and honor.

Music has been a central component of cultures for a long time. 

While there is limited evidence of exact songs because the Vikings didn’t keep written record of music, we have found instruments of various types — string, wind, percussion. From these findings and understanding of Viking culture, a variety of historians and musicians alike have recreated music inspired by, derived from, and interpreted through the ancient Norse.

Before you read further about Viking music’s instruments, creation, and history, start a song in our curated playlist featuring artists that have recreated Nordic music with authenticity in mind:

Music in Viking Festivities

Music was deeply embedded in Viking society, as it has been across the world and across time. However, the Vikings’ use of music is particularly interesting as a perspective on their worldview and society.

Music would be used in religious and cultural events and happenings.

At funerals, a dauðalög, or death songs, would be performed. These chants and instrumental pieces would honor those passing away. Primarily vocal songs, they would feature poetry referencing themes like Valhalla and acknowledging the last stage of the Vikings’ life: death. Emotionally driven, these ceremonial farewells are fitting to the ancient Norse culture’s cultural value of honor and acceptance of death as part of the cycle of life.

Viking weddings were also enhanced with music.

These songs would celebrate union, intending to bless the couple in their next stage together. The lyre, a string instrument, would be commonly used in these ceremonies. A modern wedding song, Bånd Binde, was created by artist Kjell Braaten with lyrics from Leif-Arne Furevik. While created recently, Braaten uses a lyre and vocal chants for authenticity. It certainly provides the right atmospheric and spiritual feelings that ancient Norse weddings would have.

Outside of funerals and wedings, other ceremonies would involve music. Some may have involved religious events and sacrifices, and other times, for casual festivities. Skalds come into play whenever storytelling — an important element of Viking culture — comes into play.

Skalds were professional poets in the society.

Their intricate Norse poems required talent and knowledge alike, weaving in metaphors (“kennings”), creative repetitions (alliterations), and rhythmic structures (“meters”). Here’s an example:

From Hávamál in Old Norse:

Brandr af brandi

brinn til brunns

Translation to English:

A fire from a fire

burns until it is burnt out

The meter is shown through the two lines with two strong beats each (brandr (1) af brandi (2), brinn (1) til brunns(2)). The alliteration is shown through the repetition of the “b” sound (Brandr, Brandi, Brinn, Brunns). The kenning is seen in “brandr”, a poetic way of saying fire that would be more vivid than simply saying fire, if you spoke Old Norse.

This is a very simple example to bring to life the skill Skalds would bring to the community, and how the music of the time was likely influenced. This aligns with the fact that the Viking culture was largely illiterate without a written language and instead heavily based on oral communications and traditions.

Music connected Viking communities at feasts, festivals, and gatherings, in longhouses, at outposts, and in trade settlements. Music was part of everyday life. In their work, like when rowing longships, music would keep groups in sync.

Norse Musical Instruments

Vikings had instruments across three main categories: string, wind, and percussion. Here’s what we know about each:

String Instruments

Lyre: Lyres have been found at Viking settlements such as Hedeby and Birka. They are 6 string instruments typically, though some can have 5 to 8 strings in total. They’re made of wood with sheep gut or horsehair strings, played by strumming. This would be a common instrument to pair with a Skald’s poetic verses.

Tagelharpa or Talharpa: The tagelharpa is the variant of the lyre that uses a bow, also using sheep gut or horsehair for its strings. It is possible these were used during the Viking Age, but it may have come later as the earliest evidence found thus far was from late medieval period, while the Viking Age was of the early medieval period. Many believe it was likely used and simply lost in time without written evidence to support its existence at that time. They were used elsewhere in the world, and with such a strong trading component of ancient Viking society, it’s likely they would have encountered and adapted this Lyre variant.

Wind Instruments

• Lur: Made of wooden horns, these instruments were made by splitting and hollowing out wood. Then, they would bind the halves with willow or birch bands. We have evidence of lurs dating back to 834 in Norway from the Oseberg ship burial, as well as other sites. These were likely used in battle for signaling, for calling livestock, and potentially in ceremonies.
• Panpipe: A wooden instrument with evidence from a 10th-century find in the Jorvik/York area of England. This indicates an Anglo-Scandinavian use. With natural deterioration on these finds, it is anticipated that there may have been from five to eight tubes in total with each panpipe.
• Flutes: Vikings made flutes of either elder or willow wood or horns or bones of cows, goats, deer, or birds.  While some flutes had zero holes, likely for animal calls, those used in music would have up to seven holes to provide creative variations in what was composed.

Percussion Instruments

• Drums: While evidence is limited, drums were widely used across the world for millennia, including during the Viking Age and amongst their trading partners. Of what we know, they would have been made with wooden frames and animal hide for the drum surface.
• Jar Harp or Munnharpe: From the Danish city of Odense was the Gammeltoft find, where jaw harps were found. This and other finds show these instruments date from 9th to 13th centuries. They were made of metal and played by plucking while held in the mouth to create a resonating sound.

Reconstructing Viking Music

As mentioned, the Vikings lacked a written language and thus, a lot of our knowledge of their culture is dependent on burial finds, excavations, and interpretations. This affects music as well.

Later medieval texts, like the sagas and Eddic poetry, have provided some basis to interpret what Viking Age music would be like. Likewise, Vikings were avid traders, which provided ample opportunities for other cultures to interact and keep a record of the Vikings. Combining this evidence with archaeological reconstructions and tracking cultural patterns over time, we are able to identify certain elements of the traditional music with relative confidence.

We are confident in lyres, lurs, bone flutes, and panpipes as core instruments. Even without hard evidence, drums are ubiquitous enough to believe they were used as well, further reinforced by references to rhythmic rituals in the sagas.

One Arab traveler of the 10th century, Ibn Fadlan, helped reinforce the vocal component of Viking music. The translation of Fadlan’s description of Viking singing may be "a hum worse than a dog’s howl," or “the growling sound of a dog’s throat, only more untamed”. Beyond amusing, this is suggestive of a deep, rhythmic, communal chant.

Modern Interpretations of Viking Music

Genres of Viking Music

Viking music wasn’t recorded in writing, so there is no true way to define its genres. However, we can group Viking music today into three categories:

1. Historical and Neo-Folk: Music made with reconstructed instruments and lyrics of the Old Norse language. Artists who aim for authenticity will use this approach and are often classified as Nordic folk or Pagan folk.
   
2. Viking Metal and Folk Metal: Merging heavy metal with Nordic themes. Traditional instruments may be used, as well as rhythmic beats and vocal chanting. Typically, the focus is on references through lyrics and accompanying visuals.
3. Soundtrack and Atmospheric: Compositions used in film, TV series, and games blend orchestral and folk elements. The intention is to evoke emotions and acknowledge the Norse spirit and our modern interpretation of Viking culture.

Artists of Viking Music

Authentic and Historically-Driven Artists include:

• Wardruna
• Heilung
• Danheim
• SKÁLD
• Voluspa

Metal Artists with Viking Inspiration include:

• Amon Amarth
• Týr
• Einherjer
• Falconer
• Manowar
• Brothers of Metal

There are countless more artists who have continued the Viking spirit today, which you can find in our curated playlists.

Curated Viking Music Playlist

The playlist below features some of our favorite music by modern artists who value the authenticity of Viking Age music. Songs feature lyrics in Old Norse, derived from the sagas, and with deep meaning, to those who embrace the Viking spirit.

Click the (+) symbol to save the playlist, then hit play to give it a listen now.

Follow Vikheim on Spotify to stay up to date on our evolving and new playlists.

A Look Back and Ahead on Viking Spirit Invigorated through Music

Despite the lack of written records, we have been able to establish significant clarity on what Nordic music would have been like during the Viking Age. Discovering the use of instruments like the lyre, lur, flute, panpipe, and jaw harp, we can determine within boundaries how music could sound. Layer in what we know of the vocal component of their music and culturally where music would play a role, we are able to hone in on what music would sound like.

Today, we are grateful for artists who provide historically accurate reenactments, as well as those who bring ancient motifs and mythological references into modern compositions to expand the reach of the Viking culture further.

Mead is the Viking warrior’s drink of choice. It’s what brings Norse people together to rejoice in victories and to honor the gods. Both symbolic and social, mead is a staple in Viking culture, even being referenced in Norse mythology.

What is Viking Mead?

Mead is a honey wine made by fermenting honey and water. It’s one of the alcoholic drinks with an older history than beer or wine.

We’re going to explore how it was made during the Viking Age — though limited historical records require us to consider brewing methods used by other cultures and farther back in history while making educated assumptions about how the Norse brewed their mead.

By the end of it, you’ll know how mead is made, how it was so significant in Viking society, and how to homebrew your own mead.

Viking's Mead Making: How They Made It

There were several different methods used to make mead during the Viking Age. The variety could be due to resources available, preferred techniques, or experimentation.

Brewing Technique Used by Vikings

1. Fermentation

Evidence has been found that for fermentation, the Vikings would use wooden barrels or clay vessels. These provided an organic environment to ferment the honey where wild yeasts would emerge from the air or on the ingredients used.

Today, we have modern yeast strains readily available to us. Understandably, that wasn’t the case for Vikings so they had to find resourceful means. That might mean leaving the vessels unwashed or using logs with cracks that would collect yeast.

2. Flavoring

With fermentation possible with the right vessel and ability to create an organic yeast, the next element is flavoring. Vikings used a variety of fruits and herbs, including raspberries, elderberries, juniper berries, and the aptly yet undesirably named, mead wort. A variety of ingredients were added to develop unique aromas and deep flavors.

If this sounds like a lot of work, it is because it is. However, with mead being a staple in Viking culture, it is likely they developed techniques to ease the process. These might have been methods to transfer yeast between batches, as well as simply making it a communal effort to produce mead together. After all, it was commonly enjoyed as a community as well.

4 Types of Viking Mead

1. Traditional Mead

A classic honey wine is simple. Honey, water, and yeast. Given it’s the most simple type of mead, it was likely the most common of this time.

2. Melomel (Fruit Mead)

Expanding the traditional mead by adding fruit was a common way to incorporate deeper flavor into mead. A variety of berries were most common to provide a sweetness to the beverage.

3. Metheglin (Spiced Mead)

The Viking’s cooking often used a variety of spices such as cloves, cinnamon, and ginger, so it was likely that these were used in mead as well. Adding spices creates a more complex flavor and aroma.

4. Herbal Mead

Aside from fruits and spices, herbs may have been used for a more unique flavor profile. Rosemary and thyme were common in meals, so they were probably also used in mead recipes.

In any case, the base is the same: honey, water, and yeast. Beyond that, experimentation likely brought a variety of ingredients into meads. Those that appear to be most successful based on continued use today are the spices and fruits, though many enjoy the simple and timeless traditional honey wine.

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Step-by-Step Guide to Brewing Viking-Style Mead

Let’s review the equipment, ingredients, and process from preparing to bottling to drinking your homebrewed mead.

1. Equipment Needed for Homebrewing Mead

Altogether, even including the optional equipment, you can get all you need for less than $100, so we would recommend you get it all and be as ready as you can for this experiment.

Must-Have Equipment

You’re going to need a vessel and the supplies that go with it:

• Fermentation vessel: A glass carboy or a food-grade plastic bucket. Carboys are most common and “proper”, but are a little more difficult to keep sanitized. Plastic buckets are simpler and easier to use. Which you choose doesn’t matter much, but you need something. We are going to skip on the Viking’s traditional wooden barrel. This is the vessel that’s going to keep the mead mixture while it ferments.
  
• Airlock and stopper: This will allow carbone dioxide (CO2) to escape while keeping air out, preventing contamination throughout the fermentation process.
  
• Siphon tubing: This is the hose you would use for transferring from your vessel to bottles.

Optional but Helpful Equipment

• Hydrometer: Measure alcohol content and fermentation progress. It does this by measuring the gravity of the “must” — the unfermented honey and water mixture.
  
  
• pH strips: For measuring the acidity level of the must. You are typically looking for a pH of 3.5 to 4.5. The Vikings didn’t have pH strips, but if they did, they’d have more confidence in how their brew would end up.
  
  
• Bottling equipment: When your mead is ready, you’ll want to bottle it up. That means buying both bottles and caps or corks for storage. While you can use either to top the bottle, most prefer caps for their ease unless storing for a long period.

There’s always more you can possibly get:

1. Stirring spoons for mixing the honey and water
2. Cheesecloths for open fermentation
3. Mesh bags if you are adding spices or fruits to reduce leftover sediment,
4. and autosiphons, bottling wands, and racking canes for easier bottling.

Our goal is to get started homebrewing — we can worry about all the extras for your second and third brews.

2. Ingredients

You know the key ingredients already: honey, water, and yeast. There are specifics to keep in mind for each.

a. Honey

This can be a deep topic alone, but let’s focus on how we can get your first brew going. In the simplest manner, any honey can work paired with yeast. For the most authentic approach, you would use honeycomb or raw unpasteurized honey. Either can often be found in farmer’s markets and local grocery stores, though that may depend on where you live. In general, opt for something local and avoid generic brands.

Types of honey to look for include clover honey, sourwood honey, and buckwheat honey — but don’t let the type of honey slow you from starting. 

Vikings would let the honey and honeycombs produce the yeast, though we will recommend a yeast to make sure the process moves along smoothly for you.

For more detail on the specific types of honey:

• Sourwood honey brings a unique and complex flavor with notes of caramel and spice.
• Clover honey is light and mild with hints of floral notes.
• Buckwheat honey is dark and robust with a molasses-like flavor.
  

b. Water

If you’re using tap water, you should boil it first to let it purify. Ideally though, you can get spring or purified water instead. If you can, opt for spring water because the natural mineral content would best support the yeast.

c. Yeast

If you’re opting for the traditional wild yeast approach, you may consider adding a dozen organic raisins to help produce that yeast, along with the honey itself. If you’re considering a commercial yeast, there are many options available.

• Lalvin D-47 is common as a white wine yeast that ferments fairly quickly and fits well with a medium to dry mead. It helps the honey flavor come out further, which can work well for a traditional style mead. You may need yeast nutrient for this yeast.
• Lalvin EC-1118 is a champagne yeast that is neutral, avoiding disrupting the standard mead honey flavor. Expect a little stronger alcohol and a little more time to age.
• Lalvin K1-V1116 is a white wine yeast that works well for melomels (fruit meads). It will enhance the fruit aroma and flavors in your brew. You likely need yeast nutrient for this one as well.
• Lalvin 71B-1122 is a red wine yeast that you may consider for a melomel using darker fruits, like cherries and blackberries. Expect a more aromatic, smoother mead.

Don’t get held up on which yeast to use, or whether to use one at all. If you want a yeast, the simplest answer is to opt for the Lalvin D-47. If you want to experiment with other yeasts, it’s typically best to use a wine yeast because while ale yeasts can be used, they produce a sweeter mead. If you prefer a sweeter mead, we would recommend you adjust the honey-to-water ratio.

As far as how much to buy, that depends on how much mead you want and how you would like it to taste.

For a general guide:

• 1.5 quarts (48 oz or 1.4L) of honey
• 1 gallon (128 oz or 3.8L) of water
• 1-4 grams of yeast per gallon

A gallon of mead will result in 4 or 5 standard wine bottles (750mL). Alternatively, you can use 12oz (355mL) beer bottles to make it easier to share with friends. In that case, you would want 10 beer bottles ready to go.

3. Preparing the Mead Must

The must, being the unfermented honey and water mixture, needs to have the right proportions. Start with 1.5 quarts of honey and 1 gallon of water. This will produce a balanced, semi-sweet mead. If you like it sweeter, use less water. If you like it drier, add more water.

Keep one gallon of water as your baseline measure. For a dry mead, you would use 32oz (1 quart) of honey with 1 gallon of water. For a sweeter mead, you can use up to 80oz of honey with 1 gallon of water. You can scale your chosen proportion by gallon accordingly.

Mixing the must can be done either heated or cold-mixed. Heating the honey slightly can make it easier to get it out of the bottle. Cold mixing would preserve the honey’s aroma and flavor, though it lacks the sanitization of a boiling method. Beyond heating the honey, a boiled approach can be used. In this, you would heat a portion of the water sufficient enough to dissolve the honey and remove contaminants. You would then add the remaining water to cool the mixture and start the fermentation. For the Vikings, they may have used both methods, but cold mixing fits with organic fermentation, so if you’re not using yeast, you can move ahead with cold mixing.

Flavoring Your Mead

If you want to flavor your mead, you can use herbs, spices and fruits. Consider the right combination and timing to produce the mead flavor you’re looking for.

Traditional Herbs Used in Viking Mead

• Juniper berries provide a bitter flavor. They were common in Viking cooking and brewing alike.
  
• Mead wort (meadowsweet) brings a floral aroma and sweet flavor with hints of almond and vanilla. They are known for their medicinal properties.
  
• Yarrow introduces an earthy flavor.
  
• Heather contributes a floral and sweet flavor, similar to mead wort. It maintains more of the honey flavor than mead wort would.
  

Modern Herbs To Use In Your Viking Mead

• Rosemary and thyme are savory and aromatic. They are commonly used in Viking recipes.
  
• Chamomile brings a floral flavor and is well-known for its calming effects.
  
• Ginger adds spice and warmth. The Vikings likely had some exposure to ginger through their extensive trading experience.

Spice Up Your Norse Mead

• Cloves provide a powerful, warm flavor and aroma with slight sweetness and bitterness. You might extract the flavor from cloves by simmering them in the water before you create your must.
  
  
• Cardamom is very aromatic and adds a sweet flavor with hints of citrus and pepper alike. It’s a unique spice. You may add 2 whole cardamom pods or 4 crushed pods for each gallon of must.
  
  
• Cinnamon brings a warmth and slightly sweet flavor. You can try Saigon or Ceylon, and either will work with a sweeter mead. For a dry mead, Ceylon may be preferred. Saigon may have a slight woody spice to it. Focus on aroma rather than flavor. You can experiment any way about it. Ground is easier to add and you would have to use a lot of sticks for equal potency, but either can work.
  
  
• Cumin is both warm, earthy, and nutty. It can add a complex depth to your mead.
  
  
• Black Pepper has a sharpness to its flavor profile, introducing spice in a different way than you may find with other herbs.

Of course, you can use any combination of ingredients. That experimentation and creativity is part of the fun of making your homebrewed mead.

Fruits Additions for Homebrewed Mead

• Raspberries can provide a tart, fruity flavor.
  
• Lingonberries are from a small evergreen shrub that Vikings used in cooking and for medicinal purposes alike.
  
• Elderberries are dark and rich in flavor to add complexity into a mead.
  

Timing of Flavor Additions

When you add each ingredient depends on the ingredient and the mix of them. In general, a brewer might use two fermentation periods:

Primary Fermentation when additions will be more deeply integrated into the must, resulting in a wine-like flavor. This produces a strong flavor profile.

Secondary Fermentation when additions are added after the base primary fermentation, making the additions fresher and flavors more pronounced. If you use delicate fruits, this is how you would add them.

Brewing is art and science. You may include some additions during the primary fermentation phase and hold others for a secondary fermentation. Spices can be more challenging and best held until secondary fermentation.

Take cinnamon as an example. You should add it post-fermentation as it has anti-fungal properties that can inhibit the yeast. In high ABV batches, a single stick in five gallons can add plenty of punch, so you’ll need to taste it daily to get it to the right level, and then stop it. The same can be said of spices like nutmeg or cloves where a small amount can quickly become overpowering.

Fermentation and Aging

Good things take time. Good mead takes time, too. How long depends on your exact approach and recipe.

Fermentation Length

Your primary fermentation period will last between 2 to 4 weeks. This is when most active fermentation happens, where you’ll notice bubbling and foam formations at this stage. The bubbling in the airlock is carbon dioxide (CO2) escaping. Expect more bubbling early on and for it to taper off in time. Foam is normal as well and should also dissipate as fermentation slows as well.

Your secondary fermentation stage may last a few weeks to a few months. This is when you may add additional ingredients and allow the flavors to mature. At the end of the secondary fermentation you will begin racking to clarify the liquid further. Some end their meadmaking journey at this phase, and others go into an aging phase.

Aging is a separate stage from secondary fermentation, though it tends to overlap. The aging timeline could be a few months or a few years, with most being six to twelve months long. In this stage, flavors mature further, the mead can become clearer, and additional sediment (“lees”) can be separated.

If you purchased a hydrometer, you can use that to monitor the fermentation process. You are looking for a stable reading over several days to confirm fermentation has completed.

For proper fermentation conditions, keep your mead between 55-65°F (13-18°C) while fermenting and aging. While aging, store the mead in a cool, dark place. To prevent oxidation, it’s best to minimize headspace — the space in a container above the liquid.

Racking the Mead

Racking the mead is when you transfer the liquid from the vessel you made it into another. This is done to remove sediment, or lees, that accumulates at the bottom of the vessel. This is the first step to clarifying the mead, preventing unwanted flavors, and to prepare the mead for aging.

Siphoning mead is done using the siphon hose. Some will purchase a racking cane as well for this process. The goal is to transfer the clear liquid into a new vessel without disturbing the sediment.

How you will siphon your mead depends on the equipment you have. Autosiphons are common now to simplify the process. Racking cans can be used to be inserted into the mead, just above the sediment. A simple siphon can also be used with the proper technique. Whichever method you choose, be sure to sanitize your equipment first. Clean supplies are always important. Let the transfer continue until most of the clear mead has transferred and leave behind as much sediment as possible.

If you want your mead to become clearer, you can do a few things. One is simply to perform multiple rackings. Each racking should leave sediment behind. You can also store the mead in a fridge at 38-40°F (3-4°C) for a week or two. This will stabilize the mead, helping more sediment settle at the bottom, clarifying the mead further with a final racking to follow.

Aging Mead for Better Flavor

After racking your mead, you can begin the aging stage in its new vessel. You can use a glass carboy or a stainless steel keg. It will need to be kept in a cool, dark place between 40-60°F (4-15°C).

How long you age your mead depends on the type of mead:

• Traditional Meads: 6 months to 2 years
• Melomels (Fruit Meads): 6 months to 5 years
• Metheglins (Spiced Meads): 6 months to 1 year

The aging process will help improve flavors and smoothness. Several things will happen: 

1. Acidity will become more balanced, which helps improve mouthfeel.
2. Flavors blend further for a more complex taste profile, particularly when using fruits and spices.
3. Alcohol will become more tame, reducing the typical “burn”.

It’s your choice on whether the flavor and mouthfeel improvements are worth the wait. 

Remember that aging continues after mead is bottled, so you may shorten the overall aging process when moving to bottling and let some individual bottles continue longer.

Bottling and Drinking

It’s time to bottle your mead! You can use glass or ceramic bottles. Avoid plastic as it may release chemicals into your mead — plus, you’ve worked hard on your creation and it deserves a proper final vessel.

• Ceramic bottles can provide a unique aesthetic. Glass is simply easy and clean. You might consider saving wine bottles, beer bottles, or champagne bottles.

You can use corks or swing-top caps to seal your mead.

• Corks are aesthetically pleasing and a good choice for continued aging. However, they can be more costly and could become dried out and brittle if not stored properly.
• Swing-top caps are as they sound — caps that swing from the neck and over the top, tightened down for a strong seal. They are known as Grolsch style caps as well. This also provides a unique aesthetic, while also being easy to open and close. They’re also reusable, so you’ll be ready to go with your next batch. Unfortunately, they are not great for long-term use as the rubber gasket can break down and they allow more oxygen into the bottle compared to corks or crown caps.
• Crown caps are what you see on beer bottles with the ridged edges. They’re cost effective and provide a tight seal. However, they’re not good for ongoing aging, nor for use on any vessels other than beer bottles.

Use corks if ongoing aging is your main concern. If you have a carbonated mead, a beer bottle with crown caps or champagne bottles with corks can work. In most cases, swing-top caps and bottles are preferred by new and veteran meadmakers.

When Should You Drink Freshly Bottled Mead?

Now that your mead is bottled, you should start to enjoy it! But when exactly?

If you leave your mead unopened, it has a shelf life of several years. Once opened, if you use a resealable Grolsch bottle, consume it within two weeks. The best time to consume mead depends on the type:

• Dark meads can age for years. Don’t worry about these, unless you start counting in decades.
• Light meads are best within one or two years.
• Melomels (Fruit Meads) are best within 3-6 months while fruit flavors are still fresh.

Serving Suggestions

It’s time to enjoy your mead! How you enjoy it depends on your personal preference, including the temperature to serve the mead and meals to enjoy with it.

Mead Temperature

• Light meads, like a traditional honey mead, are best served chilled around 40°F (4°C). This helps elevate the flavors, which tend to be subtle.
• Meads in general can be enjoyed like red wine at room temperature or slightly less. Try your mead around 55-65°F (12-18°C). This is particularly good for spiced meads.

Common Homebrewing Mistakes You Should Avoid

Mistake 1: Using too much or too little honey

Too much honey makes a mead overly sweet. It might not ferment fully as well. Too little honey makes a mead too dry and too thin of a mouthfeel. Using a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of the must can help to ensure you have the right honey-to-water ratio.

Mistake 2: Not sealing the fermentation vessel properly

Improper sealing can contaminate the must. It can also cause oxidation, which will affect both the flavor and clarity of the mead. Be sure the airlocks fit to the vessel properly to prevent this.

Mistake 3: Racking or bottling before fermentation is complete

The hydrometer can again help to confirm when fermentation is complete by measuring for stability over several days. If you bottle too soon, fermentation may continue in the bottle and can put the bottle at risk of exploding due to the carbon dioxide buildup.

Mistake 4: Pouring the mead directly to a new vessel

If you skip using a siphon, you will introduce oxygen to the process, while also bringing up sediment. This will have unfavorable effects on oxidation and flavor. Using a siphon will help to avoid this, though you may also want a racking cane to make the process easier.

Mistake 5: Leaving too much headspace

Excessive headspace — the space from the top of the liquid to the top of the vessel — can be problematic. The space leads to oxidation. If you fill vessels to the top and minimize headspace, you can significantly reduce this risk.

Mistake 6: Not monitoring temperature

You need to watch the temperature through each stage of the process. Improper temperature can affect the yeast, flavor, shelf life, and overall quality of your mead.

Closing Thoughts on Viking Meadmaking

Making mead It’s a form of alchemy that can connect us to what Vikings had done a millennia ago.

Work through the meadmaking process and return to this guide as you go through each stage. Don’t overly stress getting everything perfectly right. You can always create additional batches, improving your skills and experimenting with different flavors and techniques.

If you create a batch, let us know on our Instagram @VikheimOfficial by tagging #vikheim on your post.

For more Viking and Norse-related culture guides and exploration, join the Vikheim community.