Mead vs ale

Discussion in 'All Things LitRPG' started by Sean Barber, Jun 23, 2018.

  1. Sean Barber

    Sean Barber Level 6 (Footpad) Roleplaying Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Is it just me or do alot of authors confuse mead and ale? Ive been doing alot of reading lately and noticed many authors using them interchangeably. This buggs me a bit, as a homebrewer of mead and not caring for ale.
     
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  2. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    I admit to knowing little about booze in general, but if I remember right, ale is a type of beer but mead's made from honey, isn't it?
     
  3. Sean Barber

    Sean Barber Level 6 (Footpad) Roleplaying Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Right, mead uses honey. The most basic recipe for mead is honey water and yeast. Its like calling wine beer or beer wine
     
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  4. Gryphon

    Gryphon Level 18 (Magician) LitRPG Author Citizen

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    Mead is amazing. Ale is for those that can't appreciate good drinks.
     
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  5. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Ha! You know, I literally only remember learning that by watching 13th Warrior.:p Because he was so upset he couldn't get drunk to deal with things until the viking dude was like "It's made from honey!"
     
  6. Sean Barber

    Sean Barber Level 6 (Footpad) Roleplaying Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Its the oldest known alcoholic drink we know of
     
  7. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    That's neat. Like I said, I don't drink and I shamelessly admit that I know only the most basic knowledge of general alcoholic beverages. However, I'm a research junkie so I'd definitely be sure I knew which was which for writing purposes.
     
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  8. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Also, this is actually giving me the urge to research. It makes me wonder what alcoholic beverages might be around in my setting, which is a Paleolithic/Neolithic setting. I mean, it's still fantasy, but I like it rooted in some "realism" so now I want to go see what the various tribes and such might be drinking if they do want to celebrate with a bit of drunkness!:D
     
  9. Kidlike101

    Kidlike101 Level 18 (Magician) Citizen

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    I don't drink so I don't care what beverage they're drinking. I am partial to ginger ale though, mostly because root beer is gross and any writer that gives it to minors should be shot. Just hand them a forkin coke!
     
  10. Thomas Davidsmeier

    Thomas Davidsmeier Level 12 (Rogue) LitRPG Author Citizen

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    Native Americans had an interesting collection of different drinks usually based off of fermented grain. An interesting theory is that people who could tolerate alcohol had an advantage because they could get calories from fermented grain which lasted longer in storage than unfermented. If you controlled the spoilage and made sure it turned into wine or a beer like beverage, it would then last much longer.
     
  11. Paul Bellow

    Paul Bellow Forum Game Master Staff Member LitRPG Author Shop Owner Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    There's a difference? Haha. I kid, I kid...

    Semi-related, I've had fun with describing the taste of potions...

    As for alcohol, I've had mead, beer, and elven wine...
     
  12. Tom Gallier

    Tom Gallier Level 15 (Guardian) LitRPG Author Citizen

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    I don't drink, so mead, beer, and ale all taste the same to me. BUT, I understand the difference, and I use all three in my fiction. Generally, different cultures drink different drinks.

    Personally, I think sugary carbonated drinks don't get enough love in fiction.
     
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  13. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Quick, someone do a Fallout or Walking Dead style LitRPG where you can get a buff from slamming down Red Bulls or something!:p
     
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  14. MrPotatoMan

    MrPotatoMan Level 13 (Assassin) Citizen

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    what does it matter if authors confuse grog and ale there not that different right? ;P
     
  15. Jay

    Jay Hiatus. LitRPG Author Beta Reader Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Now I have to look up "grog". All my brain is telling me is "It's a pirate drink!" for some reason.
     
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  16. Seagrim

    Seagrim Level 18 (Magician) LitRPG Author Citizen

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    Mount Hope winery, part of the Pennsylvania Renaissance fair, has a very good honey wine as well as a dynamite PA Dutch spiced apple wine.

    [​IMG]
     
  17. Yuli Ban

    Yuli Ban Level 18 (Magician) LitRPG Author Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    These words mean different things in different countries, so you'll need to be more specific to get an accurate answer. But, roughly speaking:

    Beer is what you get when starch is broken down to sugars by malted grains and then fermented by yeast.

    Ale is a kind of beer. Ale is beer made with a "top-fermenting" yeast (as opposed to lagers, which use a "bottom-fermenting" yeast).

    Stout is a kind of ale that typically uses roasted malts or roasted grains. It often has a strong coffee/chocolate flavor, and it's usually got higher alcohol content.

    Mead is fermented honey. It might also contain fruit, spices, or other additives. Taste ranges a lot, from "dry meads" (more tangy than sugary) to "sweet meads" (more sugary than tangy).

    Grog is a hot drink with rum and water, and usually spices and/or citrus. Grog's taste depends largely on the spices/citrus you use.

    All are alcoholic drinks, but beer/ale/stout are the most closely related. Mead has nothing to do with the others, nor does grog.


    This was totally not stolen from Reddit so there's no need to look it up.
     
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  18. Yuli Ban

    Yuli Ban Level 18 (Magician) LitRPG Author Citizen Aspiring Writer

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    Because it uses spices. The particular kind of pirates made famous in pop culture (you know, the swashbuckling "Caribbean" pirates with peg legs, pet parrots, and eyepatches) are those who stole spices (among other things). Hence why grog is associated with pirates.
    I'm not really doing it justice, but the history of why grog is so closely associated with pirates is pretty interesting.
     
    Last edited: Jun 29, 2018
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