The historic tipple enjoying a resurgence used to rule the roost

Martin Hesp visits a Devon winery to discover how it is helping traditional drinks stay relevant

- Martin Hesp

We live in a world where symbols of national identity are important - which is why, for example, the media is forever having rows about whether fish and chips, roast beef or chicken tandoori represent the UK's national dish. But what about our national drink? Scotland, of course, has whisky, while England might argue over whether beer or cider should take the crown.

However, in historic terms there's only one drink in the running, and that is mead.

Why? Because not only is this honey-based beverage delicious and rather powerful - but it really did rule the roost in times of yore. Mead first became popular in England during Roman times and it continued to be a staple drink for centuries. The Anglo-Saxons loved the stuff - it has a couple of mentions in the epic poem, Beowulf - and it was central to the social life of the early English. Apparently mead halls were hugely popular right up until the Norman Conquest. And here's another thing I didn't know about mead. The UK's largest maker is based right here in the West Country. Lyme Bay Winery, based in south east Devon, creates vast vats of this golden elixir on a weekly basis. Or, to be more precise, its team of highly experienced experts craft more than 750 bottles per day. Last year, they sold over 250,000 bottles, exporting to countries as far afield as Finland and Canada.

At this point, people who know about the history of alcoholic beverages might be waving their arms in protest. "Yes, mead was popular," they might say. "But what about all those fruits wines? Surely the fruits growing in every British hedgerow allowed the denizens of these isles to create delicious drinks that were far more widely available than mead?"