Mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey and water. It's often referred to as "honey wine" and can be fermented to be dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. Dating back to ancient times, mead is thought to be the first fermented beverage. The alcoholic content can vary widely from 5% to 20%. Not all liquor stores in the US stock mead, although lately it is becoming more popular.