Why did people drink HONEY in Old Russia?

The phrase: "I was there, I drank mead and beer," from Pushkin's fairy tales is familiar to many. But, how can you drink honey? In Old Russia, beverages made from honey were incredibly popular. And there were many variations –‘pytnoy mead’ (drinking mead), ‘stavleny mead’ (aged mead), ‘vareny mead’ (boiled mead) and, of course, ‘medovukha’ (a lighter, fermented mead).

The most ancient drink was ‘stavleny mead’ (aged mead), with mentions of it going back to the 9th century. To prepare it, honey was mixed with berry juice, infused in oak barrels and buried in the ground. And it was considered ready no sooner than 5-8 years later! Some more experienced ‘medostavy’ (there was such a profession!) could even age it for up to 20 years.

From the 11th century, people began to boil a honey drink, which reduced the preparation time to about a month. And, in the 18th century, a technology for brewing ‘medovukha’ based on fermented honey appeared, which further simplified obtaining the beverage. This is how the now-famous ‘medovukha’ came to be, becoming a staple at feasts. It was drunk exclusively before meals and symbolized a host's hospitality.

‘Medovukha’ experienced a renaissance in the 20th century, becoming a true brand. The city of Suzdal, where the first mead brewery in the USSR opened in 1967, played a special role in this.