9,000-year History Of Chinese Fermented Beverages Confirmed
Monday, 13 October 2008
ScienceDaily (Dec. 7, 2004) — PHILADELPHIA, PA, December 2004 -- Chemical analyses of ancient organics absorbed, and preserved, in pottery jars from the Neolithic village of Jiahu, in Henan province, Northern China, have revealed that a mixed fermented beverage of rice, honey, and fruit was being produced as early as 9,000 years ago, approximately the same time that barley beer and grape wine were beginning to be made in the Middle East.
http://www.gotmead.com/index.php?opt...658&Itemid=491
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The term honeymoon originates from the tradition that the in-laws of the couple were required to supply a month's worth of mead, or honey wine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeymoon