Pontos relevantes da produção de Hidromel

Abstract

This literature review seeks to survey relevant points for the manufacture of mead, traditionally a fermented honey and water. This drink is highly valued on the foreign market, and it can be a new way to monetize and add value to honey produced in the country, valuing local production. Brazil is among the main exporters of fresh honey, which indicates that the country may become a strong competitor in the mead market. The production of mead involves the use of many empirical recipes and is applicable today in an artisanal way using techniques used in the production of wines. There are some elements of raw material and production aspects that make it difficult to standardize the final product, making the resulting mead to be quite varied: the type of honey used, the dilution of the must, nutritional additives used, species of yeast, fermentation time and temperature among other factors. It is believed that the lack of studies in the area is explained by the low popularity of the drink by most of the population until a few decades ago. A search was then made for published works, specifically on the subject, in order to identify variations in the process and understand the results and findings.