The Sacred Drinker

VALKNUT MEADERY - FOOD PAIRING TIPS

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 05:15:53 GMT

Valknut Meadery

~ What Foods Go With Mead?

People ask me all the time, "Master mead maker Matt, what should I eat with this fancy mead?"

Well, you're in luck, because I’ve put together a list of food pairings that will make your taste buds throw a party. And no, I’m not just saying that because I want you to buy more mead (okay, maybe a little).

Mead is a super-versatile all-season drink

Smoky Oak Mead

This one’s for the fancy folks. Pair it with aged cheeses like cheddar or Gruyère. Feeling like the Monopoly man? Well put on your top hat and throw together a charcuterie board with smoked meats and roasted nuts. If you’re firing up the grill, this mead loves steak or pork chops. What about dessert? Go big with dark chocolate or a rich fruitcake. You’re welcome.

Think rich:

Aged Cheeses: Cheddar or Gruyère bring out the oaky notes.
Charcuterie Boards: Smoked meats are a match made in heaven.
Roasted Nuts: Almonds and pecans add a satisfying crunch and nutty depth.
Grilled Meats: Steak or pork chops, the smoky mead enhances the grilled flavours.
Dark Chocolate & Fruitcake: The rich flavours of these desserts compliment the mead.

Blueberry Pancake Mead

Ever wished you could drink pancakes? Well you're in luck. Pour yourself a glass to go with a fresh stack of pancakes, waffles, or French toast. Add some bacon or sausage to balance the sweetness. If you’re feeling like calories are a lie, try it with creamy desserts like cheesecake or custard. Blueberry muffins? Yes. Vanilla ice cream with maple syrup? Double yes. Breakfast for dinner just got an upgrade.

Try it with:

Pancakes, Waffles, or French Toast: A no-brainer, and utterly delicious.
Bacon or Sausage: The salty-sweet contrast is irresistible.
Creamy Desserts: Cheesecake, custard, blueberry muffins, and scones all pair great.
Vanilla Ice Cream with Maple Syrup: A simple timeless treat.

Ginger Honey Mead

This one’s got a kick, so pair it with food that can keep up. Asian food like sushi or ginger chicken works wonders. Spicy dishes like Thai curry or Indian biryani? Perfect. Grilled prawns or fish? Absolutely. And don’t forget dessert either. Carrot cake or gingerbread will make your day. Soft cheeses like brie or goat cheese are also a win. Basically, this mead is the life of the party.

Goes awesome with:

Succulent Asian Meal: Sushi, ginger chicken, or stir-fry will complement its zesty notes.
Spicy Dishes: Thai curry or Indian biryani are excellent choices.
Grilled Shrimp or Fish: The ginger adds a refreshing twist.
Carrot Cake or Gingerbread: Spiced desserts harmonise with the ginger.
Soft Cheeses: Brie or goat cheese offer a creamy contrast.

Mead was a Medieval Status Symbol

Chilli Lime Mead

If you like your food with a bit of zing, this will light a very mild fire. Tacos, guacamole, and tortilla chips are a no-brainer. Spicy Mexican or Tex-Mex dishes like chilli con carne? Bring it on. Lime-flavoured desserts like key lime pie or sorbet are the perfect finish. Grilled prawn skewers or ceviche? Oooh, fancy.

Ideal for:

Tacos: Especially fish or grilled meat tacos.
Guacamole and Tortilla Chips: The lime and chilli flavours are a natural fit.
Mexican or Tex-Mex Dishes: Chilli con carne and other spicy dishes.
Lime Desserts: Key lime pie or sorbet are refreshing.
Grilled Prawn Skewers or Ceviche: A light, flavourful pairing.

Meada Colada Tropical Mead

Close your eyes and pretend you’re on a beach. Tropical dishes like jerk chicken or grilled pineapple are a must. Seafood lover? Coconut prawns are a dream. Fresh fruit salads with pineapple, mango, and coconut? Yes, please. Coconut-flavoured desserts like macaroons or cream pie? Don’t mind if I do. Light appetisers like crab cakes or ceviche? Live it up.

Transport yourself to the tropics with:

Tropical Dishes: Jerk chicken or grilled pineapple.
Seafood: Coconut prawns are a must-try.
Fresh Fruit Salads: Pineapple, mango, and coconut create a tropical paradise.
Coconut Desserts: Macaroons or coconut cream pie.
Light Appetisers: Crab cakes or ceviche.

Strawberry Mead

Sweet, fruity, and downright delicious. Pair it with fresh strawberries and whipped cream or chocolate. Creamy desserts like panna cotta, cheesecake, or mousse are a match made in heaven. Chocolate-dipped strawberries? Obviously. Grilled chicken with a balsamic glaze? Surprisingly good. Mild cheeses like ricotta or mascarpone? You’re a genius.

Pairs wonderfully with:

Fresh Strawberries: With whipped cream or chocolate, of course.
Creamy Desserts: Panna cotta, cheesecake, or mousse.
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries: A tasty treat.
Grilled Chicken with Balsamic Glaze: A surprising but delicious combo.
Mild Cheeses: Ricotta or mascarpone.

Apple Pie Mead

It’s like dessert in a glass. Warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream is the ultimate pairing. We'll just tell you're Mother we ate it all. Roasted pork or duck? Yes, chef. Sharp cheddar cheese? Don’t knock it till you try it. Caramel desserts like toffee or caramelised apples? You’re basically a food wizard.

Enjoy with the comforting flavours of:

Warm Apple Pie: With vanilla ice cream for the ultimate experience.
Roasted Pork or Duck: The sweet complements the savoury.
Sharp Cheddar Cheese: A classic pairing with apple.
Caramel Desserts: Toffee or caramelised apples.

Mead was the Original Fermented Drink

Right, that's enough from me. Eat, drink, and be merry, and don't blame me if you need to loosen your belt.

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT MEAD

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 05:26:38 GMT

Mead History

Mead, an ancient honey-based alcoholic drink, has held sacred significance in European cultures for thousands of years. Often linked to divine offerings and rituals, it was revered in Norse, Celtic, and medieval traditions as a bridge between mortals and the divine.

Mead was was believed to grant wisdom and inspiration

In Norse mythology, the Mead of Poetry (Óðrœrir) was believed to grant wisdom and inspiration. Oðinn, the chief god, stole this sacred mead from the giants, reinforcing its mystical properties. Mead was also central to blóts (religious feasts honouring the gods) where it was shared and poured as an offering. Mead-halls, such as Heorot in Beowulf, were centres of communal and spiritual activities, strengthening bonds between warriors and the divine.

The Celts viewed mead as a sacred drink, used in Druidic ceremonies to seek guidance and prosperity. It was associated with the Otherworld, the realm of gods and ancestors. During Samhain (origin of Halloween), mead played a role in rituals honouring the dead, believed to facilitate communication with spirits. Irish myths often depict heroes drinking mead in the halls of the gods, reinforcing its connection to the afterlife.

With Christianity’s spread, monasteries became centres of mead production. Mead was used in monastic rituals and medieval wedding traditions, giving rise to the term “honeymoon.” Festivals like Wassail incorporated mead in blessings for fertility and prosperity, blending Christian and pagan customs.

Mead’s sacred role in European traditions is undeniable. Whether in Norse myths, Celtic rites, or medieval customs, it symbolised divine favour, wisdom, and connection to the supernatural. Though not as popular today due to the rise of grape wine and beer, mead still echoes its ancient spiritual past.

The Celts viewed mead as a sacred drink

So, next time you raise a glass and say "Cheers," remember the Viking origins of this drink. Toast to friendship, good health and the cultural heritage.

Have an A1 day!

Skål.

SKÅL - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 23:26:11 GMT

Symbols & Their Meanings

no:16 ~ Skål

You may have noticed me signing off my posts with the word "Skål."

No it's not my name, but a word with deep roots in Norse culture.

Let's dive in and learn more about the meaning behind this super interesting word.

raising a bowl and saying "Skål" was not just a simple toast. It symbolised the unity and camaraderie among the Norse people.

It is a Norwegian, Swedish & Danish word that comes from the old Norse word skál which means ‘bowl’. This doesn’t mean I have some fascination with bowls.

In ancient times, a bowl would be passed around the mead hall where people would make toasts. This is where it became a somewhat slang word for our modern day ‘cheers’ (good health).

Skaldic poetry was a big thing in the Viking age. Someone who performed this was a Skáld. Many of the remaining stories we have of the Viking age and their religion were recording in this complex verbal skaldic poetry, only to be written down in the 12th-13th century in Iceland.

The word Skål also comes from the old Norse word ‘skalli’ meaning ‘bald head’, which is where our modern word ‘skull’ comes from.

No, Vikings never drank from the skulls of their enemies like Disney and Hollywood would suggest, and there is not a single source or archaeological find that would suggest that. If someone did this they would have been regarded as disgusting and most likely banished from their community.

By drinking from the same bowl together, Vikings were sharing aN experience. This strengthened their bonds and their sense of belonging to a community.

So, next time you raise a glass and say "Cheers," remember the Viking origins of this word. It's a toast to friendship, good health and the cultural heritage of the Norse.

Have an A1 day!

Skål.

BRONZE AGE PETROGLYPHS - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Thu, 16 May 2024 02:12:53 GMT

Symbols & Their Meanings

no:15 ~ Bronze Age Sunwheel Petroglyphs

We always have different symbols on the back of our bottles and they all have meaning. Not just fancy decoration.

On the back of our Meada Colada Tropical Mead we have a Bronze Age petroglyph (stone engraving) of a ship with a sun wheel as the sail.

The SHIP symbolises the continuous cycle of our spirit

In Northern Europe’s Bronze Age (2000bce - 500bce) the ship was seen as - and still is by some - a symbol of transportation in the afterlife. This doesn’t mean it’s a representation of the end of life, but a part of the continuous cycle of our spirit. The sunwheel also has similar symbolical meaning, being the rotation of not only the earths seasons, but also the seasons within us being in this physical life and our infinite states of consciousness (life, death & rebirth).

Gotland - the island between Sweden and the Baltics, has many grave sites in the shapes of ships made from stone that are thousands of years old. These were created so the dead could travel safely into the afterlife, wherever that may be. This was similar to being buried with an actual ship, but that was only done for royalty. The idea that you need to get buried in a ship to go to Valhöll (Valhalla) is a load of garbage that's been spread by modern pop fiction. Ceremonies would also take place inside the stone graves to help connect with ancestral spirits.

The sunwheel is still a very popular symbol and is seen everywhere. Look at the Celtic cross for example which the Catholic Church has adopted. It’s a sunwheel on a stick (cross with the ring around the centre of it) that the Christians adopted (stole) as their own. So it’s always funny seeing pagan crosses on top of churches.

THE sunwheel symbolises our consciousness and the seasons within us

Thousands of these kind of petroglyphs are found all across Northern Europe and are heritage listed and protected… And they say Europeans have no culture.

Have an A1 day!

Skål.

VIKING SHIP HEADS - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Thu, 02 May 2024 02:26:50 GMT

Symbols & Their Meanings

no:14 ~ Viking Ship Heads

Seeing that our Meadery is Viking themed, I thought I’d share a few fun facts about famous Viking ship heads.

Most people think the common Viking ship had dragon heads, which is true to a certain extent but not always.

The spiral heads were used for decorative purposes

The heads of the ships were detachable and most of the time they would have decorative spirals like in the bottom two photos. These were use during common sea voyages and peaceful trading which the Scandinavians did a LOT of.

When they had their ships docked on their own ports, they would keep the pretty spirals on. However, during the times of raids, they would remove the spiral and attach the dragon head. Why? Not to scare away the people they were about to attack, but to scare away the landvaettir (the spirits of the land). This would be so the natives couldn’t get help from their land spirits or ancestors during the attack.

The dragon has been used in many cultures to do just this. The word dragon comes from Old English Draca, Dreki in Old Norse, which mutated into the word Dragon over time.

The bottom left photo is of the Oseberg Ship, a very well-preserved Viking ship that was discovered in a burial mound with two female skeletons in it. Having a dragon head on such a ship would have been silly as it was used as a grave. This is because it would have disturbed the spirits in the afterlife where it would have taken the two women that were buried with it.

DRAGON HEADS WERE PLACED TO SCARE AWAY THE SPIRITS OF THE LAND

History can be fun and Norse history is awesome and significant to our ancestral culture.

Have an A1 day!

Skål.

VALKNUT MEADERY - OUR STORY

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 02:23:39 GMT

Valknut Meadery

~ Our Story

We've just created a new Youtube channel !

Make sure to head over and subscribe!

Our latest video and its transcript are below.

So the thing that got me into mead was about 10 years ago when the Mrs and I went down to Tazzy and we tried some mead down there. It was just bloody amazing so I was like right, cool, I want to drink more of this. So when we came back up here to Crows Nest I couldn't find any around here that I liked so I started making it myself.

About 3 years ago we got our first little meadery which was a 20ft shipping container. When the first batch became ready we realised that we were selling it faster than what I'd actually been producing it so we had to build this new shed right next door. Now I do two 300 L tanks plus a 600 L tank every 2 months. It's about 10,000 bottles a year and that's pretty much just doing markets and a handful of wholesalers.

When I started the business there were a few things that I wanted to incorporate into the business. One of them, of course, make money because it's a business. The second one, I wanted to support as many local farmers and growers as I can. So a lot of our flavours, pretty much all of it, is local ingredients. I wanted to bring part of my Heritage into it so the valknut symbol itself is an ancient Southern Scandinavian symbol and a lot of symbols I put on the bottles all have very strong meaning to my Heritage. That's something I want to embrace and bring back into the modern world in the southern hemisphere.

WE HAVE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT MEAD FOR OVER 10 YEARS

When we first started selling our first meads which was our sweet lime we had the Red Hill mead competition down in Victoria. That's the biggest mead competition in Australia and with this particular competition there were 93 entries. My sweet lime won the best of show trophy that year so some people might say that's the best in Australia... I do. Since then we've gone into a few other competitions, including that one again this year, and we've won a couple of other Golds and Silvers as well.

So if you follow us on Facebook and Instagram you'll see each month where we're going to be at the markets. You can also find us online on our website and you can order anything from there. Keep your eye out because we'll be around in some more places soon.

VALNUT MEADERY HAVE WON MULTIPLE AWARDS

Drink mead, be joyful, and subscribe to our YouTube!

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

FIVE HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT WITCHES

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 06:24:20 GMT

Witch History

From the Middle Ages through to the Early Modern Period, witch hunts swept across Europe, America, and even parts of Africa and Asia. The label of 'witch' was applied to anyone who threatened the status quo or who was convenient to blame for their misfortunes. This blog is about how the word 'witch' has been exploited as a tool to condemn and persecute innocent people throughout history.

NOT ALL WITCHES WERE WOMEN

Witch History no.1:

Not all Witches Were Women

At the end of the witch hunts in the mid 18th century, many people, especially women authors, started labelling the hunts as a type of ‘Women Holocaust’. However, many men were also trialed and murdered as witches, especially in Estonia , Russia, Normandy, Iceland & Burgundy (in France) where MOST of the people prosecuted for witchcraft were in fact men.

In Iceland between 0412 219 640, 92% of the persecuted were men.

Over the 300 year period of the ‘Witch Hunts’ in Europe, most of the executed (total of roughly 35,0412 219 640,000) were women, but we should not ignore the thousands of innocent men who were also murdered in the name of political & religious gain.

THERE WERE CERTAIN DEEDS THAT MADE WITCHES 'WITCHES'

Witch History no.2

Deeds that Made Witches ‘Witches’

Witch persecution dates back at least 2,000 years before the start of the witch hunts. Yes, this was even before Christianity but it was a much rarer occasion. Here I’ll be speaking of the Witch Hunt era between the 15th & 18th century CE.

So what made a witch and why were they blamed? Here’s a few things that could have you labeled a witch:

Medicinal healing (not prayers and hope),
Looking out at the stars at night by yourself,
Having a birthmark or mole (kiss of Satan),
If someone you don’t like falls ill,
Sitting on a gravesite and talking to the dead (this was a common practice in Northern Europe to gain wisdom and guidance from the dead, usually being their ancestors),
If you are financially independent (because the devil must have helped you),
Your neighbours have trouble conceiving,
You had sex out of wedlock,
If you broke any of the rules in the bible

….there are many more but this will do for now. I think it’s safe to say that every single one of us would have been considered a witch.

Now that the witches are identified, what were they blamed for? Well if there was a natural disaster such as cyclone, flood or fire, plague, unexplained deaths in livestock or even spoiled cheese, then they would have hunted down anyone with the above descriptions and blamed them.

The blaming was very easy and often there weren’t even trials which is why the estimate of people executed is so wide (35,0412 219 640,000). However if you accused someone of being a witch and the public found them not guilty, then you yourself would receive the punishment, being either drowned, hung or burnt alive.

SEIDR IS AN OLD FORM OF EUROPEAN WITCHCRAFT/MAGIC

Witch History no.3

Seidr ~ Northern European Witchcraft/Magic

Seidr is a very old form of witchcraft used in Northern Europe, mostly by women. This was actual Witchery with intent, such as seeing the future, altering the weather, inflicting illness or death onto people, healing and transitioning one’s spirit to that of an animal.

We know that it was a common practice thanks to all the sagas that mention it though exactly how it was practiced will probably never be truely understood, as the sources only mention fragments at a time.

From the sources, we know this:

The Völva/Shaman (witch) would get into a trancelike state of consciousness. How will be explained soon,
There will be a song or chant to call spirits,
Instruments were used; drums, rattles etc.,
There was always a staff (later broom),
The practice was performed on a platform. Not so she could see everyone, but so the spirits from afar could see her,
They would travel and get paid for their services,
It was shameful, especially amongst men.

Several court records starting in the 1200s mention that the witches would use their staffs (sticks) to get them into their altered state of mind during the practice. This is how they did it (hold onto your hats).

They would rub a few types of herbs onto their staffs as an ointment including Mandrake, Henbane & Deadly Nightshade. These plants together work as a hallucinogenic but cannot be ingested orally or it can make you very sick so the other way it can get into your system is through the skin glands as well as “down there”. Yep….

When Christianity made this act illegal, the witches would give up their sacred staffs to not get caught and instead use the common household tool, the broomstick. Being caught with a staff would result in death but never a broomstick. Now that you have the image of how the broomsticks were ‘ridden’, you can see why it was seen as a shameful act, and especially amongst men. Hence the whole “flying on a broomstick”.

BATTLE MAGIC WAS USED TO HELP DEFEND AGAINST VIKING ATTACKS

Witch History no. 4

Battle Magic ~ Seidr

This section about battle magic continues on from the previous section about Seidr. I suggest reading that before reading this one to help you understand it.

The most famous recorded use of Seidr was in the newly conquered England in 1066. Here’s a quick brief history of the Norman invasion: in the year 911, the king of Francia (France) gave a heap of land (Normandy) to the Dane Hrolf, later known as Rollo (yes from the Vikings tv show) to help defend their lands against Viking attacks. He brought with him thousands of Danes who bred with the French women and over time they became Christianised. They did however keep a lot of their pagan practices and beliefs for a few hundred years after this. William the Conqueror who invaded England in 1066 is the the great-great-great grandson of Rollo.

During Williams campaign in England, an area called the Isle of Ely was still heavily protected by the Anglo-Saxons. It was surrounded by swampland and was very hard to attack. William’s chief advisor brought in a Völva (Norse witch) from Normandy to perform Seidr on a platform in front of the Norman army, casting spells, chanting and flashing her backside to the opposition, possibly to attract the spirits (source: Liber Eliensis). This woman would have been of extremely high status to be given such a roll. Flashing her breasts to the Norman warriors would have also built their testosterone to help in battle. Seidr wouldn’t have been used only to cause death to the opponents, but to strengthen the army she was helping.

Another similar story is from the Saga of the Greenlanders, when Eirik the Red’s daughter Freydís Eiríksdóttir (the first European to birth a child on the American continent, late 10th century) flashed her breasts at a group of native Americans while slapping her boobs with a sword, screaming at the natives. This as a result scared them off for the time being. This may or may not have had magic intent though, more so just to shock them.'

OFFICIAL 'WITCH HUNTERS' WERE PAID BY THE STATE FOR THEIR ATROCITIES

Witch History no. 5

The Witch Hunters

During the witch hunts in Europe and America, and especially during the early 1600s, there were official witch hunters, paid by the state/church (same thing). At the start of the 1600s, tension was rising between the Catholics and the Protestants in Europe which ended up becoming the Thirty Years War, resulting in an estimate 5-8million deaths between 0412 219 640. Most deaths were in the Holy Roman Empire which later became Germany and lost over half of their population during this war.

Because of this tension, and as a way to reduce the population of people you don’t like because of their religion (even if those religions are nearly identical), modern day Germany had more witch executions than anywhere else. Having a large group of people executed for witchery was a lot easier than committing murder on civilians during war. The German town of Würzburg hosted a huge massacre that started in 1625 where 219 people accused were burnt alive or hung in the streets and a further 900 were executed in prison or died in custody. This was run by Philipp Adolf von Ehrenberg and during his 8 year reign, he burnt a total of 900 people, including his nephew, 19 catholic priests and many children.

One infamous witch hunter is Matthew Hopkins who thankfully died in 1647 at age 27 after his 3 year hunt. In his 3 year career, he was responsible for having more people hanged for witchcraft than there was the previous 100 years in England. England did however have a lot less executions than continental Europe, as using good magic was generally acceptable, only Witchery that created harm was illegal. He was famous in England for standing on the heads of people submerged in water to see if they can save themselves or not. “If they’re a witch then they can get themselves free and then we can execute them” was his logic.

Most of these Hunters were bishops & government officials, not just your average bounty hunter.

EVERYONE READING THIS BLOG WOULD LIKELY BE CONSIDERED A WITCH

History can be dark and get you down. Drink mead and be joyful!

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

ICELANDIC INDEPENDENCE DAY - THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Sat, 17 Jun 2023 00:57:45 GMT

This Day in History

no:6 ~ Icelandic Independence Day

Happy Independence Day, Iceland!

This day celebrates the foundation of The Republic of Iceland on June 17, 1944

Here’s a few random facts about what many consider the best country in the world, to both live in and to visit.

ICELAND WAS THE LAST LOCATION IN THE WORLD SETTLED BY HUMANS

1: Iceland was discovered by Vikings somewhere between the late 9th & early 10th Century. Although there were signs of Irish monks being there before this, the Norwegians settled there.

2: The Icelandic people hold their traditional culture very well protected, not allowing any random to reside there.

3: They have the longest standing government in the world, the Alþingi (Allthing) which was established in 930.

4: Their language, Icelandic, is one of the least mutated languages in the world. It is so close to Old Norse (the language of the Vikings) that most of them can understand Old Norse.

5: Heathenism, the ancient pre-Christian religion of Northern Europe, is a legally recognised religion in the country.

6: Iceland became Christianised around the year 1,000 when King Olaf of Norway pretty much said to the Jarls (district leaders of Iceland) that they have 1 year to convert their country. If they didn't convert he would kill their sons and stop all trade to the country, starving and killing everyone there. This of course led to a mass conversion, but not all the citizens became Christian and many have kept their ancestral faith, even to this day.

BEER WAS BANNED IN ICELAND UNTIL 1989 :(

7: Nearly all literature and records that we have of the Vikings were recorded in Iceland, most of them being compiled in the 13th century.

8: Iceland is super pretty, just google ‘Icelandic landscape’.

9: Ownership of Iceland was tossed between Norway and Denmark for about 1,000 years until they got their independence in 1944.

ICELAND IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST DEMOCRACIES

History can be fun. Drink mead and be joyful!

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

MAY DAY - THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Mon, 01 May 2023 06:58:12 GMT

This Day in History

no:5 ~ The Pagan Origins of May Day

We all know by now that most of our holidays have pagan origin, including May Day!

This day is now celebrated on the first Monday of May although traditionally, before the Celtic nations adopted the Roman calendar, they celebrated (and still do) the Beltane festival which was the first full moon after the first new moon after the spring equinox.

May Day was originally a Roman Holiday honouring the goddess Floralia but eventually it was combined into the Celtic May Day. It was celebrated to symbolise the end of winter and bring about fertility for the land, animals and people.

IN AUSTRALIA WE CELEBRATE THIS AS LABOUR DAY

The Maypole is that tall pole that people (usually children) would dance around with ribbons, wrapping around the pole to make it look all pretty. This tradition has been around for at least 2,000 years from Roman Britain times.

It’s no surprise that poles are a somewhat shape of a phallus, a symbol of masculinity and the colourful ribbons and flowers on top symbolising femininity. Together these 2 are a representation of fertility and having the pole imbedded into the ground would be a way of encouraging that fertility into the land.

Beltane, which is also celebrated at this time, consists of bonfires which are lit to celebrate the power of the sun and light. Remember, in ancient times of Northern Europe, summer time was far more appreciated than it is now in our electric heated and light bulbed society.

In 1889, socialist movements adopted this day to make it about the working class’ rights. In Australia, we know this as Labour Day. Also in Australia, if you were to celebrate the true origins of May Day, this would be done at the start of November as obviously we are currently in autumn and would be silly to celebrate the beginning of summer.

IN AUSTRALIA, THE TRUE ORIGINS OF MAY DAY WOULD NEED TO BE CELEBRATED IN NOVEMBER

History can be fun. Drink mead and be joyful!

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

THREE HORNS OF ODIN - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 01:04:30 GMT

Symbols & Their Meanings

no:13 ~ Three Horns of Odin

On our Blueberry Dry Mead you'll find an image of three interlocked horns. This image has been found on various stone engravings across southern Scandinavia though there are no written sources on what the symbol means.

The most likely explanation for the three horns of Odin comes from the story of how he stole a special brew of poetic mead from the jotun Suttungr. The symbol may also have come from Odin’s association with mead and the symbolic importance of the number three in Norse mythology.

THE NUMBER 3 IS IMPORTANT IN NORSE MYTHOLOGY

This story is told in the Skaldskaparmal section of the Prose Edda. After the Aesir and the Vanir (the two primary groups of gods & goddesses) finished warring with one another, they spit into a vat as part of their peace negotiations. From that collection came Kvasir, a deity who was wise and intelligent beyond any other deity.

Eventually, two dwarves named Fjalar and Galarr ask Kvasir to join them for a chat. Instead of a good conversation, he got a quick death before the dwarves brewed him with some honey to make a special mead that contained poesy, the art of creating poetry.

It wasn’t long before the dwarves lost the mead to a Jötunn (giant) named Suttungr. They had continued their devious ways by killing Gillingr, Suttungr’s father, plus his unnamed wife, and the giant had come for revenge. The dwarves offered him the mead in exchange for their lives, and he accepted the deal.

Suttungr had a brother named Baugi who had a farm and some thralls to work the land. After somehow gaining knowledge of where the mead ended up, Odin tricked Baugi’s thralls into killing each other, then he offered to do all their work for Baugi under a false name. His price was one drink from the Mesas of Poetry.

THE DWARVES CREATED 3 VATS OF MEAD CONTAINING THE ART OF CREATING POETRY

After fulfilling his end of the deal, Odin had Baugi help bore a hole into the place where the mead was guarded by Gunnlod, Suttungr’s daughter. Baugi agrees to help, but he instead attempts to backstab Odin. First, he lies about boring all the way through the rock, which would have left Odin trapped had he gone inside.

Odin transformed into a snake to go down the hole after making Baugi finish it, narrowly dodging a blow from the giant as he slithered inside. Once there, he made himself comfortable with Gunnlod for THREE days. The time he spent with her likely played a role in her accepting Odin’s request to get a drink from each of the THREE vats.

While he did only take one drink from each, he managed to gulp their entire contents down with each one. Knowing he wouldn’t have much time, he transformed into an eagle and flew away. Suttungr discovered the theft and tried to give chase in his own eagle form, but Odin reached safety first and shared the mead with his fellow gods and humanity.

ODIN STOLE THE VATS' CONTENTS AND SHARED THEM WITH THE GODS AND HUMANITY

I chose to have this symbol on our B lueberry Dry Mead bottles because well, Norse history is awesome and is significant to our ancestral culture.

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

HUGGIN & MUNINN - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 01:07:19 GMT

Symbols & Their Meanings

no:12 ~ Huginn & Muninn

On our Ginger Meads we have an image of two little birds sitting in a tree. These birds are actually ravens from the Old Norse belief, in which the God Odinn has 2 ravens named Huginn & Muninn.

These ravens are attested in the Poetic Edda, which was compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources. They are also in the Prose Edda, Heimskringla, the poetry of skalds and the Third Grammatical Treatise compiled in the 13th century by Óláfr Þórðarson.

THESE RAVENS GATHER INFORMATION FOR ODINN

Huginn roughly translates to 'thought', and Muninn translates to 'memory/ mind/ desire'. These two traits are the most important parts of gaining and holding knowledge, which is important as Odinn is predominately known for his wisdom. It is said that the ravens fly across Midgard (the realm of humans) and gather information, bringing it back to Odinn and keeping him updated with the latest information and gossip.

In the Poetic Edda poem Grímnismál, Odinn mentions he is worried that one day Muninn won’t return, which was an indication that he may have been losing his memory/mind in his old age. This was especially bad because Odinn without his wisdom is like a sniper without a rifle.

There are many artefacts of these 2 ravens with Odinn that originated from Scandinavia, Germany and Saxony Britain and date back as far as 300ce. Much like his horse Sleipnir , the ravens are a way for God to connect to other realms.

THERE ARE MANY ARTEFACTS THAT FEATURE THESE RAVENS

I chose to have this symbol on our Ginger Mead bottles because well, ravens are awesome, and these 2 are significant to our ancestral culture.

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

SLEIPNIR - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 22 Jan 2023 00:39:55 GMT

Symbols & Their Meanings

no:11 ~ Sleipnir

On our Traditional Mead bottle, we have the image of an 8 legged horse. In Norse Mythology this horse is called Sleipnir, the grey steed that is usually ridden by the god Odin, as well as Hemrodr.

There are many stories referring to Sleipnir from the Poetic Edda, which is the largest group of ancient norse texts that were compiled together in the 13th century. He is also written about in Book 1 of Gesta Danorum, which was written in the 12th century by Saxo Grammaticus. There are stories about him that predate those by many years but nobody knows exactly how many years that is.

SLEIPNIR IS THE GREY HORSE RIDDEN BY ODIN AND HEMRODR

Sleipnir is reffered to as being the greatest of all horses, and is the offspring of Loki and Svaðilfari. That story happened in a super weird way in which Loki transformed into a female horse and 'did it' with a giant male horse to distract him. Then Loki lived in the woods for a while and gave birth to Sleipnir which Odin then took for himself.

Sleipnir is usually seen as being the transporter though to other realms. This would indicate that he is a Fylgja, which is a guide in the form of an animal. Also known as a Fetch in Irish lore . It was believed that when you died, a Fylgja would guide you to the after life. This is sometimes confused with the Norse Valkyrie which are associated with choosing who will die in battle.

SLEIPNIR IS THE CHILD OF SVADILFARI AND THE SHAPE-SHIFTING LOKI

When one dies, the Old Norse (and many other cultures and people today) believed that the consciousness was simply moved to another location. When Odin and Hemrodr ride Sleipnir, they are doing exactly that, transforming their Selfs to another state of being. This is what I believe the symbol of Sleipnir is, not so much a physical horse that lives in the sky. Many people today call on Sleipnir during their meditation to help them transform their states of consciousness.

Another interesting story in Old Norse literature is that of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that connects Midgard (our realm) and Asgard (the realm of the gods). Sleipnir is known to have crossed this bridge many times.

SLEIPNIR IS REFERRED TO AS THE GREATEST OF ALL HORSES

I chose to have a symbol representing Sleipnir on our Traditional Mead bottles because well, it’s awesome, and it’s also very significant to our traditional culture.

Neighhhhh!

Skål.

IRMINSUL - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 03:04:27 GMT

Symbols & Their Meanings

no:10 ~ Irminsul

To celebrate the release of our new Smoky Oak Mead, I’m going to restart my series ‘Sunday’s Symbols & their Meanings’.

For the new readers here, each batch of mead we make features ancient symbols on the bottles, relating to Northern European culture.

IRMINSUL WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF GERMANIC PAGAN PRACTICES

On the Smoky Oak I’ve added the symbol Irminsul, an ancient pillar that stood in modern day Germany. It played an important roll in the Germanic pagan practices of the Saxon people.

The popularised symbol that we see today appears to be a form of wooden pillar, though scholars believe that it was a large stone structure. This is more plausible as it is recorded that the genocidal psychopath Charlemagne had his army tear it down in 772ce which took them 3 days. If it were a tree, this would have taken 3 minutes.

The site is believed to be at Externstein in Germany. The pillar is a representation of the Germanic world tree Yggdrasil, which is the connectivity between our realm and the realms of the Gods. The universal energy that connects everything.

The Irminsul has become one of the most used symbols on modern day Germanic Paganism, alongside the Mjolnir (Thor’s hammer), the tri-Horn and the Valknut .

IT IS BELIEVED IRMINSUL WAS LOCATED AT EXTERNSTEIN IN GERMANY

I chose to have this symbol on our new Smoky Oak Mead bottles because well, it’s awesome, and it’s also very significant to our ancestral culture.

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

YULETIDE - THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 23:14:38 GMT

This Day in History

no:4 ~ Yuletide

HAPPY YULETIDE TO YOU ALL!

Wait, what? “You silly sausage, Mead Master Matt, Yule is Christmas time’

In the northern hemisphere, Yule is celebrated at the same time of Christmas or at least around the time of the winter solstice which is usually December 21-22.

Historically, Yule was always celebrated on the first full moon AFTER the first new moon AFTER the winter solstice and went for 3 nights, NOT 12 days.

YULE WAS NOT ALWAYS CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER

It was Hakon the Good, a Christian king of Norway who ordered Yule to be celebrated at the same time as Christmas during the mid-10th century to phase out pagan holy days. Just like what happened with Ostara (Easter) .

For us southern hemisphere folk, that first full moon after the first new moon after the winter solstice officially occurs tomorrow (July 14th, 2022) at 4:38am. Though that doesn’t particularly mean that our Yule starts tomorrow. Here’s where it gets even more fun. In the ancient times of Northern Europe, a new day would start at sunset, not midnight or sunrise, making NOW, as it has just become dark where we are in chilly Crows Nest, Queensland Australia, the first night of yule.

I love drinking a heap of mead Christmas day and telling everyone within a 200m radius about the origins of Christmas and how nearly everything is yule related.

Here are a few Christmas things you may not know hold pagan origin:

•Santa, •Magic •Flying reindeer •Gift giving •Decorating pine trees •Wreaths •Lights/candles •Carols •Elves •Jingle bells •Eating ham •Mistletoe •Families gathering •Yule log cake •Pudding •The North Pole •And a big one that’s not acknowledged enough- the birth of the sun .

CHRISTMAS, HALLOWEEN & EVEN MAY DAY HAVE PAGAN ORIGINS

History can be fun. Drink mead and be merry!

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

BEGINNING OF THE VIKING AGE - THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 05:15:07 GMT

This Day in History

no:3 ~ Beginning of the Viking Age

1,229 years ago today a group of rascals kicked off what we now know as the Viking Age, which spread between the Lindisfarne raid in Northumbria England up until the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.

The raid on the English monastery on June 8, 793, caused widespread fear across Europe. Not because they burnt down a church and killed a bunch of Christians, the Christians were doing that to themselves for centuries before that. The difference with this particular attack was that it was done by foreign pagans.

VIKINGS STRATEGICALLY PUT FEAR INTO THEIR ENEMIES

A little known fact is that the noun for someone who goes raiding is a Vikingr. The word Viking is not a noun, it's a verb, they would ‘go Viking’. Even though it's not accurate, just to save confusion, I’ll keep referring to the people as Vikings.

Did the Vikings HAVE to kill all the monks? No, but they were war smart. Rule 1 in war is to put fear into the enemy, and that they knew it. This was not the first Viking raid though, just the one that started their age of notoriety. The Anglo Saxon Chronicles suggest that raids from the Norsemen were occurring decades before this particular attack.

Here’s a fun fact about Viking raids; they were done by adolescents as a type of training for future wars and so the boys could prove themselves as men. Usually when the Vikings raided a town they wouldn’t take everything, this ensured the raided communities would live another year so the Vikings could come back and raid them again.

This method shows is a big difference between how Vikings and armies operate. Vikings were doing what they did simply to snatch and grab valuables. Armies are generally formed to take land, or in many cases, revenge.

VIKING RAIDS WERE DONE BY ADOLESCENTS AS TRAINING FOR FUTURE WARS

The cause of the Viking Age has a few plausible theories.

1: Bad Weather

Scandinavia had just suffered a mini ice-age which meant a severe lack of fertile lands. The population was decreasing so the search for new fertile lands was an act of survival.

2: Revenge

For decades before the Lindisfarne attack, Charlemagne (Charles the “great”), had committed mass pagan genocide, killing anyone who wouldn’t convert to the Christian faith. This happened North from Francia (modern day France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and Southern Germany) in Northern Europe.

At the Massacre of Verden in 782, Southern Germany, he had 4,500 pagans beheaded while he ate lunch and watched. Those kinds of actions create a lot of anger. It's a no-brainer that you'd expect that to spark a massive call for revenge against the religion responsible. This messed up human even had his army destroy all pagan temples and sacred areas, including the famous great pillar Irminsul, which took his army 3 days to tear down.

3: Money

England and France had something the Scandinavians didn’t have at the time - churches filled with riches. Once they discovered how wealthy and unprotected the monasteries were it was as easy as stealing candy from a baby. These treasures would be melted down and used to pay for agricultural equipment and more ships for future raids.

VIKINGS ALWAYS LEFT SOME VALUABLES SO COMMUNITIES COULD SURVIVE FOR FUTURE RAIDS

Were the Vikings Super Violent?

Of course they were, all societies of that time were. In fact, they were probably less violent than their enemy neighbours. Difference being is they were just BETTER at being violent. Their state of the art longboats gave them a huge advantage.

The Vikings made a huge social impact in England, Ireland and Scotland that lasts to this day. Not just because of their raids, but because they settled in places they raided over the centuries. This gave birth to cities such as York and Dublin. Hundreds of towns, lakes, hills and rivers still have old Norse names, suggesting their influence may have been a lot greater than we know.

VIKINGS WERE NOT CONSIDERED AN ARMY AS THEY STOLE VALUABLES BUT NOT LAND

Why Did the Viking Age End?

Just like how Viking raids happened before the start of the 'age', the raids were still happening after the age ended. So there's not really an exact date on when Vikings stopped doing their thing, just a meaningful date that marked their downfall.

1066 is referred to as the end of the Viking age as that was the last great invasion attempt by Norway. At that time the King of Norway was Harald Hardrada, who is now nicknamed ‘The Last Viking’. He lost the battle of Stamford Bridge when he was caught by surprise and killed by the English army at age of 51.

The Norseman never tried invading England on a large scale again after that loss. However, the Normans invaded England and won just a week later which changed the country forever.

RESCUING AND KEEPING TREASURE FROM A FIRE IS STILL CONSIDERED THEFT

Well there’s a few little fun facts about the Viking Age.

Have an A1 day, y’all.

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

Vegvísir - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 15 May 2022 05:50:44 GMT

Sunday Symbols & their Meanings

no: 9 ~ Vegvísir

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Sunday’s Symbols post because we have been bottling our latest released mead. Now that it's available I can write about the symbols we stick on the new bottle labels.

For our new super yummy Traditional Mead with Apple , I have chosen an old Icelandic symbol known as Vegvísir.

THIS SYMBOL WAS SAID TO KEEP ITS BEARER SAFE THROUGH BAD WEATHER

Vegvísir translates to Way Finder as it was used in magic as a way to help you find your way, obviously… So it's not exactly the “Viking compass” many people think it is. Vikings didn’t even use compasses.

It is recorded that Vegvísir's use was to help people through stormy or bad weather, though its meaning could also be a metaphor. It could have been for spiritual guidance and finding a way to travel though life with protection in general, as many use it for today.

The Huld Manuscript recommended Vegvísir's use as:

“Beri maður stafi þessa á sér villist maður ekki í hríðum né vondu veðri þó ókunnugur sé.”

Which roughly translates to:

“Carry this sign with you and you will not get lost in storms or bad weather, even though in unfamiliar surrounds.”

THE MEANING OF THIS SYMBOL COULD BE LITERAL AND/OR METAPHORICAL

I did a post a few months back on a very similar symbol, Ægishjálmur (Helm of Awe) which dates back to at least the 1600s in the Icelandic book, Galdrabók. The earliest recorded use of the Vegvísir is from a different book called the Huld Manuscript which dates back only to 1860 in Iceland. 800+ years after the Viking age.

There is no evidence of Vikings ever using this particular symbol, but that’s not to say that they didn’t. Iceland was excellent at keeping their pagan traditions , and so much has been lost during those centuries between. Though we simply don’t know for sure. The reason why I bring this up is because it’s used so strongly in the Viking-enthusiast communities.

The symbol is mostly seen today in tattoos. Usually these tattoos are the wrong way around, surrounded by runes that are in the wrong order, or next to runic quotes based on lines from modern fantasy movies .

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT VIKINGS EVER USED THIS SYMBOL

I believe the symbol is much older than we think, though that’s just my opinion.

Happy Sun Day ⨁

Skål.

THE PAGAN ORIGINS OF EASTER - THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 05:34:14 GMT

This Day in History

no:2 ~ Easter

Ever wondered why we have eggs & bunnies associating with Easter? Or why every year it seems to be on some random date in April? Well they have nothing to do with Jesus, these are all pagan traditions that fall on a pagan calendar. To begin with, us southern hemisphere folk seem to follow the northern hemisphere in holidays, so let's pretend it's spring and not autumn.

EASTER ORIGINALLY CELEBRATED THE SAXON GODDESS OF SPRING

The word Easter comes from Ostara, also known as Ostera or Eostre, who is the Saxon Goddess of Spring. Her date of celebration would always be on the first full moon that follows the first new moon that follows the Spring Equinox. This is why we have Easter on different dates each year. The only difference is that it gets rounded up to the closest weekend.

Ostara celebrations would consist of hares, painting eggs & egg hunts. Why? Well hares and eggs are symbols of fertility, and spring time is the time where plants 'resurrect' and animals, including humans, would hump like rabbits. The egg hunt was a way to bring the spirit of seeking fertility into the lands.

So how and why did this ancient holiday become a christian holiday? A monk in the year 725 by the name of Bede wrote to the Roman Emperor saying, now this is a long story short version, "The pagans are stubborn and many refuse to give up their faith because they hold their holidays so dearly, so let them keep their holidays but slowly convert the holidays into our own."

CHRISTMAS, HALLOWEEN & EVEN MAY DAY HAVE PAGAN ORIGINS

Celebrations and offerings to Ostara still exist today. Many across northern Europe still honour the Spring Goddess this time of the year, and if you're in the southern hemisphere, well then it's Autumn so wait another 6 months.

Hope you learned something!

Skål.

Sól - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 00:19:28 GMT

Sunday's 'Symbols & their Meanings"

no:8 ~ Sól

AKA The Sun

An obvious yet somewhat hidden symbol in our logo is the sun. As I'm sure you've figured out by now, all of the symbols we use have some other deeper meaning in them. Well, that's literally what a symbol is.

I have chosen the sun to be the 'shape' of the logo because of the importance this gigantic ball of gas and plasma had on our ancestors.

THE SUN WAS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT BEFORE ELECTRICITY AND HEATING EXISTED

In Old Norse culture, the sun was always seen as a deity, a higher power that gave Earth life & light so all could thrive. These elements given to us by the sun are obviously very real, and without it, we would all surely cease to exist. It was, and still is, by many seen as a Goddess. In Northern Europe, this Goddess was named Sól.

Sól was celebrated mostly during the MidSummer festivals. This festival was to praise her majestic radiance and all the good her energy has bought the people, the animals and the land. During MidWinter she was called during a great sacrifice, known as a Blót (Blood Sacrifice), during Yule, where they would call for her return.

You need to remember that back in the old days of Northern Europe during winter many of the people you knew would die from the cold and hunger. The nights were long and cold. The return of Sól was the most important thing in their lives at the time, so it's clear just how important this Deity is to the Norse faith.

In 2 books from the 13th century, the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda, Sól is described as the sister of the personified moon, Máni. They both mention that she rides her horse-drawn chariot around the world, until she is devoured by the great wolf Hati Hróðvitnisson, meaning 'He who Hates', during Ragnarok (the twilight of the Gods).

MANY PEOPLE WOULD DIE DURING COLD WINTERS

Many peope have misconceptions about what Ragnorok is due to modern fictional shows and 5 minute YouTube videos. They mostly think that Ragnarok is the Norse version of the 'end of the world' like the Bible's Revelations story of the apocalypse but this is far from the truth.

Ragnarok is more of a rejuvenation, not just of the Earth, but of all the realms. In this story many of the Gods die, though some stay. This is much like the story of Sól where before she is devoured she gives birth to a new sun.

This sun shines light on the new life that follows that great battle. Death is just the beginning of new life.

SOL REPRESENTS THE CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH

Sól appears throughout much Old Norse literature. Scholars suspect that her name goes back to Proto-Indo-European roots, around 4500bce.

Happy SUN day!

Skål.

DRUID REMEMBRANCE DAY - THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 05:43:45 GMT

This Day in History

no:1 ~ Druid Remembrance Day

This March 17th, I will not be celebrating someone who held great responsibly for the cultural genocide of the Celtic Pagans and Druids.

Instead I will be celebrating the life and culture of the Druids that were wiped out during Saint Patrick's missionary days.

Make sure to note that I said 'cultural genocide'. This doesn't mean he went around killing all the Druids. He instead convinced the leaders and kings of the time to convert to a new religion which meant that nobody needed the Druids any more.

WHO WERE THE DRUIDS ?

Ever since the Indo-European days, Druids were the keepers of the traditional laws, story tellers, poets, priests, the philosophers of their time, astronomers & king makers.

The name Druid means something on the lines of "to see" (a Seer). They were the connection between the people & the Gods. The name Shaman is also related to Seer, meaning 'One who sees in the dark'. They were the most important people of their time, being roughly between 4500bce to 400ce.

The Celts, along with their Druids, migrated from Central Europe west to the British Isles & Ireland, taking their rich culture, art & traditions with them. The ancient tales of their ancestors & their gods helped the Celts stay a fearless people. Fearless people are hard to control.

Thankfully the Romans didn't occupy Ireland, but their new faith did. A faith which was used to bring all nations & cultures under one ruler (one God).

WHO WAS "SAINT" PATRICK ?

Here are 2 fun facts about Saint Patrick:

He wasn't even Irish, he was Roman British.
He's mostly known for driving all the snakes out of Ireland, but there never were any snakes in Ireland. "Snakes" was metaphor for Pagans, because they were seen as "evil" for not following the new faith.

All the conversions made the old Celtic faith irrelevant, and eventually got rid of the faith along with the culture of the people. Over time the druids ceased to exist.

Written records weren't exactly common back then and Druids weren't even allowed to write down their knowledge. So all their history was recorded within the minds of the Druids and once they were eradicated, most of their history was too.

BECOMING A DRUID INVOLVED A LIFETIME OF STUDY AND DEDICATION

I think that celebrating the Druids and their rich history is a better way to celebrate Celtic pride.

Hope you enjoyed this.

Skål.

MJOLNIR - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 23:43:22 GMT

Sunday's 'Symbols & their Meanings"

no:7 ~ MJOLNIR

AKA Thor's Hammer

Forget the Thor in Marvel movies. I am not talking about the Mjolnir wielded by a beardless, blonde-haired, romantic superhero in shiny armour.

I’m talking about the Mjolnir that was weilded by the rough as guts, red-haired, angry, bearded God from ancient Norse stories.

MANY BELIEVE THAT THOR REPRESENTS THE OZONE LAYER

In traditional Norse belief, Thor is the protector of Midgard, the realm of humans. The hammer he uses is to fight off the “Giants” that try to bring us harm.

I wrote giant in inverted commas because the word is actually a mistranslation. This is often not known by people so many in popular belief think it literally means he fought giants. T he word that was the real source for giants in old Norse is Jotun, which actually translated better to devourer.

All the Gods and Goddesses are symbolic of bigger concepts in some way. Many believe that Thor himself is a representation of the concept that Norse people had at the time of what is now known as our ozone layer.

The ozone layer is really just the protective field that separates us from the outer worlds and its destructive forces like space itself and the chaos of the cosmos.

MJOLNIR REPRESENTS PROTECTION OF LIFE FROM CHAOTIC FORCES

Thor is known as the Thunder God. Thunder and lighting of course literally being energy and life force that surrounds us. The hammer itself is a symbol of just that, the life force/heartbeat of earth and protection from the chaotic forces of life.

Even though stories of Thor & his hammer predate the Vikings, it wasn’t until the Viking age where the hammer was commonly worn around the neck. This was a time of the “Christian expansion” into Northern Europe.

Vikings would wear mjolnir necklaces not only as protection, but to let others know what faith they choose. Much like how many people do today with various symbols that represent their religions and let you know which one they've chosen.

In one I've the pictures included in this blog, you’ll see a statue of King Harald FairHair, the first king of all Norway, wearing a Mjolnir around his neck.

VIKINGS WORE MJOLNIR TO LET OTHERS KNOW WHAT FAITH THEY FOLLOWED

I chose to have this symbol on our new bottles because well, it’s awesome, and it’s another way to honour our ancestral culture.

Happy Sun Day

Skål.

Ægishjálmur - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 06 Feb 2022 02:33:55 GMT

Sunday's Symbols & their Meanings

no:6 ~ Ægishjálmur

AKA: Helm of Terror or Helm of Awe.

This is by far one of the most popular “Viking Enthusiast" symbol getting around. It is also one of the most controversial symbols as there is much debate about its origins.

I’ll give both sides of the most common theories and then I’ll give my own opinion about its meaning.

One thing we all do agree on is that it’s a symbol of protection and defence of your "Self", whether that be physically or mentally.

"IT'S NOT A VIKING SYMBOL"

The earliest source of this kind of symbol dates back to around the year 1600 in an Icelandic book called Galdrabók (Book of Magic).

Iceland was recognised as a Christian country then so it can’t be Pagan related. Also because it only dates back to the 1600s, it is well past the Viking age so Vikings didn’t use it.

Ok, so that’s one side of the story...

"IT IS A VIKING SYMBOL"

The oldest mention of the Helm of Awe, though not a physical drawing of the symbol, is mention in the Volsunga Saga, a poem from the Poetic Edda which was compiled in the 13th century in Iceland.

The poems in this book were hundreds of years old. There is a stone engraving depicting this saga from around the year 1030 in Sweden, which was considered to still be in the Viking age. The verbal version may be much older.

The saga quote says:

“The Helm of Awe

I wore before the sons of men

In defense of my treasure;

Amongst all, I alone was strong,

I thought to myself,

For I found no power a match for my own.”

MY THEORY

What people need to understand is that although Icelanders in the year 1600 were predominantly Christian, the country still had a very strong pagan influence.

The year 1600 was in the heart of the “Witch Hunt” days. Being caught with these kinds of magical symbols was considered evil and the trials would begin, resulting in all kinds of barbaric acts against the pagans for their traditional practices.

Did Christians use this symbol as many think? I’m going to say no.

Remember, magic was against all Christian teachings. These kinds of books were well hidden during this time. Just because there is no physical evidence of the symbol before this date does not at all mean it didn’t exist.

Symbols like these would have mostly been drawn on the foreheads before a battle or carved into wood - all of this would have been long gone by now from age.

I believe there was a high chance of it being used during the Viking age, although until we find some solid architectural evidence, we will probably never know for sure.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE PLAUSIBLE THEORIES ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THIS SYMBOL

The origins of the Ægishjálmur are not really the important thing here, nor should we fight each other over its origins. Instead, we should focus on what it represents. The centre of the circle is your Self, your inner being (soul/spirit). The 8 staves coming out of it are somewhat like spears, a shield wall of protection against negative forces.

Happy Sun Day.

Skål ⨁

VIKING KNOT ART - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 00:24:38 GMT

Sunday Symbols & their Meanings

no: 5 ~ Viking Knot Art

The pretty knot work that we have on the sides of our bottles is a style called Urnes, probably being the most popular of the “Viking” arts, followed by the Ringerike style (examples shown in pictures).

I wouldn’t exactly call the style we use a Viking style as this kind of art work started around the late 11th to 12th centuries, which was shortly after the Viking period ended, though their culture is still strongly influenced here.

THESE SYMBOLS WERE POPULAR IN THE 11TH AND 12TH CENTURIES

Many of the art pieces will consist of snakes, dragons, lions and/or dogs, biting each other or their own tails.

Some have runic inscriptions within or around the patterns, usually telling stories of the people who raised them or honouring certain deities and/or spirits.

SOME KNOT ART HAS INSCRIPTIONS THAT TELL STORIES

The most common reason why they engraved dragons, was to ward off chaotic forces/bad land spirits that dwelled in the area. This is also why the Vikings had dragon heads on their ships, to scare off the land spirits when they approached foreign lands.

The dragons had nothing to do with scaring the humans. These heads were detachable and were usually replaced with swirly heads when they were at their own ports.

DRAGONS WERE THOUGHT TO WARD OFF CHAOTIC FORCES

These styles changed over hundreds of years and evidence shows they spread all across Scandinavia, Northern Europe and into Britain & Ireland.

Happy Sun Day ⨁

Skål.

PETROGLYPHS - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sat, 15 Jan 2022 23:38:34 GMT

Sunday Symbols & their Meanings

no:4 ~ PETROGLYPHS

You might have noticed this symbol on each of our bottles. This is a Petroglyph. Across southern Scandinavia, there are thousands of these Petroglyphs (rock art) that date back to the Bronze Age 04 1221 9640BCE). The most popular site being in Tanum in south west Sweden which has over 600 “panels” of stone with thousands of carvings. Thankfully in 1994, this area was named a World Heritage Area which is now protected.

PETROGLYPHS ARE ROCK ART THAT DATE BACK TO THE BRONZE AGE

The arts show many different stories from families, animals, rituals, boats, chariots, sun wheels, more boats, and of course battle amongst men.

How do we know they’re men? Well, see those phallus looking things sticking out from the waist? Yep, they’re dicks. The women are drawn with long hair as shown in the second picture on this page.

Many carvings have been repainted red to highlight the pictures, which has become a controversial topic. Their red (or whatever colours they used) are long gone due to thousands of years of weather and sun exposure, as most of these were done on flat slabs of stone out in the open.

Acid rain (yep, I know right?) has started to wear away these engravings faster than ever, so they cover them up during certain times of the year for protection.

I think this is great, as it’s vital we protect such sacred areas.

PETROGLYPHS MUST BE PROTECTED FROM ACID RAIN

The picture we have on our bottle was designed for us, in honour of these ancients arts. He’s a happy chap (you can name him) drinking a horn full of mead, a sun wheel as a belly and a phallus as long as his forearm.

Happy Sun Day ⨁

Skål.

THE FEHU RUNE - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 01:44:01 GMT

Sunday Symbols & their Meanings

no: 3 ~ Fehu Rune

The super lucky ones of you who have purchased our mead so far, may have noticed this little dude on the back of the bottles. This is the rune called Fehu.

THESE SYMBOLS WERE MUTATED INTO AN ALPHABET-LIKE STRUCTURE

Runes are popular in the current “Viking trend” that’s getting around, though runes predate the Vikings by at least 700 years. During the Viking age, these symbols were mutated into an alphabet type structure called the Younger Futhark.

These symbols were used to carve into stone, telling stories of people and places. Before this, they were used for much more. The oldest known runes, known as the Elder Futhark, were used (& still are) for divination purpose.

The Fehu rune is the first of the 24 runes in the Elder Futhark lot. Each rune has strong meaning, energy & purpose. The Fehu rune represents one’s luck & success in all good things they seek.

It is associated with wealth, but not entirely in the way we see wealth today. In ancient times, wealth was not only about how many processions they had, but who they were as a person, for the true wealth is in one’s happiness & perspective of life.

THE OLDEST KNOWN RUNES ARE STILL USED FOR DIVINATION PURPOSES

I could probably talk a whole day about each rune but this was a quick summary of this one.

Hope you enjoyed it.

Skål.

THE RAVEN BANNER - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 02 Jan 2022 01:44:01 GMT

Sunday Symbols & their Meanings

no:2 ~ RAVEN BANNER

You might have noticed that on the front of each of our bottles is a raven. This is possibly the most popular & sacred of all the animals in the traditional Northern European faith.

THIS BANNER WAS HELD FOR THE COLLECTIVE GOOD OF THE WARRIORS

This particular style of raven is from the Raven Banner, or 'Viking Banner'. It is said that in pre-battle, if the raven flag is waving upward, then success would be coming their way, though if it was all floppy, then the fates had predicted they would lose. Battles were literally postponed because of this.

It is also said in the Orkneyinga Saga written around the year 1200 by an unknown Icelandic author, that whoever holds the banner during war would most certainly die, although all those around them would thrive in battle. When the banner barer would fall, another would pick it up, awaiting his inevitable death for the good of the collective of warriors.

The raven is strongly associated with the Norse god Odinn. In Norse religion, it is said that Odinn has 2 ravens, Huginn (Thought) & Muninn (Memory), representing the two essential tools of wisdom which Odinn constantly seeks. The 2 ravens would travel the worlds each day and come back to Odinn's hall where they would whisper to him all the secrets of the worlds.

Raven symbols were imprinted onto coins in the late Viking age at around 995 in Denmark under King Sweyn Forkbeard's rule (Scandinavians didn't have a coin based currency before this time).

Even though he was a Christian, he, along with many other Norse leaders, still used the pagan symbol due to its strong symbolic powers. King Harald Hardrada (Hard Ruler) who attempted to conquer England in 1066 also flew a raven banner during the Stamford Bridge battle, which he lost. About a week later the Normans invaded England to the south, led by William the Conqueror who also flew the banner. They of course won.

IT WAS SAID THAT WHOEVER HELD THE BANNER WOULD DIE

The raven pictured on our mead bottles with its head held up represents success in all upcoming battles, business & anything else this clown world is going to throw at us.

Hope you enjoyed this.

Skål.

THE VALKNUT - SYMBOLS & THEIR MEANINGS

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 01:44:00 GMT

Sunday's 'Symbols & their Meanings"

no:1 ~ VALKNUT

I've been asked quite a bit lately what the Valknut means, along with other symbols we have used on our bottles, so on Sundays I'll pick a symbol & do my best to clear up a few questions about these mysterious ancient symbols of Northern Europe.

THE VALKNUT IS WIDELY ASSUMED TO BE A RELIGIOUS SYMBOL

To start off, we will discuss the Valknut itself. Well to begin with, no one actually knows what the symbol used to mean at the time its creation. We do know it was between the 7th & 10th century. Scholars have mixed assumptions, some suggesting it is related to the Norse god Odinn, as one version of the Valknut is depicted with the God during a sacrifice.

Being associated with Odinn in this particular instance, many have again linked it with those who join Odinn in his afterlife hall, Valholl. This is where the modern name Valknut came from, as the word translates to 'Knot of the Chosen', as it is stated in the 13th century Eddas that one must fall bravely in battle to join Odinn in his hall.

There are however several other carvings of the symbol that do not picture Odinn, contradicting the meaning of the modern name. There are 2 versions of the Valknut, as seen in these pictures. Some say that the 9 corners of the Valknut which has 3 interlocked triangles is a representation of the 9 Worlds in Norse/Germanic religion.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE PLAUSIBLE THEORIES ABOUT WHAT THIS SYMBOL MEANS

The symbol is prominently featured on the Nene River Ring, an Anglo-Saxon gold finger ring dated to around the 8th to 9th centuries. It was also found on a wooden bed in the Viking Age Oseberg Ship, which is buried near Tønsberg, Norway. This one features a carving of the symbol on an ornately stylised bedpost and the Oseberg tapestry fragments. A partially preserved tapestry found within the ship burial also features the symbol.

Additionally, the valknut appears prominently on two picture stones from Gotland, Sweden: the Stora Hammars I stone (7th century CE) and the Tängelgårda stone (8th century CE).

Another meaning for the Valknut that is plausible is noted in chapter 17 of the 13th century Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál. It contains the following description of the heart of the jötunn (giant/devourer) Hrungnir; "Hrungnir had a heart that was famous. It was made of hard stone with three sharp-pointed corners just like the carved symbol hrungnishjarta (Hrungnir's heart)".

Some people even associate the Valknut with the continuation of life (life, death & rebirth). This is because it is somewhat similar to the Triquetra knot which was used in both Germanic & Celtic culture. Traditional European faith strongly believed, & many still do, in reincarnation.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE PLAUSIBLE THEORIES ABOUT WHAT THIS SYMBOL MEANS

We will probably never know the TRUE meaning of the Valknut, though for me personally, I see it as an overall representation of the ancient Northern European folk, their faith & their culture. They have such a rich history of legends & myths to appreciate & I feel that putting the symbol on our mead bottles is a great way to keep that spirit alive. Mead itself is a VERY sacred drink in ancient European practices, though that's a story for another day.

Hope you enjoyed this.

Skål.