What is the difference between gvirc and mead?

The difference lies in the production method and the raw materials used. Both drinks are fermented alcoholic beverages made from honey, with an alcohol content similar to wine. Gvirc (or gverc) is a traditional, centuries old drink tied to the area of northwestern Croatia and the Bilogora region. Gvirc is a unique product connected to the people and traditions of that area, and is usually produced by beekeepers. Gvirc is made using honey with a high proportion of comb, meaning wax, which is why it has to be cooked, giving it its characteristic caramel notes and deep amber color. The heat treated honey and water are fermented with the help of yeasts to reach an alcohol content above 20%, which is then diluted down to around 10 to 12 percent alcohol by volume. Gvirc is also not drunk the way wine is drunk, but rather chilled with a larger amount of ice. This description of the production process is not standardized, as every beekeeper has their own secrets, techniques, and multigenerational recipes for making gvirc, which they guard the way bees guard their hives.

Mead is a word used for various forms of alcoholic beverages made by fermenting honey. Unlike gvirc, mead is not heat treated to high temperatures. Pure natural honey, water, and yeast are mixed together, after which the yeast converts the sugars from the honey into alcohol through fermentation. The alcohol percentage depends on the type of yeast used. Mead is an ancient alcoholic drink that was produced in different ways depending on the region and available ingredients. It was made in prehistoric China, through to the Slavs in the Middle Ages, and continues to be made today. Mead is most commonly associated with the Vikings and their mythology. Throughout history, various fruits, spices, and herbs have been added to mead. The resulting alcohol percentage comes purely from the fermentation process; no pure alcohol is added and it is not diluted.