Chances are, if you are a history buff, a fan of mythology, a hardcore metal head, or an all-out real-world ren-fair Viking, you’ve at least tried it once. But, have you ever had a taste of a fresh, frothy homemade batch, just pulled off fermentation… and was it your own brew?

The drinking horn has many histories, but only one prevails in the 21st century, that of the Vikings! The Norse were noble and brave warriors of a lost era, sailors, traders, and consumers of mead. Or at least, that is how we know them today, but a few questions likely still strike the curious mind, despite an overabundance of popularized media surrounding the mighty men from the North. One might be, "Where did drinking horns come from and why were they used?"

We'd like to imagine the Norsemen as noble savages, drinking the blood of their enemies from the skulls of their defeated foes. Though this would fit in with Hollywood's depiction of Norse society, this is simply not a reality. So what did they really drink?