"It isn't often that I get a bottle of Aibi. How's you come about this?" Jarron asked the maid, Seta, even as she wiped down the bar from the last patron.
"Had a Kurol caravan come through half a week ago. Ma' got a whole crate of it in the back for a pretty penny. It's the crisp stuff, too - not like the smuggled watered-down things that you'll see those halfwits attempt to pawn off to unsuspecting travelers." Seta nodded, even as Zara walked up to the bar, and took a seat.
Aibi Mead is an alcoholic fermented drink that is only made in Wazaki. A fermented honey drink, it is popular across Vinesia for its gentle sweet tones and its surprisingly high alcoholic content. Stewards, barkeeps, and chefs pay high prices in order to get exports of Aibi mead into their establishments, and it is used as a form of payment among the many various wanderers, traders, and villagers that live in the Wildlands.
History
Aibi mead was first created by accident in the town of Aibi, in the Jiniike region of the the Kingdom of Wazaki. The first recorded instance of mead was made by a traveling Kurol Collective merchant in the year of 423.
The apiarists of Aibi did not know what to do with their so-called "spoiled" honey until a traveling merchant from the Kurol Collective dropped by. Noting their heated discussion and the clay jugs containing their "waste", the merchant asked in their local dialect what the issue happened to be. They responded that their honey was spoiled by the introduction of rainwater during one of the region's infamous rainstorms.
The Kurol merchant immediately identified their "spoilage" as mead, based on similar products that were also made in the Fencoverian North and center. He took a taste of one of the jugs, and nodded, responding that this was a fine mead indeed, and that the herbs that were natural to the Jiniike region may enhance the natural flavor of the beverage more. He took the time to explain that the "spoiled honey" was in fact an alcoholic beverage, similar to the beer that the Aibi townspeople were already fond of, and likening that process to honey and water, with the introduction of yeast and other flavoring agents.
As a gift of goodwill, he took the clay jugs containing their first accidental batch of mead in order to gauge its popularity, and gave them valuables in terms of exotic foods and quality tools. The Aibi apiarists, encouraged by the merchant's words, began to experiment with the local apothecaries and brewmasters in perfecting their new product.
Fermenting process
Aibi mead is created from the honey of the Baretsu Lily, a flower that only grows in the region of the Jiniike where Aibi rests. The honey that is collected is mixed with rainwater that has been filtered and stored for a minimum of 60 days, and the mixture has yeast and herbs mixed into it and left to settle in a steel fermentation cylinder.
After a month or two, the resulting brew is racked and transferred to a secondary fermentation unit, where it will rest for a minimum of 9 to 12 months. Adjuncts and flavorings may be added at this time to give the Aibi mead its distinct aroma and taste.
When the secondary fermentation process is complete, the mead is bottled and then crated. Merchants from the Kurol Collective make periodic stops and are considered the sole distributors of Aibi mead.
Use in cooking
Aibi mead is used in the following recipes:
- Inako Grilled Pork
- Miabi Breaded Fillets
- Fuyino Shellfish Medley
Cultural Significance
The invention and the refinement of Aibi mead has made Aibi a place of renown among Vinesia's alcohol loving patrons.
Due to the popular demand of Aibi mead, the Kingdom of Wazaki has placed protections on the areas surrounding Aibi, as well as carefully managing the Baretsu lilies that grow within the valley, and the bees that feed from these lilies. These protections are in addition to the already insurmountable terrain and weather that keeps Aibi isolated from even the rest of the Jiniike Valley for seasons.
As the Kurol Collective are the only merchants that can effortlessly make the safe trip to Aibi and elsewhere, they are the sole distributors of Aibi mead. The brewmastes and apiarists of Aibi are paid handsomely for their efforts, while the Kurol Collective is able to mark up the price of Aibi mead by nearly triple its production value.
Fire Aibi, which is Aibi mead mixed with the flesh and seeds of the Karigi pepper, are offered to Hacha's shrines by local warlords and ranking officers at the eve of expected combat. This tradition is believed to give them the same unquenchable fire in their veins, giving them the strength to see the battle through and to carry the day.
Counterfeits
"This stuff is fake. Real Aibi mead does not leave a thin oil sheen on any surface you pour it on," Arthur noted to his young elven companion, even as she watched with undisguised awe as Arthur put the "mead" to the test, and saw that it smoked as it was heated over a lighter. "Baleseed oil. Highly toxic."
Counterfeit Aibi meads have permeated on the market, and are often rebranded meads taken from other areas, but missing the distinct spice and herbal profile of authentic Aibi mead. Occassionaly, adulterants are added in to simulate the profile, but these adulterants can be toxic and result in illness or death.
To protect the reputation of one of their products, Kurol Collective agents and mercenaries will seek out suspected producers and peddlers of counterfeit mead to destroy their workshops, maim or kill the production associates, and drag the handlers and kingpins to an uncertain doom.
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