National Mead Day turns 18 this year, as the American Homebrewers Association declared it official in 2002. But mead enthusiasts have been brewing up batches of this honey-based drink for thousands of years. To make your own, you’ll essentially need the same equipment used for brewing beer, as well as some top-grade honey; water; and freeze-dried wine, Champagne, or dedicated mead yeast. You can add carbonation or any flavors you’d like, such as seasonal fruits or even blossoms. It can even be distilled. Then simply raise a glass and celebrate the bees!