Tej is a traditional Ethiopian mead made from wild honey, gesho tree parts, and spices like hops. It has a sweet taste that masks its alcohol content, which varies depending on fermentation time.
How it is made
Tej is prepared by fermenting a mixture of wild honey, roots, branches, and leaves of the gesho tree, along with spices such as hops. Traditional fermentation uses wild yeasts or bacteria that enter the mixture with the gesho.
History
Tej is a traditional home-brewed beverage in Ethiopia and Eritrea, though it is also available in Ethiopian bars. A sweeter, weaker version called Berz exists with shorter maturation time.
Adapted from the Russian Wikipedia article Тэдж, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.