T’ej: Ethiopia’s Imperial Mead

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2006 issue of Zymurgy Magazine

By Chris O'Brien

In 1185, a king was born in Roha, a small town nestled into the northern end of Ethiopia’s majestic highlands, rising more than 3,000 meters into the sky. Legend has it that when the child was born, a swarm of bees gathered around his head. This was interpreted as a sign of the child’s royal destiny. Thus he was named Lalibela, mean, “the bees recognize his sovereignty.”

Lalibela went on to become one of Ethiopia’s most admired holy rulers, constructing 11 magnificent churches that God had revealed to him in a dream. Ethiopians believe the architectural feat was accomplished with the help of angels. The town of Roha was later renamed Lalibela in honor of this dedicated servant of God.

Perhaps God was smiling on me when I decided to journey to this mythic and holy town. The churches were remarkable, carved straight from the solid living rock of the mountains. Thousands of pilgrims come to Lalibela every year to visit these testaments to Ethiopia’s ancient Christian empire. This is the reason I had trekked to this remote destination. It is not, however, the reason why I would later return.

Ethiopia’s national drink is t’ej, a type of mead often mixed with a variety of herbs and fruits. I have tasted numerous samples of it in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city, but drinking Lalibela t’ej is an otherworldly experience…