Crossword Genius

Doctor of medicine bottles each fermented drink (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

mead

'fermented drink' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'doctor of medicine bottles each' is the wordplay.
'doctor of medicine' becomes 'MD' (abbreviation).
'bottles' is an insertion indicator (bottle can mean to contain).
'each' becomes 'ea' (abbreviation).
'md' placed around 'ea' is 'MEAD'.

(Other definitions for mead that I've seen before include "US anthropologist, Margaret d. 1978" , "Drink made of fermented honey and water" , "Old honey-based drink for dame" , "Cornish drink" , "something to drink" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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