Any suggestions as to what I should do to get a mead that tastes like beer and/or a beer that tastes like mead? The idea is to get them to taste pretty much the same, using pretty much the same ingredients.
The same yeast and fernentation temperature is a good start.
Also like you mentioned, to flavor them using the same thing.
The taste and smell of things usually varies when boiled, so I'd say also boil an equal amount of time.
I've found honey will ferment just about all the way given enough yeast that can handle it, meaning most of the flavors will get left behind.
While malt usually gives a caramelly note in the end. To get a less full bodied ale you can mash at perhaps 62 to 64 C, leaving less dextrins behind.
You being Swedish, see if you can find the book
Pors och andra humleersättningar och ölkryddor i äldre tider
by
Nils von Hofsten
My copy is printed 1960 in Uppsala by Almqvist & Wiksells Boktryckeri AB
A part of a text I once wrote regarding hops and what was used before it:
Innan humlen tog över kryddningen av öl användes andra medel så som pors, nässlor, asklöv och olika kryddblandningar. Även fläder, skott från gran och tall, ljung samt frukt och bär finns dokumenterade inom den äldre smaksättningen av öl.
Exempel på kryddor som använts är pomerans, koriander, fänkål, muskot, kryddnejlika och kanel.