What is Mead?
Mead, often referred to as "honey wine," is the world's most ancient fermented beverage, with the earliest record of mead dating back to Ancient China in 7000 BC. Truth be told, mead is not wine at all, rather it is its own unique category of beverage defined by the fermentable sugars found in honey, whereas wine is defined by the fermentable sugars found in fruit. In its most basic form, mead is three ingredients: honey, water and yeast.
The foundation of any mead is of course, honey, but that's just the beginning. Like winemakers use different grapes in wine, we showcase unique honey varietals together with a myriad of fruits and spices to craft our meads. Rediscover and reimagine this historical beverage with us!
How is it Made?
Honey is blended with water or other liquids like cider, tea, or coffee. The ratio is approximately 1 part honey to 4 parts water.
Fruits (melomel) and/or spices (metheglin) are added to the honey and liquid base.
Yeast is added and the sweet mixture is fermented to the desired sweetness and alcohol levels. Mead alcohol by volume ranges from 8% to 20%. Some meads are aged in wood barrels similar to wine and spirits.