Island to host Ireland’s first public mead-making experience

From advertiser.ie

A remote island on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way will become the home of what is believed to be Ireland’s first public mead-making experience when visitors gather on Inishturk Island on Saturday, July 11, to discover, taste and create one of humanity’s oldest alcoholic drinks.

Limited to just ten participants, the immersive experience will combine Irish history, traditional craftsmanship, premium Irish honey and hands-on fermentation, with every guest creating and taking home their own one-gallon (4.5 litre ) batch of mead.

The event is being delivered as part of the Taste of Inishturk Festival 2026 in conjunction with Wild Atlantic Mead and the Inishturk Native Irish Honey Bee Sanctuary. The festival celebrates the island’s unique culture, heritage, food, community and natural environment, bringing visitors to one of Ireland’s most spectacular offshore destinations.

The mead-making experience forms one of the festival’s flagship activities and offers visitors a rare opportunity to discover, taste and create Ireland’s oldest drink while experiencing life on a remote Atlantic island. 

Places are strictly limited to just 10 participants, and advance booking is essential. Tickets are priced at €135 per person and include return ferry travel, a two-course lunch, honey and mead tastings, all workshop materials and ingredients, and a one-gallon (4.5 litre ) batch of mead to take home.

Bookings can be made via https://inishturkisland.com and participants must be aged 18 years or over.

Mead, often known as honey wine, predates both beer and wine and is believed to have been consumed for more than 9,000 years. In Ireland, mead was associated with kings, warriors and hospitality, with references appearing throughout Irish mythology and early medieval history.

Ancient Irish kings are said to have celebrated with mead in the halls of Tara, while honey wine featured prominently in feasting, hospitality and ceremonial occasions throughout Irish history.

The drink is also closely associated with weddings and is widely believed to have contributed to the origin of the term “honeymoon”, when newly married couples were traditionally gifted honey wine following their wedding.

The experience will be led by Sean O’Connor, founder of Wild Atlantic Mead, founder of the Inishturk Native Irish Honey Bee Sanctuary, a member of the European Mead Makers Association and the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, and a long-time Irish beekeeper.

Participants will sample a range of premium Irish honeys and discover how different floral sources influence flavour, aroma and fermentation. Guests will learn the science behind mead-making, taste different styles of honey wine and gain practical hands-on experience creating their own batch using premium Irish honey. 

By the end of the workshop, every participant will leave with their own one-gallon (4.5 litre ) batch of mead and the knowledge required to complete the fermentation process at home.

Sean O’Connor said Ireland has an extraordinary mead-making heritage, yet most people have never tasted mead, let alone made it themselves.

“This experience is about reconnecting people with an important part of our history while showcasing the incredible diversity of Irish honey and the importance of our native honey bees.

“By the end of the day, every participant will have made their own batch of mead, gained an understanding of fermentation and taken home a unique product that they can enjoy months later. We believe there is nowhere better to do that than on a remote Atlantic island surrounded by nature,” he added.

The event also supports the work of the Inishturk Native Irish Honey Bee Sanctuary, established on World Bee Day 2026 to promote awareness of Ireland’s native black honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera ).

The sanctuary forms part of a pioneering three-location monitoring project involving colonies in County Wicklow, County Mayo and Inishturk Island. Using BroodMinder hive-monitoring technology, researchers and beekeepers can compare colony performance across dramatically different Irish environments while sharing live hive data with the public.

Visitors attending the mead-making experience will also learn about the vital role honey bees play in biodiversity, food production and sustainable rural communities. 

https://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/151584/island-to-host-irelands-first-public-mead-making-experience

Misbeehavin’ Meads brings their honeywine, and pinball machine, to Michigan City

From nwitimes.com 

MICHIGAN CITY — When Clint and Jill Wadsworth first started Misbeehavin’ Meads 10 years ago, they weren’t sure what to expect.

“We didn’t know if a meadery would work in the Region,” Clint Wadsworth said. “We still don’t. I guess the joke's on us.”

The Wadsworths opened up their new taproom in Michigan City last week, after relocating from Valparaiso.

And despite the name, the Wadsworths have not only been beehavin’, but working like straight-A students to get the new meadery in order, in terms of both logistics (permitting) and rolling out the barrels and giant fermenting vessels.

But the result, Clint Wadsworth said, is an experience he calls “superior” to what came before.

After all, they have their own parking lot now.

You can tell the difference almost immediately upon walking in.

Misbeehavin' Meads has opened their new taproom in Michigan City with bold, fruity concoctions like "Glazed Pineapple" and "Takes Two to Mango."    Aaron Dorman

The yellow awning over the bar — a custom peacock blue finish — and wavy mural give off a kind of beachside vibe even indoors. The open sales counter sits in a game room where visitors can play pinball.

The Wadsworths’ prized Far Out pinball machine was never plugged in at the Valpo location, and still doesn’t quite work, but it’s partly about the vibes.

“The ambience here is more deliberate,” Clint Wadsworth said. “The bar is more functional. We have a bigger space. Superior plumbing, too. It’s the way we want it.”

Smashin’ Berries

The first mead The Times tried was Misbeehavin’s Michigan City debut offering, "Creep in the Cellar," a very tart semi-sweet variety blended with cranberries, oranges and apples.

Not long after, the Wadsworths showed The Times their enormous fruit press, which Clint Wadsworth described as being powered by a “whoopy cushion”: a large pouch that inflates with water and is used to squash the fruit — typically grapes or strawberries — into a fruity mash they can catch in five-gallon buckets. The machine can press out 800 pounds of fruit in one go.

“We try to hit these meads really hard with the fruits typically,” he said.

Between their meads and ciders, the Wadsworths have created some intensely fruity blends that utilize a variety of techniques to bring out full-bodied flavour, whether it’s berry flavour, citrus or something funkier like peanuts, bubble gum or glazed pineapple.

Misbeehavin' Meads has opened their new taproom in Michigan City with bold, fruity concoctions like "Glazed Pineapple" and "Takes Two to Mango."    Aaron Dorman

“You go to a brewery or winery,” Clint Wadsworth said, “and get a description in your menu that it has notes of watermelon, lychee, whatever, and it will just taste like beer. We’ve had blueberry meads that were clear. How does that work? Are you using blueberries in this or not?”

The fruit blending processes — fermenting with juice, or "secret" methods — they used in their meads carry over to the ciders, which Clint Wadsworth said makes their varieties more unique.

The Wadsworths have been experimenting with their brews for a long time, even winning some festival medals along the way, such as “Two Tickets to Pearadise,” a pear cider that was aged in pear brandy barrels imported from France.

Clint Wadsworth didn’t start with meads. Initially he was getting into craft beer, but his father-in-law was keeping bees, and so Clint Wadsworth tried to make use of their honey.

Misbeehavin' Meads has opened their new taproom in Michigan City with bold, fruity concoctions like "Glazed Pineapple" and "Takes Two to Mango."    Aaron Dorman

“I know about mead, had tried a lot of mead,” he said. “So I started making mead. The first batch was horrible. It tasted like vinyl flooring. But that got me going, 'I am not going to be defeated by this.'"

After pressure from friends and family to go into business, the Wadsworths opened the Valpo taproom in 2016.

Jill Wadsworth said her inspiration comes from more traditional sources: cookbooks, video, other media. Clint Wadsworth, however, said he often gets “obsessive” and “possessed” over a particular ingredient.

That has led to some truly wild creations like their oyster (!) mead, “Oh Mead So Horny!”, which was blended with a bunch of aphrodisiacs (in addition to oysters, that batch got honey and champagne grapes).

There’s a lot of Misbeehavin’ that goes into producing a batch like that (before and after?), but if the mead-making process is a fun pastime for the Wadsworths, it’s also a necessity to produce novel varieties in a business landscape that demands constant rebranding.

“A lot of craft brewing places were started by hobbyists who don’t know how to run a business,” Clint Wadsworth said. “The pandemic (stimulus) might have floated them a bit. For us it’s all about staying fresh.”

Now, the Wadsworths hope Michigan City comes to see just what that entails (and not just nurses from Franciscan Health around the block).

Misbeehavin' Meads Co-owner Clint Wadsworth poses in the "game room" amidst his honey wines and pinball machines.    Aaron Dorman

“There’s a lot that can separate a good mead from a bad or generic one,” Clint Wadsworth said. “The creativity behind the ideas. Is it interesting? And does it taste good? Those things have to come together. But I’m excited about people re-exploring our mead.”

Misbeehavin' Meads is located at 10422 W. 400 N., Michigan City. For more information, readers can go to www.misbeehavinmeads.com/.

https://nwitimes.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/article_32c182f9-cba9-4da3-b261-8063ef9dee0e.html

Mead, the alcohol better known as honey wine, is 'liquid history in a glass'

From foxnews.com

4 fun facts about the drink brewed for thousands of years

One of the easiest beverages for beginning home brewers is a basic mead. 

But what is mead? And where did it come from? 

1. Mead has many names and varieties 

"Mead, also known as honey wine, is one of the most incredible fermented beverages known to humans," Julia Herz, executive director of the Colorado-based American Homebrewers Association, told Fox News Digital in an email. 

Wine is fermented grapes, whereas mead is fermented honey – hence the name "honey wine." The ancient Greeks called mead "ambrosia" or "nectar," noted the American Homebrewers Association's website.

Mead can also be mixed with other beverages. A mead that is "mixed with beer or brewed with hops and malt" is known as a "braggot," whereas mead with fruit is known as a "melomel," the American Homebrewers Association said. 

"Hydromel is a watered-down version consumed in Spain and France," the website said. 

Mead can be mixed with different fruits and herbs to create different flavours. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The type of honey used to make mead also plays an important role, Herz said. "Mead can also have fruit, herbs and spices added to fermented honey for added sensory reward. With hundreds of honey types, there is no end to experimentation and the possibilities."

2. Mead played a role in ancient religious traditions

Mead "was believed to be the drink of the gods and was thought to descend from the heavens as dew before being gathered in by bees," the American Homebrewers Association said. 

"Many European cultures also thought bees were messengers of the gods and preferred mead over wine in rites and grand ceremonies." 

A variety of ancient cultures, including the Egyptians, Celts, Greeks, Chinese and Vikings, all drank forms of mead, noted the website for the Irish meadery Kinsale Mead Co. Mead was especially important to the Vikings and in Norse mythology, noted the American Homebrewers Association.

Norse mythology states that warriors who reach Valhalla will be given mead. (Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Warriors who reached Valhalla – the warrior's heaven in Norse mythology – were promised "a draught of mead, delivered by divine maidens," as a reward, it said. 

Even today, a form of mead known as "Tej" or "T'ej" is the national drink of Ethiopia, according to the mead resource website "Got Mead?" Tej has been brewed in Ethiopia since the fourth century, it said.

3. Mead is one of the oldest forms of alcohol

In northern China, pottery dating from 9000 BC was found to have traces of mead, the BBC reported, meaning that mead is thousands of years older than the wheel. 

The beverage was first brewed in Europe between 2800 and 1800 BC, according to the BBC. Mead, Herz said, is "literally living liquid history in a glass." 

The earliest forms of mead, Herz said, were made from rainwater and natural fermentation processes. "Since the days that rainwater first diluted a honeybee hive inside the trunk of a tree and wild yeast fermented it, this 'wine' has made the world a better place," she said. 

                      Mead has been brewed for thousands of years and is older than the invention of the wheel. (iStock)

Even today, mead is still brewed with these same ingredients. 

The main ingredients in a traditional dry mead are just water, honey and yeast, the website for the American Homebrewers Association said. 

4. Mead (maybe) gave us the term ‘honeymoon’ 

After a wedding, it is very common for the newly married couple to go on a "honeymoon."

One theory of why this trip is called a "honeymoon" has to do with mead, Dictionary.com claims. The term "honeymoon" comes from the Old English term "hony moone," said Dictionary.com.

"There are several theories [about] where this name came from. The name may refer to the 'Mead Moon' or 'Honey Moon,' an old name for the June full moon," it said. 

At the time, mead was thought to increase fertility and bring luck to a couple, the website Batch Mead said — so newlyweds would drink mead for a full moon cycle.

https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/mead-alcohol-better-known-honey-wine-liquid-history-glass

Australia, 20th June: Mead masters to toast the winter solstice

From timesnewsgroup.com.au

THE taste for mead is growing in Australia, and a Geelong-based producer is among the best in terms of quality.

Three Horn has been making mead since 2020 and co-owners Sam Lamanna-Lilley and Zac Lodge went back-to-back as the champion mead producer at the Australian National Mead Competition earlier this month.

Demand for beverages from Geelong’s first meadery also continues to rise.

Lamanna-Lilley said the company’s production of mead – which is fermented like wine but with honey instead of grapes – doubled every three months over the first two years.

“When we started making mead, we were making 200 or so litres a year and we’re on track this year to make 18,000 litres,” he said.

The Three Horn philosophy, Lamanna-Lilley said, was to create the best product by using the best ingredients.

“The issue that we have with the industry is that things aren’t necessarily affordable,” he said.

“We want to put out the highest quality products we can at the most affordable price we can because we don’t want it to be a once-a-year trip.

“We want it to be something approachable for everybody.

“With a range as big as what we have, we have something for everybody as well.”

Originally a beekeeper supplying honey for the meadery, Lamanna-Lilley moved into a full-time role with Three Horn in January to meet growing demand, as the company expanded its events from five last year to 26 by the end of this year.

One of these events will be tomorrow’s winter solstice-themed takeover of the White Rabbit Barrel Hall at Little Creatures as part of the Tastes of Greater Geelong Festival.

Three Horn has won champion mead producer award at the Australian National Mead Competition two years running. Photo: Three Horn.

 

Entry is free to the takeover, which will feature mulled mead, mead slushies, and Viking-inspired barbecue from the kitchen.

Lamanna-Lilley suggested attendees “just dive in” and try multiple varieties of mead.

“Don’t think that it’s not for you just because you don’t like one because there are so many different styles,” he said.

“You can have the same brewer make the exact same mead and it will come out differently.

“We are going to have the mulled mead because you can’t really go through the long winter night without a nice warm mulled mead.”

Lamanna-Lilley said the best way to understand mead was to try it.

“There’s definitely consumer demand but there’s not necessarily consumer education,” he said.

“Mead is commonly thought of as this olden day nanna drink or something that pop used to drink back in the day but it really can be anything.

“I always tell people the way you drink it is limited by your imagination; the way it tastes is limited by mine.”

The Three Horn Winter Solstice Takeover begins at noon tomorrow at Little Creatures and runs until late.

For more information, head to geelongcity.vic.gov.au

Three Horn Winter Solstice Takeover is at Little Creatures Brewery, 20 June.

https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/bellarinetimes/living/mead-masters-to-toast-the-winter-solstice/ 

Arizona is bursting with delectable modern meaderies, here are 3 of the best

From msn.com/en-us

Drinking wine or beer is fine and dandy but here's a little secret: mead is all the rage. If you're unfamiliar with this alcoholic beverage, said to be the oldest of its kind, here's what you need to know. Mead is gluten free and is made with three simple ingredients including water and yeast. The key, however, is honey, which is ultimately responsible for the libation's flavour profile. That said, meaderies are popping up all across the country including in Arizona. This is no coincidence. 

The Grand Canyon State is abundant in wildflowers that, with the help of bees, produce the sweet stuff. As mead maker Carvin Wilson explained to Wine Enthusiast, "Where honey comes from is the terroir of mead, and there's nothing quite like desert wildflower honey in Arizona." Simply put, indulging in a glass of mead the next time you're in town is a must. Arizona's meaderies brew distinct varieties and flavours. From sparkling to fruity and chocolatey, there's mead for all tastes and preferences. 

Nevertheless, this is not the only feature that makes Arizona's meaderies worth visiting. Oftentimes the meaderies provide a dreamy atmosphere, only adding to the experience. Are you in? Through research and reviews, Islands has narrowed down the four best modern meaderies in Arizona, where you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your nectar of the gods. 

Tap into your inner Viking at Drinking Horn Meadery in Flagstaff

©@rob422m/Instagram

The historical rumors are true; Vikings did, in fact, love mead. On that note, you can imbibe in a Norse-themed setting at Drinking Horn Meadery's Mead Hall. This one-of-a-kind establishment is located in Flagstaff, about two hours away from Phoenix, on the iconic Route 66. Drinking Horn Meadery presents seasonal creations such as prickly pear, acai, and coffee mead, among many others. If you can't decide, choose a mead flight. And as its name suggests, drinking horns are available for purchase, allowing visitors to truly immerse themselves in the environment.

But what's a good drink without an equally amazing meal? Although Drinking Horn Meadery does not have a food menu, their website states that nearby eateries, like Lumberjack Pizza and Pato Thai Cuisine offer delivery and can be enjoyed onsite. With plenty of tables and seating available, this place is ideal for groups who want to drink, eat, and be merry. Likewise, there are weekly events to partake in while drinking your mead, including trivia nights. 

Drinking Horn Meadery has a near perfect rating on Tripadvisor, Yelp, and Google. "Excellent selection of locally fermented mead from local and raw honey in Flagstaff!," states a Tripadvisor review. "Travel back to the past in this meadery! They really go all out in creating what I think is Viking vibe, sans the lighting," reads a Yelp review. At the time of this writing, Drinking Horn Meadery is open daily at 11:00 a.m. 

Drink mead with a view at The Meading Room in Sonoita

©@natureloverinaz/Instagram

Sonoita in Southern Arizona is about an hour away from Tucson, a UNESCO city of culinary excellence. Well-known for its wineries, this rural community became home to The Meading Room in 2019. Uniquely, this small business is run by a mother and daughter, Barbara Christianson and Kylie Daniels. Visitors to The Meading Room can expect classic and sparkling mead, as well as cider. Revered on Untappd are Space Cowboy, featuring raspberry blossom honey, and Old No. 9, made with hatch green chiles. 

In an interview with Visit the Sky Islands of Arizona, Daniels stated, "It took so much work but it's so important to us to use only fresh, natural ingredients." However, the quality of the mead is only one part of the equation. Top-rated on Yelp and Google, users on both platforms commend The Meading Room's bucolic scenery. "They have events throughout the year, but it's also a perfect way to spend a quiet Saturday sipping mead and looking out at the hills (and sometimes horses and cows across the road)," wrote an individual on Google. 

The Meading Room hosts markets, dance parties, and more, so be sure to check out their events page on their website before your visit. If you prefer to drink your mead indoors, Yelp reviewers say that there is plenty to keep guests occupied including games. At the time of this writing The Meading Room is open daily at 11:00 a.m.

Superstition Meadery in Prescott is the OG of Arizona meaderies

©@cgrimes87/Instagram

Formerly a mining town, Prescott is a mountainous Arizona gem surrounded by national history. Given its past, it might not be surprising to learn that this destination once was inundated with saloons. Indeed, the Gold Rush spirit is still alive at Prescott's Whiskey Row. In modern times, the city has become closely associated with mead thanks to Superstition Meadery. This watering hole was founded in 2012 and is said to be the first meadery in the state, undoubtedly contributing to this age-old beverage's popularity. 

Visitors who enter the award-winning Superstition Meadery will discover a sophisticated space with rustic allure where they can savour eclectic mead flavours. Popular on Untappd are Peanut Butter Jelly Crime and Straw Berry White, featuring vanilla and white chocolate. Superstition Meadery, which also produces cider, offers flights, as well as one ounce tasting cups (perfect for those who want to try more than one mead). In addition, visitors can pair their drinks with delicious tapas.

On the menu is baked brie with sourdough bread, spinach artichoke dip, and charcuterie, among other things. Unsurprisingly, Superstition Meadery is beloved on Tripadvisor and Yelp, where reviewers applaud the service and setting. "Dozens of meads of all varieties and a knowledgeable staff to explain all the differences between them," states a Tripadvisor review. On Yelp, a reviewer summarized it perfectly, "Superstition makes some great stuff." Open daily, Superstition Meadery is located in the basement of Prescott's Burmister Building. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/arizona-is-bursting-with-delectable-modern-meaderies-here-are-4-of-the-best/ss-AA25zh1F#image=1

Sparkling Date-Based Meads

From trendhunter.com

Barhi Beverages are Intentionally Made to Enhance Food Flavours 

Mead is enjoying a genuine renaissance among modern drinkers who are drawn to its ancient roots and natural ingredients, and Barhi stands out as a sparkling date-based mead designed to elevate meals with its balance and refreshment. This light, 6% ABV beverage crafted from fresh dates and honey is naturally gluten-free and has no added sugar.

“I always felt there was a gap in the way we looked at food and drinks. Most alcoholic drinks are created first, and the pairing comes later," said Vikas Thakker, Founder & Director, Vintage Brewery UK. "With BARHI, I wanted to reverse that idea. I started with the food, especially spice-rich cuisines, and built the drink around what would truly complement those flavours." Dry, crisp Barhi Sparkling Original is best enjoyed alongside fried appetizers, spicy chicken wings, potato wedges, nachos and salsa, while Barhi Sparkling Spiced goes well with Pan-Asian cuisine, grilled proteins, hearty pub fare, and savoury dishes.

                                                              Sparkling Date-Based Meads

Why This Trend Is Growing

Food-first Fermentation

Beverages formulated around specific cuisines create new space for alcohol brands that treat pairing as a core product feature rather than an afterthought.

Date-based Alcohol

Fresh dates offer a distinctive fermentable base that can differentiate premium sparkling drinks through natural sweetness, regional storytelling, and clean-label appeal.

Low-abv Culinary Drinks

Light 6% ABV formats align with meal-centred occasions where refreshment, flavour balance, and moderation matter as much as alcohol content.

Industries Being Reshaped

Alcoholic Beverages

Mead makers and craft beverage producers are expanding beyond traditional honey profiles with sparkling, fruit-based formats suited to contemporary dining habits.

Foodservice

Restaurants and bars gain new menu pairing possibilities from gluten-free sparkling alcohols designed to complement spicy, fried, grilled, and savoury dishes.

Specialty Retail

Premium grocers and bottle shops can position date-based meads within natural, no-added-sugar, and globally inspired beverage assortments.

https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/barhi

Virginia, USA: Best breweries located inside a meadery

From styleweekly.com

SetBreak Brewing Company (1313 Altamont Ave.) and Funktastic Beer (1212 Alverser Plaza) 

When a business already has the local market pretty much cornered with its product, as Funktastic Meads and Black Heath Meadery do, it takes a special brand of confidence to add beer to the menu. But that’s what they did. And so far, their decision appears to be paying off.

SetBreak Brewing owners Rob Quicke (left) and Bill Cavender, who also owns Black Heath Meadery. Photo by Scott Elmquist

Funktastic Beer celebrated its two-year anniversary in April, and Black Heath’s SetBreak Brewing Company opened in February. Both fit nicely into the Richmond beer spectrum: SetBreak seems to favor light, refreshing beers and solid IPAs, while Funktastic often leans toward highly experimental stouts. SetBreak gets its name from a band’s pause between sets, as Black Heath Meadery owner Bill Cavender and head brewer Rob Quicke are huge music lovers.

“It feels like we are past the tuning and into full-on practices now,” Cavender says in an email, continuing the metaphor. “We’ve pushed a couple ‘tunes’ out, but we’re not really comfortable enough for any tasty jams and improv yet.” He adds that the approach has exposed strictly mead drinkers to beer, and vice versa, offering more variety. “We are working on the true mashups, the braggots,” he says. “A beer-mead hybrid that we couldn’t make with a wine license. Coming this summer!”

                                                                Exterior of Black Heath Meadery in Scott’s Addition

Matt Carroll is the owner and head brewer of Funktastic Meads. Before he became known as the guy who makes off-the-wall meads, he was the home brewer who made off-the-wall adjunct beers with friends. For him, the boomerang back to beer was a logical step.

Besides crafting pastry stouts that give The Answer and The Veil runs for their money, Carroll’s anniversary beer – a double IPA collaboration with a brewery in Zimbabwe, where he took a family trip – illustrates his willingness to experiment. After trying a popular orange concentrate there called mazoe, he thought it would work great in a beer. Clearly, he was right: it was the third-highest rated beer on Untappd in the country when it came out in early April.

                                                                                                    Funktastic Meads interior

“Our focus is still mead,” Carroll says. “But beer is something that people know… It’s a small portion of our business, but it works well. It brings people in.”

https://www.styleweekly.com/best-breweries-located-inside-a-meadery/