From thecaterer.com
Lyme Bay Winery has introduced two low-alcohol (3.5% abv) sparkling meads. Lyme Bay’s Traditional Mead is made from a blend of honey and water fermented with yeast to create a smooth mead base. Raspberry Lemonade Sparkling Mead balances sweet-tart raspberries with citrus notes and honey, while Strawberry & Elderflower Sparkling Mead combines strawberry juice with elderflowers.
Price 330ml can, £2.57
From thedrinksbusiness.com
Forget everything you thought you knew about mead — Gosnells is rewriting the rules. Light, sparkling and refreshingly modern, it’s a bold new take on an ancient drink, writes Declan Ryder
Most of us know mead as the forgotten medieval tipple that faded into complete insignificance centuries ago. It is discussed in conversation much in the same light as other now obsolete relics like trebuchets and chamber pots. Though once relegated to obscurity around the Renaissance, mead has enjoyed a mini renaissance of its own in the past 10-20 years, moving out of the history books and back onto the palettes.
The mead industry was declared the fastest-growing drinks category in the US in 2017. There are now around 250 meaderies across the pond – a figure that only increases year on year. And globally, the appetite is increasing too: Fortune Business Insights projects the global market to grow from US$591.5 million in 2024 to US$1,395.7 million by 2032, at an annual growth rate of 11.33%.
But while many hail this as a great revival, Tom Gosnell, founder of one of the UK’s leading meaderies, sees things very differently.
“I haven’t seen a resurgence of mead, at least in the UK,” he says. “There’s not that many producers, and they’re all quite small.”
This is the tension at the heart of mead’s modern moment: it may be the world’s oldest alcoholic drink, but its future may depend on forgetting its past.
Gosnell started making mead from his London kitchen in 2014. Now, over a decade later, he runs one of the biggest mead brands in the country. In March of last year, they opted to rebrand from ‘mead’ to ‘nectar’, sensing that the very term mead was proving a buzzkill to prospective customers.
“Calling it ‘mead’ was only holding us back, to be honest,” Gosnell says. “Our rate of sale went through the roof immediately [after the rebrand].”
He believes if there is to be any true resurgence in mead drinking, it means veering away from its historic connotations, rather than into them. Rather than tailoring their target market to history buffs like many of their competitors, their focus lies solely on the drink and aims to appeal to those who don’t like beer but still want to drink a pint.
“We wanted to talk about the liquid and the natural side of things,” Gosnell says. “We’ve always done this session style of mead called nectar, which is much more approachable and easy to drink.”
To truly give their nectar a voice, Gosnells are preparing for a big sampling campaign in the summer, with 15-20 pop-up bars throughout London. The company will supply the venues with kegs at wholesale prices, handling the staffing and sampling themselves. It’s a tactical move aimed at converting the curious who might not have yet thought of mead as a drink for today.
“We believe as a team that good brands are built in the on-trade rather than the off-trade. That’s where you go for new experiences,” he says.
Yet despite Gosnells’ bold steps towards a contemporary identity, mead’s history is rich, spanning millennia and leaving behind a legacy that’s far from forgotten. Widely regarded as the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage, mead is believed to have been discovered as long ago as 20,000 BC in Africa through the natural fermentation of honey and rainwater. The first tangible proof of its existence dates from around 7000 BC, with archaeologists having found traces in ancient Chinese pottery vessels. Throughout the following millennia, it was a favourite drink of the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks, lauded by the latter as “the nectar of the Gods”.
It is now mainly affiliated with the Vikings, conjuring images of six-foot-something hairy behemoths chugging tankards of the stuff with wild abandon. While the Vikings were indeed partial to the beverage, this is a rather reductive picture. Mead played a vital role in the economy of several societies. Monasteries across Europe brewed mead both as a source of income and for medicinal purposes, believing in its health-giving properties. The term “honeymoon” comes from the medieval tradition of drinking honey wine for a month after marriage, as it was believed to ensure fertility – a practice taken so seriously that a bride’s father often included a month’s worth of mead in her dowry.
So, what actually is mead? Essentially, it’s a honey wine – made by fermenting water with honey. As Will Grubelnik from Gosnell’s puts it, “As apples are to cider, grapes are to wine, honey is to mead”. In its purest form, it is a very simple production process, which explains why its history is quite so old.
Types of honey (and therefore mead) vary wildly depending on the bees’ diet of nectar and pollen. Traditional meads use milder honeys like clover or orange blossom, stronger honeys like buckwheat or wildflower add bold flavours, perfect for spiced varieties. The detailed recipes and methods developed by medieval monastic communities contributed significantly to the refinement and diversification of mead over the centuries, leading to the creation of various styles, including melomels (fruit meads), metheglins (spiced meads), and cyser (apple meads).
It is this potential for diversification that is driving the drink’s contemporary appeal. Its possible flavour profiles, from sweet and fruity, to earthy and spicy, alongside the fact that it can be produced either still or sparkling, appeal to a wide range of palettes. Gosnells, for instance, offers both still and sparkling meads and utilises various honeys. Their flavour options include a fruity raspberry and hibiscus, which drinks much like a fruit cider and a wonderfully unconventional ‘blueberry velvet’ option (which the bar manager aptly describes as something between a Guinness and a Müller Corner).
The revival also sits as part of a broader drinks industry growth towards craft beverages. Consumers are seeking unique and artisanal products crafted with a real sense of provenance, and mead fulfils all of these criteria.
For a drink that wrestles so fiercely with its past, it now faces a future that demands reinvention over reverence. Mead may have once been nectar of the gods, but today it’s shaping up to be something altogether more modern.
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/04/honey-wake-up-mead-abuzz-with-a-new-lease-of-life/
From foodanddrinktechnology.com
Hive Mind Mead is doubling down on authenticity this April with the launch of Tavern Mead, a new 100% honey mead designed to bring one of the world’s oldest drinks back to its roots — and back onto retail shelves with real credibility.
Positioned as a bridge between the brand’s light, sparkling canned meads and its premium traditional expressions, Tavern Mead champions a simple idea: real mead, made properly, without the wine bases, sugar syrups or novelty flavourings.
Crafted entirely from fermented honey, Tavern Mead delivers a smooth, balanced and easy‑drinking profile while still carrying the depth and character that honey fermentation naturally brings. At 8% ABV, it’s intentionally approachable — a gateway for curious newcomers and a satisfying, honest pour for seasoned mead fans.
“Tavern Mead was created to offer something authentic at an accessible price point,” says Kit Newell, co‑founder of Hive Mind Mead. “We wanted to give retailers a genuine mead made properly, using real ingredients, that aligns with the values many of them already champion, whilst keeping the price accessible so it feels easy to pick up and enjoy.”
Hive Mind isn’t shy about calling out the shortcuts that have shaped the mainstream mead market. Many commercial “meads” rely on wine or sugar bases with added flavourings — a far cry from the honey‑first tradition the brand is determined to protect.
“Producing mead from 100% honey at scale is relatively uncommon due to the cost of raw materials,” Newell adds. “But we believe it’s essential to achieving the depth, character and authenticity that defines real mead.”
With its clean ingredient story and natural link to beekeeping and sustainable practices, Tavern Mead is tailored for farm shops, delis, food halls, off licences, discerning supermarkets and heritage venues — places where provenance and storytelling matter as much as flavour.
The launch marks a strategic push to reposition mead as a credible, craft‑led category, offering consumers a product that celebrates honey’s natural complexity without compromise.
Tavern Mead is available directly from Hive Mind Mead and via distributors including Craft Drinks Co, Inn Express and Diverse Fine Foods.
RRP: £15.00 / 750ml bottle
From metro.co.uk
By Robertson Buckhaven
Mead always makes me think of Vikings.
Just mention the word, and I’m picturing a great, hulking dude wearing a flappy fur cloak, downing the drink from an animal horn.
Game of Thrones fans will be all too familiar with this image, as mead, or honey wine as it’s also known, was the drink of choice in certain parts of Westeros.
Thought to be the world’s oldest fermented alcoholic drink, mead fell out of fashion in the 17th century, but now, more than 400 years later, it’s making a comeback.
Here’s everything you need to know…
Will Grubelnik, the head of production at London-based Gosnell’s, explains: ‘As apples are to cider, grapes are to wine, honey is to mead’.
In basic terms, it’s honey, mixed with water and fermented with yeast.
The diversity in flavour stems from the various types of honey that are used. Traditional meads use milder honeys like clover or orange blossom, while Acacia brings in a lemon sherbet note, and buckwheat or wildflower adds bolder flavours.
Then, you have fruit meads, spiced or apple meads.
Mead isn’t just old; it couldn’t even be described as ancient, it’s actually prehistoric.
There’s archaeological evidence suggesting as far back as 7000 BC in China. Humans were fermenting honey with water, leaving it out in the sun and getting hammered on the stuff.
Other fun facts include: In Ethiopia, it’s known as ‘tej’, it was the favourite drink of Aristotle, and mead is mentioned multiple times in the ancient poem, Beowulf, from the 9th century.
Sure, the Vikings were partial to it too, but it was really monasteries across Europe that were brewing it to make an income. It was also thought to be medicinal, and sits lower in alcohol than the more lethal, monk-made concoctions such as Benedictine and Chartreuse.
So tied to the Western lexicon is the drink that the term ‘honeymoon’ comes from the tradition of drinking honey wine for a month after you get married. It was believed to increase fertility, and was taken so seriously that the bride’s father included a month’s worth of the stuff as part of his daughter’s dowry.
Flash forward to the 21st century, and mead might well be the most British drink (although it’s not actually British) we’ve collectively forgotten.
Probably because, as we’ve established, it has an image problem. Plus, the sweet style of the drink no longer aligns with our love of drier flavours, and hasn’t for some time.
And though I’ve heard whispers of a mead revival in the past, it’s never properly materialised. Truth be told, it’s been a rough road for the mead industry. For example, leading producer, Gosnell’s, based in Peckham, announced in 2024 that they had stopped brewing mead.
Founder, Tom Gosnell, said at the time: ‘The word “mead” has musings of high alcohol and Game of Thrones, and it has stopped us from creating the future bees merit’.
They have since changed ‘mead’ to ‘nectar’, to attract a new audience, though it’s still made the same way, from honey.
But now I’m calling it. Mead is officially having a resurgence, with new, exotic, and exciting flavours to choose from – there’s even sparkling mead, for those who love a bit of fizz.
And to my great surprise, much of it is drier and barely tastes of honey anymore. Which is a win, if I’m honest, as the idea of a drink that tastes strictly of beehive has always been a hard no for me.
It’s precisely this rich diversity of mead styles that is driving the comeback, as there’s literally something for every taste. In fact, Fortune Business Insights reports the global mead market is due to reach $1.395 million by the end of 2032. And much of this is right place, right time, more specifically, the growth of the craft side of the drinks industry.
People are actively looking for more interesting, authentic drinks with a back story, made from high-quality, local ingredients. And now, mead has entered the chat and ticks a lot of those boxes… Well, to be fair, it had entered the chat a few thousand years ago, but the point still stands.
Lyme Bay Winery in Axminster, Devon, is the largest UK producer of mead. Handcrafted in the rolling Devon countryside, this is amber-chestnut coloured, with notes of honeysuckle, star anise, russet pears, bruised golden apple and hazelnuts. It’s sweet, beautifully balanced and fresh. Serve it neat, on ice, with a mixer or in a cocktail (I can vouch for it being great in an Old Fashioned)
A modern take on mead from West Sussex. Aside from the top-notch packaging, the product inside is equally beguiling. The mead has been dry fermented, then sweetened with a touch of honey. This means that the yeast is left to consume almost all the honey, then ‘back sweetened’ with a measured touch of honey. The result is distinctly wine-like, with a beautiful freshness, light honeycomb and ginger notes, a lean texture and notes of yellow cherry stone and hazelnut. Very good indeed.
From grocerytrader.co.uk
Mead may be one of the world’s oldest alcoholic drinks, but its story is far from finished
This February, Hive Mind Mead & Brew Co. unveils a Dark Cherry Traditional Mead, a rich, fruit-forward melomel inspired by the Norse tradition of infusing honey wine with foraged berries. The result is a beautifully balanced mead that combines deep cherry fruit, British honey sweetness with a balanced tart finish.
Historically, fruited meads were crafted for ceremonies, harvest celebrations and moments of significance. It was a drink worthy of a gathering. Hive Mind’s Dark Cherry continues that legacy, created for modern occasions that demand something a little extra special.
According to co-founder Kit Newell, the timing reflects a broader shift in consumer behaviour:
“Mead appreciation in the UK is growing rapidly and is now an £11.6m category. This mirrors the momentum we have seen in North America, which has rapidly evolved into a vibrant £650m market. The momentum shift has come courtesy of younger drinkers moving away from overly sweet, synthetic fruit ciders and unremarkable generic wines towards small-batch, crafted drinks offering authenticity, provenance and clear environmental upsides.”
While fruity ciders historically operated as an entry-level introduction to alcohol, today’s consumers are increasingly prioritising quality over quantity. They are seeking complexity, craftsmanship and an engaging back story. Mead, particularly when made with locally sourced honey, offers flavour, depth and robust environmental, credentials supporting local pollinator populations, sustainable agriculture and the countryside economy.
“As authentic mead advocates,” Kit adds, “we are seeing growing demand across retail and hospitality. Specialist wine merchants, off licences, delis, farm shops, garden centres and food halls are all creating dedicated mead sections and our own listings now span progressive supermarkets such as Co-op in Wales and M&S, a far-flung network of independent fine food wholesalers and a proud cross-section nationwide institutions; including Shakespeare’s Globe, the National Trust and an expanding network of Michelin-listed restaurants.”
Dark Cherry Traditional Mead represents both a celebration of heritage and a confident step forward for Britain’s original craft drink, reimagined for a new discerning generation.
700ml £22-25 (12.5%)
From trendhunter.com
From southwalesargus.co.uk
Hive Mind, Caldicot
This brewery is run by beekeepers and mead makers who have combined a love of nature with an interest in brewing to turn their product into multi-award-winning wine-style meads and soft drinks. Different to offerings on the mass-market, their drinks are made from 100 per cent British honey, meaning that their meads support UK beekeepers and are all natural.
They are working hard to put mead back on the menu as an alternative to beer, cider and wine. While many mead drinks on the market cater to the novelty gift guides, they aren’t the real thing – Hive Mind is determined to make only the authentic product.
Their website serves up a variety of traditional and sparking meads, alongside honeyade soft drinks for those who prefer something non-alcoholic. Their taproom in Portskewett opens once a month for visitors to enjoy a night of fun with live music, delicious street food and handcrafted drinks.
https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/25694916.7-craft-breweries-gwent-can-rival-tiny-rebel/
From industrytoday.co.uk
The report includes market size and forecasts across all segments, presenting values in USD. It also delivers key statistics on the current market status of leading players, long with insights into prevailing market trends and emerging opportunities
New York, US — December 4, 2025 — The mead market is on the cusp of a major transformation, driven by a resurgence in consumer interest in craft beverages and the unique qualities that mead offers.
Market Overview
Historically overshadowed by beer, wine, and spirits, mead is experiencing a renaissance as consumers increasingly seek unique and artisanal beverage options. Made from fermented honey, water, and various flavourings, mead appeals to a diverse audience looking for both quality and authenticity in their drinking experiences. The growing popularity of mead is attributed to several factors, including the craft beverage movement, health-conscious consumer trends, and innovative flavour profiles.
Request Sample Pages of this Research Study at – https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00020193
Key Trends Driving Market Growth
Access full description of the report- https://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/mead-market
Regional Insights
North America is currently the largest market for mead, driven by a growing number of craft meaderies and increasing consumer awareness. The United States, in particular, has seen a surge in mead production, with many states embracing the craft beverage movement. Europe, with its historical connection to mead, remains a significant market, particularly in countries like the UK and Germany, where traditional mead styles are being revived.
Challenges Facing the Mead Market
Despite the positive outlook, the mead market faces challenges such as competition from established alcoholic beverages, regulatory hurdles, and the need for consumer education. Many consumers are still unfamiliar with mead, which can hinder market penetration. Additionally, the craft beverage industry is becoming increasingly competitive, requiring producers to differentiate themselves through quality and innovation.
Future Outlook
The future of the mead market looks promising as consumer preferences continue to shift towards unique and artisanal beverages. Innovations in flavour, packaging, and marketing strategies will play a crucial role in attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. As the market matures, collaboration among meaderies and partnerships with restaurants and retailers can further enhance visibility and accessibility.
Conclusion
The mead market is poised for remarkable growth, fuelled by the craft beverage movement, health-conscious trends, and an increasing appreciation for unique flavours. As producers continue to innovate and educate consumers about this ancient beverage, mead is set to carve out a significant niche in the global beverage landscape. Whether enjoyed at home or in social settings, mead is becoming a staple for those seeking something different in their drinking experience.
From thedrinksbusiness.com
Peckham-based meadery, Gosnells Drinks, has announced the acquisition of John the Unicorn (JTU) from the Portobello Pub Group, marking the company’s second venue in South London.
Under the new ownership, all existing JTU staff will remain in place and the venue will keep its name. Gosnells founder Tom Gosnell said: “It’s part of the fabric of Rye Lane. We love how the unicorn – something mythical, unique and just a bit unordinary – fits perfectly with Gosnells’ left-of-centre view of the world.
“We want to lean into what makes John the Unicorn iconic, while weaving in the Gosnells DNA, moments of unexpected delight, a bit of playfulness, and that feeling that you’ve stumbled into somewhere rare and prized.”
The venue will serve up a pizza menu alongside Gosnells’ Honey Nectars, cocktails, wine, beer and low-ABV pours. Events – from live music events and local collaborations – are also on the cards.
The company has appointed Chris McGovern, formerly of The Number Group in Hackney Wick, as head of Gosnells retail to oversee the expansion. Plans include extending opening hours and introducing daytime café service with coffee, pastries and locally sourced lunches, catering to remote workers.
Richard Stringer, managing director of the Portobello Pub Company, said: “We have loved our time with John the Unicorn, but it is exciting to see it gain a new lease of life with a truly locally rooted business.”
The operator, who has worked with Gosnells for several years, will now knuckle down on its refurbishment programme, which will continue in the next few weeks at No 32 in Clapham and Westow House in Crystal Palace.
Gosnells’ Sales and Marketing Director, Cameron McKenzie-Wilde, said: “We’re proud of how Gosnells has grown alongside changes and trends in consumer behaviour towards a more balanced lifestyle, especially considering the overall challenges in the drinks and hospitality industries.
“John the Unicorn gives us the Peckham home we have been looking for and enables us to reach more consumers and grow our community even further. We’re looking forward to the next few months as we grow John the Unicorn into a destination venue for drinks, food, and experiences in South London.”
Founded in 2014, Gosnells brews its Honey Nectars, low-ABV sparkling drinks inspired by craft beer and mead, in Peckham.
John the Unicorn will join Gosnells’ Bermondsey Bar as a flagship site, with more venues expected to follow in 2026.
Gosnell added: “As both a brand and business, we strongly believe in ‘by Peckham, for Peckham’ so there’s an extra layer of pride that we’re taking over such a storied space in our own backyard. And that we get to share it with the community who’s supported us from the start.”
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/11/gosnells-meadery-in-london-to-open-second-site/
From thedrinksbusiness.com
Majestic Wine has added Lyme Bay Winery’s Traditional Mead to its shelves and online, marking a significant step for the honey-based drink. The listing positions mead squarely within the UK retail mainstream, amid growing consumer curiosity
Majestic Wine has confirmed it is now stocking Lyme Bay Winery’s Traditional Mead across 146 stores nationwide as well as online, according to the retailer’s recent announcement. The listing allows customers to purchase the Devon-made drink in-store, through click-and-collect or home delivery.
The 14.5% ABV mead, sold in 75cl bottles at £12.00 each, is made by fermenting honey with water and yeast, as described in Majestic’s product information.
Majestic has placed Lyme Bay’s mead within its English wine portfolio under “All Wines > White Wine > England”. This positioning reflects, in the company’s words, a focus on “conserving the best of English wine and mead-making tradition” and underlines mead’s longstanding place in historic fermentation practices.
Lyme Bay Winery, based in Devon and described as the UK’s largest producer of mead, has built its reputation on traditional honey fermentations without added fruits or spices. Its Traditional Mead is characterised by a rich floral aroma, velvety honey notes and a smooth honeycomb finish.
Wolfgang Sieg-Hogg, managing director at Lyme Bay Winery, told the drinks business: “Seeing our Traditional Mead on the shelves and online at Majestic is a proud moment for the Lyme Bay team and also a major step forward for the category. Mead has an incredible heritage as the world’s oldest alcoholic drink and Majestic now stocking it brings it firmly into the mainstream.”
He added: “Mead is such a versatile drink; it can be enjoyed neat, on ice, as a long alcoholic drink with a mixer or added to cocktails, so it is fantastic that it’s now going to be readily available to curious new drinkers, as well as its existing dedicated followers.”
From Majestic’s side, senior proposition development buyer Tom Brady said: “At Majestic, we love helping our customers discover exciting new styles – and Mead is a perfect example. There is definitely a growing interest in the category and it ranked among the top five most searched-for items on our website last Christmas, so we’re thrilled to be working with premium English producer Lyme Bay Winery to bring their award-winning Mead into our range this year.”
Mead, often described as the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage, has in recent years found new momentum. In the US, the category was declared the fastest-growing drinks sector in 2017, and Fortune Business Insights projects the global mead market to grow from US$591.5 million in 2024 to US$1,395.7 million by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate of 11.33%.
In the UK, producers such as Lyme Bay and Gosnells are helping to broaden perceptions of mead, either by emphasising heritage and tradition or, as in Gosnells’ case, rebranding to reach younger audiences, as reported by the drinks business.
Mead also looks set to benefit from the recent reform of alcohol duty, which shifted from categorisation by product type to taxation based on ABV. According to analysis published by the drinks business in August 2023, this change has been described as a boon for the sector, with producers now freer to experiment with a range of strengths.
Tom Gosnell, founder of Gosnells, said that draught mead would now fall under the same relief as beer, likening the situation to the small brewers’ relief which drove growth in the craft beer industry.
Though mead has long been associated with medieval banquets and Viking myths, today’s producers are reframing it for a new generation of drinkers. Its versatility, whether enjoyed neat, over ice, or mixed, and potential for varied flavour profiles mean it is well placed to appeal to consumers seeking authentic and distinctive drinks.
Majestic’s decision to give Lyme Bay’s Traditional Mead a national platform signals that mead may be on the cusp of moving from curiosity to fully-fledged category.
https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/09/majestic-taps-into-growing-thirst-for-mead/
