"Waggle dance of joy - a celebration of honeybees"
Along with our legendary nettle vodka, we are also passionate about making one of the oldest alcoholic drinks in history, Mead! We have kept honey bees for years, and originally started making our meads using our own honey. Although we are still passionate beekeepers, we cannot produce enough honey to keep up with production. For that reason, we now purchase local or British pure honey to create our golden elixir.
Mead is a drink shrouded in mystery and magic. So whether you associate with Celts, Pagans, Druids, Saxons, Ancient Britons, Vikings or even a bit of Norse or Egyptian mythology there is always some symbolism or affinity for you to relate to, when imbuing this magical potion.
Mead is a drink shrouded in mystery and magic. So whether you associate with Celts, Pagans, Druids, Saxons, Ancient Britons, Vikings or even a bit of Norse or Egyptian mythology there is always some symbolism or affinity for you to relate to, when imbuing this magical potion.
So how should you drink mead?
The honest answer is, however you want to. Due to the portrayal of mead-swigging Vikings and medieval warriors on Netflix and other channels, many people expect mead to be akin to an ale, drunk from large tankards, flagon's or horns. However, our mead is much stronger, closer to a fine wine and we recommend drinking it in a champagne flute or wine goblet to appreciate the flavour and aroma.
However, should you wish to swig it like a blood-thirty warrior knight in a tankard, you can water it down by 50% to make it weaker, like a beer.
However, should you wish to swig it like a blood-thirty warrior knight in a tankard, you can water it down by 50% to make it weaker, like a beer.
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Nectar of the Gods
Getting married?
The word 'honeymoon' derives from ancient times when couples after getting married would drink mead for a period of time, measured by the cycles of the moon.
It was also thought that mead increased fertility
"Heart of Oak"
Our still mead is oaked in barrels for a few months to give the taste a 'rounder' or 'fuller' feel.
The oak gives extra layers of complexity to the mead, providing subtle nuances of aroma and taste reminiscent of freshly cut hay or vanilla.
Because of the oaked flavour, we call this mead 'Heart of Oak', a name any Viking or Saxon warrior would be proud of.
The oak gives extra layers of complexity to the mead, providing subtle nuances of aroma and taste reminiscent of freshly cut hay or vanilla.
Because of the oaked flavour, we call this mead 'Heart of Oak', a name any Viking or Saxon warrior would be proud of.
History Of Mead
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Mead is considered to the oldest of all alcoholic beverages, with archaeological evidence being found in the remnants 9000 year old pottery jars (7000BC) in Ancient North China (Neolithic village of jiahu, in the Henan proviance). Afterwards, the drinking of mead spread to other ancient civilizations such as Greece, Rome and Egypt.
It is often referred to as the "Drink of the Gods" as various nations have revered this magical drink throughout its long history. Throughout history, Mead has been seen as a sign of prestige and wealth. Honey is an expensive commodity, and it is far cheaper to drink beer (made from water and barley) or wine (made from grape juice). |
Who Drinks mead?
Many of us associate mead with being a Viking beverage that would be drunk in their great halls during a feast to celebrate the gods in Valhalla or to worship Odin himself.
However, mead has been popular in many other cultures all around the world including the Romans, Greeks, Ethiopians, Gauls to name a few. In England during the dark ages, medieval England and the Anglo Saxon period mead was their go-to drink, before being replaced with cheaper alternatives such as ale and wine. Some would drink mead before going into battle to fortify themselves, whilst others would drink it afterwards to celebrate a victory.
Recently there has been a huge revival, making it one of the trendiest drinks on the planet, largely due to the interest in medieval, fantasy and Viking films and programs such as Lord of the Rings, Last Kingdom, Vikings, Game of Thrones etc
However, mead has been popular in many other cultures all around the world including the Romans, Greeks, Ethiopians, Gauls to name a few. In England during the dark ages, medieval England and the Anglo Saxon period mead was their go-to drink, before being replaced with cheaper alternatives such as ale and wine. Some would drink mead before going into battle to fortify themselves, whilst others would drink it afterwards to celebrate a victory.
Recently there has been a huge revival, making it one of the trendiest drinks on the planet, largely due to the interest in medieval, fantasy and Viking films and programs such as Lord of the Rings, Last Kingdom, Vikings, Game of Thrones etc
Did you Know?
Feeling guilty about having a glass of wine or mead in the evening? Well, it all seemed to be very acceptable a few centuries ago in Anglo Saxon England. Indeed, the name supper actually comes from the Anglo Saxon word ‘Supan’ meaning 'To drink'. And if you needed anymore evidence, our word 'Evening' is derived from ‘Aefen’, meaning ‘drinking time’. Cheers.