When people visit us and ask “So what exactly is mead?” the easiest answer is “It’s honey wine.” That gives people a starting point, but it doesn’t really tell the whole story. Mead is made by fermenting honey, water, and yeast, but it is much more than a simple comparison to wine. Mead is its own completely separate category of alcohol. It’s not beer, which is brewed from grain. It’s not wine, which is made from grapes. And it’s not cider, which is made from apples. Mead begins with honey, and that one ingredient changes everything. The honey gives mead its own character, its own aroma, and its own identity. It can be dry or sweet, still or sparkling, crisp and refreshing or rich and full-bodied. We use local Pennsylvania honey, which is just one of the things that makes our mead feel so connected to the place we call home.
What makes mead even more special is that it is widely recognized as the oldest alcoholic beverage known to man. Long before modern breweries, wineries, or cideries existed, people were fermenting honey. That ancient history is part of what makes mead so fascinating, but mead is not just a drink from the past. It is a living craft beverage with incredible range, depth, and personality.
For many people, their first taste of mead is a surprise because it feels both familiar and completely new at the same time. It may remind someone of wine in one sip or maybe cider in another, but it never truly becomes either one. Mead stands on its own. That is part of why we love sharing it with people. Once someone tastes a well made mead, they usually realize very quickly that this is not just “honey wine” or what a buddy made in college. It is something entirely its own, a drink with history, local roots, and a flavor experience unlike anything else.
We also make some traditional grape wine, our own hard apple cider, and we also make our own hard lemonade. We have samples of all of our products available as well as flights if you’d like to try a few things. Feel free to bring in some snacks, your friends, and have a unique time!