Made from honey and drunk since forever. Mead has got a lot cooler with the launch of Loxwood Meadworks “Pure Meadâ€Â
Wild-eyed blokes getting sozzled with their mates and then having a fight? No, it’s not Wetherspoons at 11 am, but medieval man having a drink or two.
When we think of mead we think of the past. Honey and water fermented to make alcohol has been a thing in Northern Europe, and parts of Africa and Asia, for a very long time. Pots used to make mead have been dated as old as 7000 BCE (Before Christian Era).
But mead does have an image problem. You think of heavily bearded men, not hipster beards, discussing and drinking mead before heading off to a Civil War Re-enactment or some other activity similarly Not Cool.
Loxwood Meadworks aims to change that with its launch of’Pure Mead’, a modern honey wine redefining and reimagining the mead category.
It has a wine-like ABV of 12% and is made with 100% honey in the ferment and then a bespoke blend of honey, including English wildflower.
Their Pure Mead is produced in small batches, fermented dry, then back sweetened with honey which they say gives it a natural delicate flavour.
The founder of Loxwood Meadworks is Danny Bacon, who decided to modernise mead after he tried some at a medieval jousting event. He assembled a team and made lots of variants of mead, refining the results until he hit upon the recipe he uses today.
Interestingly mead is already taking off in, of all places, America where the East Coast is currently the biggest market with mead one of the fastest-growing alcoholic drinks categories with more than 400 independent meaderies currently registered.
The bottle is wine-like too, avoiding any mead clichés. Like a white wine, this mead is best served chilled or even poured directly over ice.
The result we found is a drink that’s crisp and refreshing, balanced with a light honey sweetness. It goes really well with hard cheeses and top charcuterie making it a great way to start a meal.
Although we found drinking it in the sun in the garden was a very good idea as well. It really is something a bit different, as well as delicious.
Danny cares deeply about his workers, the bees, and has partnered with the Bee Friendly Trust, a charitable organisation whose mission is to create habitats for honey bees and all pollinators to thrive.
Packaging and bottling are as eco-friendly as possible, too.
Not generally available, it can be bought near the Meadworks in West Sussex, as well as specialist shops.
Find out where to buy here.