mead

In the Wine Light – National Honey Month

In the Wine Light – National Honey Month

Honeybees

In the Wine Light is National Honey Month.  September is National Honey Month.  Started in 1989 by the National Honey Board, National Honey Month celebrates all things honey.  September was chosen because honey collection typically concludes in September as honey bees are readying their hives for winter.

You’re probably wondering –  what does this have to do with wine?  Well, honey can be fermented into wine by adding water and yeast.  That’s the traditional recipe for mead.  Mead is a fantastic addition to your wine collection whether just to enjoy or to pair with your favorite foods. 

Mead is made in a variety of styles from traditional to melomel (a mead that  contains fruit) to braggot (a mead made with hops or malt) to cyser (a mead make with apple juice or cider) to pyment (a mead made with grapes or grape juice) and many more.  While many people assume mead is always sweet since honey is so sweet, that’s not always the case.  Meads range from dry to off-dry to sweet.  Alcohol content can range from under 4% to nearly 18% ABV.

NC Mead Alliance

We’re fortunate to have many great mead producers in North Carolina.  So, check out the NC Mead Alliance to learn more about mead, and be sure to go visit a local meadery!

#InTheWineLight #NationalHoneyMonth #NCMead

Posted by Joe Brock in In the Wine Light, Mead, 0 comments
Honeygirl Meadery

Honeygirl Meadery

Before I knew about artisan mead, my mind always imagined a dark sweet drink that people in the middle ages drank in their local pub or in a grand hall.  This may well be what many people think of when you mention mead.  However, mead is making a come back.  Nowadays mead can range from super sweet to bone dry with flavors galore.  In our modern world of gluten-sensative diets, mead provides a great alternative to beer.  For those who enjoy wine, mead is essentially a wine of a different flavor.  We’re fortunate in North Carolina as we have several meaderies throughout the state.  One of the newest is Honeygirl Meadery in Durham, North Carolina.

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Posted by Matt Kemberling in Archive, 1 comment