Have you ever wondered about the golden-hued beverage that’s creating buzz in the craft beverage world? Honey wine, commonly known as mead in English, represents one of humanity’s oldest fermented drinks.
This is an beginner’s guide, to learn more you may download our award-winning book, and Amazon rated, The Celebrated Story of Honey – available for free 1-click e-book or audiobook….we can say ‘we wrote the book,’ and not be wrong 🙂
‘The Celebrated Story of Honey Wine’ book by The Honey Wine Company
We’ll explore this enchanting beverage that’s capturing the attention of wine enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike.
While most of the world has moved on from honey wine, in Ethiopia it’s still a national beverage. That’s how our winemaker Ayele – named Food & Wine Magazine Tastemaker – became inspired to make a modern honey wine in Sonoma California based on classical wine making traditions, as he explaines in this video.
Speaking of which, check out: ‘Honey Wine, Grape Wine, and Mead – What’s the Difference?’ While it is traditionally Sweet or Semi Sweet, at the Honey Wine Company we make four types of Dry honey wine that we call ‘Brut’ – which by the way is much harder to make!
The History of Honey Wine
Honey wine practically is history. Claude Lévi-Strauss, the renowned French anthropologist, wrote that the invention of honey wine marked the point at which humans moved “from nature to culture.” This is a big deal. Not just any drink could inspire humankind’s first foray into cultured living. To pull this feat off, a drink would have to be around for a very, very long time.
The Essence of Honey Wine
So what were the prime ingredients that sparked human culture? Well, the ingredients are as simply wonderful as the final product. All humans needed to kick start culture were bees, flowers, sunshine, water, and naturally occurring yeasts. Every monumental achievement in human history has its competing stories, so let’s take a closer look at how honey wine brought all of us a bit closer to the gods.
So at its core, honey wine is exactly what its name suggests – a wine made from honey rather than grapes. This elegant beverage begins with the natural sweetness of honey, transformed through fermentation into a complex and sophisticated drink that can range from sweet to bone dry.
Why Choose Honey Wine?
Natural Ingredients
Unlike many modern beverages, honey wine starts with one of nature’s purest ingredients. Raw honey which contains:
- Natural enzymes
- Antioxidants
- Trace minerals
- Local flower essences
Versatility
Honey wine offers remarkable versatility:
- Can be served chilled or at room temperature
- Pairs beautifully with various cuisines, especially spicy ones!
- Works well in cocktails – see Chapter III of our book on cocktails like the ‘Long Island Honey Wine’ you can’t go wrong with that on a warm summer night!
- Available in multiple styles from dry to sweet – though the dry ones are hard to find.
Environmental Benefits
If the bees disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left.
–Albert Einstein
Honey wine is the most sustainable beverage on Earth as no other libation plays such a vital role in sustaining the planet. Choosing honey wine supports:
- Local beekeepers
- Pollinator health
- Sustainable agriculture
- Small-batch craftsmanship
The Magic of Production
The sugar in the honey is digested and converted to alcohol and the byproducts are carbon dioxide and heat generation. There are also a host of other issues specific to honey wine
fermentation. For example, honey is low in naturally occurring yeast nutrients (what the yeast eat), so the winemaker might have to add additional nutrients to keep the yeast in optimal shape and allow them to keep fermenting. So, in short, the creation of honey wine is both an art and a science:
- Honey Selection
- Local wildflower honey creates unique regional characteristics
- Single-source honey provides distinct flavor profiles
- Raw honey brings additional complexity
- The Fermentation Process
- Honey is mixed with pure water
- Special yeasts convert sugars to alcohol
- Temperature control ensures quality
- Time allows flavors to develop
Flavor Profiles
Honey wine offers an incredible range of flavors depending on the following:
Honey Source
These are but a few examples of honeys used in the production of honey wine:
- Clover honey produces light, floral notes
- Orange blossom creates citrus undertones
- Buckwheat honey delivers rich, robust flavors
- Exotic tropical honeys like our Ethiopian Geteme and Tanzanian Miombo
Production Style
Today you can find honey wines ranging from pure to flavored – dry to sweet and still to bubbly (check out sweet or dry sparkling). We don’t make infused styles, ours are pure springwater and honey, but you can find common meads infused with hops, herbs, spices, and fruits.
- Traditional style: Pure honey flavors – that’s Bee d’Vine style we don’t add all the other ingredients below found in common mead.
- Fruit-infused: Added complexity from berries, pear, apples, or other fruits
- Spiced: Warming notes from cinnamon, ginger, or vanilla
Perfect Pairings with Tannin Free Honey Wine
The main difference with grape wine and honey wine, in terms of taste, is the lack of tannins. You know that dry, puckery sensation you get in your mouth after tasting some wines? Well, that mouth-drying bitterness comes from chemical substances called tannins that occur naturally in grape skins, stems, and seeds.
Next time you’re eating grapes, try tasting just the skin of a singlegrape—your mouth will immediately dry out as a bitter taste transforms your palate. This is because tannins
are an astringent, bitter plant compound that actually causes increased friction in your mouth, giving you a palpable sense of dryness. as you smack your tongue on the roof of your palate.
Yeah, you know the feeling we’re talking about. While many wine drinkers enjoy the “mouthfeel” that tannins create in some grape wines, there is a significant portion of the population that simply cannot tolerate the reaction.
For these people, honey wine provides a welcome opportunity to drink tannin free wine. And the option of honey wine is especially exciting for those of us who experience “red wine headache,” a commonly reported phenomenon that many experts link to high tannin levels in red wines.
So if you don’t want to hear, ‘not tonight, honey, I have aheadache,’ consider making your honey happy with honey wine. Now here are some quick suggestions:
- Soft cheeses
- Fresh fruits and desserts that are not as sweet as the honey wine you’re serving
- Grilled poultry and seafood
- Spicy cuisine
Of course you can read more in Chapter III ‘How to Serve Honey Wine’
Serving Suggestions
- Temperature: 45-55°F for most styles
- Glassware: White wine glasses work best
- Portion: 3-4 oz for tasting, 5-6 oz for regular serving
The Modern Renaissance
As Michael Sanders puts it in an article in The New York Times, honey wine is ‘so old, it’s new.’ Today’s honey wine is experiencing a craft beverage revolution as it should. The ‘so old, it’s new’ phenomenon has caught on to honey wine, so you’ll find….
- Artisanal producers focusing on quality
- Experimental batches with unique ingredients
- Growing appreciation for traditional methods
- Increasing availability in restaurants and bars
Health Considerations
Honey is nutritionally beneficial and consuming it in the form of local honey wine increases pollination in the nearby places food comes from – a direct benefit to healthy eating. Researchers estimate that 40% of essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary lipids could be lost in areas where pollinators aren’t present. Consuming local honey wine encourages local beekeepers to produce honey and bees for a sustainable and healthy future.
While enjoying honey wine mindfully, consider these benefits:
- Lower sulfites than grape wine
- Natural antioxidants from honey
- Gluten-free options available
- Often lower in calories than beer (ours are less than 150 calories a glass)
- And often lower alcohol than most wines
Starting Your Honey Wine Journey
Tips for Beginners
- Start with a semi-sweet variety, like our Demi Sec still or Demi Sec sparkling
- Move on to dry ones, where you can find them – we invite you try our Brut still and Brut sparkling
- Try different styles to find your preference
- Attend local tastings
- Join honey wine clubs
- Experiment with food pairings
Choosing Quality Honey Wine can be overwhelming, one way of is to look for Awards and recognitions like these for example
The Future of Honey Wine
The oldest libation in history will taste refreshingly new as you pair it with your food, friends, and special occasions. New York Times is writing about itBut even more refreshing is the role honey wine will play in helping to save our critically threatened bee populations. In a time in which we’ve seen the rebirth of farmers markets and local, sustainable foods, the environmentally responsible craft of making honey wine makes more sense than ever.
The honey wine industry continues to evolve with:
- Innovative production techniques
- Sustainable practices
- New flavor combinations
- Growing market presence
Experience Honey Wine Today
Whether you’re a wine enthusiast or simply curious about craft beverages, honey wine offers a unique drinking experience that connects you to both ancient traditions and modern innovation. Its versatility, natural ingredients, and rich history make it fascinating.
Ready to begin your honey wine journey? Start on home page and explore over 10 styles of Bee d’vine artisanal honey wines each crafted passion, including our Brut & Demi Sec 3 Liter Double Magnums – the only such big bottles of honey wine in the world!
