Kinsale Mead Company

’Protinus aerii mellis caelestia dona exsequar…’
‘Next I'd like to discuss heavenly honey, that celestial bounty’
Virgil, Georgics IV

The history of mead goes back more than nine thousand years, with a long Irish history too, thanks to the tradition of beekeeping in these islands.

There are many styles including meads with fruit, spices and herbs but once most of the fermentable sugars come from honey, then it’s a mead.

It is said thirty days or a moon’s supply of mead was given to newlyweds to ensure a successful and fruitful marriage, hence the name honeymoon.

Try this light and lively beverage in situations where a dry sherry, or zesty young white wine might work well: with nuts and snacks, with seafood or perhaps a lemon tart or similar dessert.

The Kinsale Mead Company's Wild Red Mead brings together the natural richness of forest honey, blackcurrants and cherries in a warming interpretation of an ancient drink.

This numbered bottle is one of a limited release of Wild Red enhanced by careful maturing in French oak barrels previously used to age Merlot fruit for grape wine.

The lively, juicy red fruit flavours and balancing richness from the honey combine smoothly in a fine, mellow red mead that should be served cool, on its own or as an accompaniment to meals with subtle flavours.

Great things come in small packages, including the delicious local meads of the Kinsale Mead Company. The ancient drink based on fermented honey is enjoying quite a revival, and makes a versatile and attractive aperitif or meal accompaniment.

This beautifully designed and illustrated gift box shows off three jewels from the Cork company's treasure chest—a five centilitre mini-bottle of each of the following:

• Atlantic Dry
• Wild Red
• Hazy Summer

Joining the Atlantic Dry and Wild Red meads in the range from Denis and Kate Dempsey's Kinsale Mead Company is the berrylicious Hazy Summer mead, which combines a Spanish honey mead base with ‘a tumble’ of strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries and cherries.

Like the company's Wild Red Mead, this is a melomel or fruit mead type where the berries lend acidity, colour and tannins to the finished drink. Though this is delicious by itself, with ripe strawberry and raspberry character to the fore, it makes a very attractive long drink over ice or mixed with a sparkling wine.

The history of mead goes back more than nine thousand years, with a long Irish history too thanks to the tradition of apiculture in these islands.

There are many styles including meads with fruit, spices and herbs but once most of the fermentable sugars come from honey, then it’s a mead.

It is said thirty days or a moon’s supply of mead was given to newlyweds to ensure a successful and fruitful marriage, hence the name honeymoon.

With their handsome and distinctive packaging, a few bottles would certainly make a great and unusual wedding gift.

The Kinsale Mead Company's Wild Red Mead is a melomel or fruit mead type, made from a dark forest honey from Spain, tart blackcurrants and sweet cherries to give a zesty fruity aroma and a long finish. Delicious chilled, this is also great at room temperature for more pronounced aromas. The Wild Red Mead is a great match for snacks and simple meat and cheese dishes.

Salty sea breezes reach inland to the company's Kinsale meadery, which is just a stroll from the harbour and town centre.