about us.
Our deep love for the natural world, coupled with a keen interest in brewing, led us to transform our honey into modern, contemporary sparkling mead.
Our story.
2018
how it all began.
After taking up beekeeping at the age of 13, the love for bees, honey, and the countryside sparked our journey. We began in Matt’s garage, which we converted into a micro-meadery to test our ideas. When our very first 300L batch earned a 2 Star Great Taste Award, It quickly became evident that others appreciated our products and this gave us confidence to begin our journey. As demand grew, we soon outgrew the garage and started brewing at a local brewery in Chepstow using spare tank capacity they had. We began trading at local farmers markets at the end of 2018, and picked up our first stockist, The Forest Deli in Coleford, soon after.
2019
the big move.
We moved to a larger site in Caldicot one year later, at the start of 2019, expanding our beekeeping operation, mead production, and introducing a range of honey-infused beers.
We were also thrilled to unveil a taproom, creating a welcoming space for people to enjoy our what we make in the place it is made. We welcomed local businesses and hosted great local musicians, finally creating the community we had dreamed of.
2020
when covid hit.
During the challenging days of the COVID-19 lockdown, we were not eligible for any financial assistance from the government, so we adapted by swiftly transitioning to an online shop, delivering our products to local farm shops, delicatessens, and garden centres.
A fortuitous appearance on BBC Countryfile provided a substantial boost to our reach. We used this time to enhance our brewing operations and design a range of honey-infused beers, including our flagship Traditional Mead, which showcases the exceptional local honey.
2021
award winning products.
Our journey took an exciting turn as we featured on multiple TV shows, such as Kate Humble's Escape to the Farm, BBC Farmers Country Showdown, The Hairy Bikers Go Local, Coast & Country, and more.
Our products continued to earn accolades, with a 3 Star Great Taste Award in 2022 for our Smoked Honey Porter and another 3 Star for our Traditional Mead, which led to it winning the Golden Fork Award for Wales in 2023.
2022
introducing new products.
Always expanding the beekeeping operation, we care for more than 180 hives of bees in the picturesque lower Wye Valley, over 20 sites transforming their precious honey into innovative sparkling meads and traditional wine-style meads. Our sparkling mead is a nod to the craft mead renaissance in the United States, challenging the typically historically-styled versions of the world's oldest beverage found in the UK and bringing mead into the modern era.
2023
the perfect team.
Our growth has been accompanied by the addition of three dedicated team members, and we are actively planning further expansions to meet the demands of larger markets.
With several years of relentless dedication, 80-hour workweeks, and unwavering commitment, we've come to understand the extraordinary possibilities that emerge from sheer determination and a love for what we do, and a real appreciation those who support us.
2024
looking to the future.
We're unbelievably proud of everything we have achieved so far, and we look forward to the journey ahead as we continue to push boundaries and grow the world of mead. We can't wait to bring you along on this adventure and show you everything we and the bees have in store.
meet the team.
Kit
Sales and Marketing
Matt
Production Manager and Expert Beekeeper
Harrison
Operations and Logisitics
Paul
Head Brewer
Ginny
Barketing Assistant
meet the founders.
Matt, while working as a geologist on a building site, nurtured a love for beekeeping and working with nature. One year, his hives produced an abundance of honey that gave us the opportunity to experiment and embark on a remarkable journey.
Meanwhile, Kit had background in advertising and marketing and was working in a tech company in Reading. Our common dream was to return to the area in which we grew up, and we realised that to make that dream a reality, we had to create something unique that inspired us, hoping that one day, others would join the Hive Mind.
shop best sellers.
Friends in Mead - Traditional Mead
understand the buzz.
We brew our mead in our purpose-built meadery in Caldicot using honey from our bees from the Wye Valley, an area well known for its natural beauty and biodiversity. This gives our mead a wonderful flavour that varies with the seasons.
We wanted to make a mead that you can enjoy in the same way as a beer, cider or sparkling wine so we brew to a lower alcohol level than a typical mead. We also bottle condition to get a delicate sparkle into the liquid. This combined with our infusions of seasonal flavours gives us something truly unique and a real flavour of the local area. If you’d like to learn more about the process, join one of our mead making or bee keeping courses!