Mead and beekeeping in England

Sorry, I don't have specific knowledge but here is a link you might already be familiar with for the various UK apiarist associations: http://www.bbka.org.uk/about/local_associations/find_an_association.php

Our oldest sons' family are urban backyard beekeepers and we've been to meaderys (sp?) in central Oregon so I have some idea of what you are looking for. Sounds like a fun trip!

Didn't think of that yet! Thanks for the link!

Meadery is a new term despite my living in the centre of insect pollinated crops, and where a lot of local honey is produced.

Mead may be originally from England but it certainly doesn't seem to have a following here.

Are you aware that many hives are in danger or have been lost due to a huge bee dieback in the UK? That is very bad for our crops.

Meadery is not a term in general usage in the UK - though 'mead' is used.

No Mabinogion Mead Company exists in Cardiff but something of that name seems to be in Caerphilly - a former coal mining town 7 to the north. They do not have a web site up and running and are certainly not known about. Although Cardiff & Caerphilly - for its medieval castle - are worth visiting, I would not plan a trip based on seeing this 'mead producer'.

I have not visited Buckfast Abbey but it does lie in a lovely part of the country. The nearby town of Totnes has a very quaint High Street. It would be well worth gong to the estuary town of Dartmouth either by ferry or bus. The Dartmoor National Park lies immediately to the north. http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/visiting/images

http://www.southhams.com

For local transport:>http://www.traveline.info

the only mead I've heard of is Lindisfarne Mead but that's a long way from where you're going

http://www.lindisfarne-mead.co.uk/

plus nearby there's a honey farm http://www.chainbridgehoney.co.uk/

maybe you're going to the wrong part of England :)

I have never heard of the term meadery to describe a themed restaurant. I have heard the phrase eatery. Not used for the best quality establishments.

I was dragged to Buckfast Abbey numerous times when I was a child, when we holidayed nearby. It was the only time during the whole two weeks when my dad would drive as it was difficult to get to other than driving.

I recall that they used to produce mead, but there is no longer any reference to this on their website, as they now produce a tonic wine. They run beekeeper courses instead. In the UK, due to Health and Safety madness, in many places where bees are kept, the public are kept at a distance.

Lindisfarne mead is much better known and from a beautiful part of England. I have seen a shop selling it, but not the hives. Mead is not a popular drink here.

The only "meadery" restaurant I've ever come across is in Newlyn Cornwall:
http://www.newlynmeadery.co.uk/

That place in Newlyn seems just like a tourist trap. I've never been there but it is interesting when you look at the photo of their various wines they are all fruit "flavoured" wines. I don't know what they mean by "Cornish Mead Wine".

It seems that our original poster here is looking for something more authentic?

Is that right?

Used to be some of tourists in there but a lot of locals used it as well (S-I-L lived not far from there and it was popular with the family). I think the OP is looking for a mead production facility rather than a "restaurant" anyway.

The meadery that we went to in Eugene OR didn't serve food, it was all about the brewing different style beers using various honeys instead of corn sugar in the fermentation process. I think that is what the OP is looking for in the UK.

In the US especially, there is a lot of interest in microbreweries in general. There are >60 in the metropolitan area of Eugene. When my brother from Eugene travels with us he's always looking for microbreweries in the countries we visit. They aren't as prevalent in Europe. We did go to a good one near the Angel tube stop last summer but I don't think any of their in house brews used honey. There is also another microbrewery near the Boroughs Market and Vineopolis. It's a very small market.

The OP has a nice website for their honey business that they'd like to expand to include beers and wines.

Thanks, everyone! You confirmed some of what I had found on my own. Just to clarify - we are beekeepers and are opening as a "meadery" in New York State. There is a huge interest in this in the US right now. Mead is fermented honey, or as some call it "honey wine". Cornish Mead may be authentic (I'll be reaching out to them) because one way to get a fruit flavored mead is to ferment the honey then add crushed fruit to it until you've reached the desired flavor then straining off the fruit. I stand corrected Mabinogian is not in Cardiff itself but Caerphilly - but I think it's accessible by train from Cardiff. Gosnell's is in South London (Peckham) and they just opened doing a carbonated, lower alcohol mead. Local connection too since someone associated with that location is from New York State. Lindisfarne and Moniack are the others I'm aware of in England and Scotland. Thanks for the cultural references to Buckfast Tonic (hadn't heard of that but see that it's fortified wine and not mead at all!) and "Neds". Who knew!!??

And we did start this adventure after being long time craft beer enthusiasts. We are very familiar with the CAMRA guides for the UK and use them to find good drink and food. It's led to some great adventures and some real gems as far as pubs go! Appreciate everyone's input - If it's really the NEXT BIG THING - you are all now among the first to know!

Cheers!

"Neds". Who knew!!??"
Yes, the Scottish version of chav's.