Here is our special edition Wye Valley Meadery Traditional Mead. From the hills, meadows, hedgerows and woodlands of the Wye Valley. A celebration of the years harvest in a bottle. Matt joked how his drama GCSE qualification has come in very handy given the brothers' regular TV appearances (Image: Mark Lewis) I was about 13 or so when I approached a beekeeper at a country show and said I’d love to learn how to keep bees,” he explains. “The wages were terrible – a jar of honey for a day’s work – but I learned a lot.” Possibly the most well-known of all the references to mead (and therefore stereotyping of mead) is its prominence in Norse folklore. It is said that the Viking Gods created a man who was so wise he had the ability to answer any question. When he was killed, his blood was mixed with honey, and anyone who drank the concoction was instilled with his intelligence and knowledge.

The brand new seating area at Wye Valley Meadery in Caldicot, which opens on September 18 (Image: Mark Lewis) Along your way you'll pass the first stone built castle in Wales at Chepstow, the majestic ruins of Tintern Abbey, the Georgian Monmouth Shire Hall, a Michelin stared restaurant and fantastic views over the valley. The burgeoning Caldicot business, which launched in 2018, has its origins in Matt’s teenage desire to become a beekeeper. On the horizon is the Abergavenny Food Festival later this month, a pop-up shop in John Lewis in October, and doing up a mobile trailer to take their mead on the road.

That’s the product we’re most excited about. "The label artwork is done by an artist from Ross-on-Wye – Jessie Watkins." The Abergavenny Food Festival and the Usk Show are two of the many upcoming events which will again show off much of the posh nosh and fine wine some of the most impressive chefs and vintners Wales have to offer.

We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. The Wye Valley Meadery product lineup has expanded considerably since the original Honey & Hops made its debut. The sparkling 4% session mead range has grown to comprise six variants including Honey & Elderflower and Sour Cherry. There’s also a selection of beer under the Hive Mind sub-brand, and the brothers last year unveiled a traditional, wine-style mead. The once-quiet Welsh village which has transformed into a bustling shopping destination through the pandemic Wet honey will start to ferment and would usually go to waste, but we are happy to use it in our meads as we are going to ferment it anyway.”

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Now we’ve definitely found in the last year or so people are coming to us seeking out mead. People seem to be getting excited about it.” So, you are thinking of getting into beekeeping? Or know someone who is? We offer a intensive half-day beekeeping course to introduce you to the world... Friends and family would also give it to the bride and groom as gifts for them to drink during their first ‘moon’ (1 moon cycle, or 1 month to you and me) as newlyweds in the hope that they would conceive a child. This is thought to be where the term ‘honeymoon’ comes from. With a shared love of brewing and experience of home-brewing, the brothers decided to make a drink based on honey. What actually is Mead? Here we explain the very basics of Mead, its origins and why we believe it is deserving of your consideration.