Cider Corner: Should You Consider Making Mead?

Mead is thought to be one of the oldest alcoholic beverages out there. Like cider, it’s technically a wine, and adult-beverage producing companies across all categories have gotten into the act, making canned meads that are lower ABV and more accessible to a wide range of consumers.

With cider already being related to fruit and flower, it’s not a stretch to see why a cidermaking company might choose to make a fermented honey beverage under its brand umbrella.

The potential for crossover customers is high, said 2 Towns Ciderhouse Marketing Director Danelle Kronmiller, which is one reason its sister company Nectar Creek Mead in Corvallis, Oregon launched a new Cellar Series line this year.

“We are seeing a renewed interest in meads,” she said. “The majority of our mead customers are Millennials and they are known for trying new flavors and products. We’ve found that if they have a trusted brand they enjoy, then they are most likely to try the latest and greatest from that trusted brand, so our best marketing strategy is to introduce Nectar Creek Mead to our existing 2 Towns fans.”

Nectar Creek’s not new to the game, having started in 2012, but the Cellar Series line is. The new products will be included in a rotating line of one-off meads created in limited quantities.  

The 8% ABV Festoon’s ingredients and flavor notes include crimson hibiscus flowers, aromatic honey and red plum juice.

The product bears the “high-end” and “premium” adjectives in its description which refers to the ingredients, the process of making it and 2 Towns’ aspirations that the new line of beverages will live up to the labeling.

“Our description on the packaging of Nectar Creek Mead speaks to the process of making it,” Kronmiller explained. “Our Cellar Series line is small batch production that uses unique ingredients and/or innovative production methods conducive to small batches. 

“The QAQC is extremely rigorous and our team will go through over 30 specific QAQC checks on any given batch that we produce. We are hopeful that our Nectar Creek fans will agree that it absolutely lives up to its premium line.”

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