Gosnells, the only commercial mead producer in London, recently relaunched its sparkling session mead in larger packaging to make the most of the current popularity of low-ABV drinks and shareable bottles.
The lightly sparkling 5.5% ABV mead is set to compete more with wine than beer, especially as fans have dubbed the mead "Peckham’s answer to Prosecco."
The naturally gluten-free drink is made with orange blossom honey and the large-format bottle is being launched at a time when mead is becoming popular within the world of craft beverages. While the flavor of mead is known to be inconsistent based on crops and bees, Gosnells founder Tom Gosnell notes: "the majority of our honey comes from Spanish orange groves, and this provides a consistent flavor profile, combining elements of sourdough bread, a certain richness and an edge of gentle orange."
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Sparkling Session Mead
- Opportunity for creating more low-ABV, shareable mead options similar to Prosecco.
- Craft Beverages
- Increasing demand for unique and artisanal mead products in the craft beverage industry.
- Consistent Flavor Profile
- Innovation in sourcing honey and maintaining consistent taste in mead production.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Exploring opportunities for mead to compete with wine and beer in the alcoholic beverage industry.
- Food and Beverage Packaging
- Development of larger, shareable packaging solutions for mead and similar beverages.
- Sustainable Agriculture
- Exploring sustainable sourcing practices for honey used in mead production to ensure a consistent flavor profile.
