As far as British booze goes, mead is about as traditional as it comes (…no matter how unfashionable it may currently be). 

 

 

You could describe it as a delicious, pre mixed cocktail, courtesy of our industrious little friends, the bees. The bee is, just in case you forgot, the friendly, non-psychotic version of the wasp. Unless the bee in question is ‘africanised’ – AKA the ‘killer bee’. If this is the case you must run the fuck away and preferably hide underwater ‘cos the little bastards will TRACK you DOWN.

 

Anyway I digress, sorry. Based out in Peckham, Gosnell’s is the first (and only) mead brewery in London – for what might be centuries. Or maybe decades. No killer bees here, no, the Gosnell’s guys produce a style of mead that is less strong (alcohol wise) than the traditional style – but much sweeter.

 

Anyway, Tom Gosnell, the man behind the mead, has teamed up with the folks at Swan – which is the restaurant at Shakespeare’s Globe on the South Bank. The result? ‘MeadMondays’ – a series of interactive talks with Tom held in Swan’s ‘snug’ (a small and cosy room that seems suited to its name, and to late night drinking).

 

 

MeadMondays involve mead cocktail master classes, mead and food pairings and a special new menu – one full of mead infused food and cocktails (danger). This menu is also available all throughout Autumn, I’m not sure until when, exactly…

 

 

Gosnell’s style of mead is a rather sweet drink, quite suited to the palate that this country has developed over the last few decades or so. If you’ve ever enjoyed a ‘fruit cider’ or a sweet wine, you might like it.

And the only way to find out is to try it…