HISTORY OF BEEKEEPING, MEAD AND APERITIFS

It is believed that Mead was discovered by mistake prior to the dawn of both agriculture and ceramic pottery in the Neolithic era. It is also believed that this occurred due to the regularity of naturally occurring fermentation and the distribution of diverse honey-producing insects worldwide. This is why it is difficult to determine the exact historical origin of mead given that the discovery was very plausible for early humans prior to recorded history.

That said, humans in North Africa and the Middle East have attempted to “keep” bees in various artificial hives made from a multitude of materials ranging from hollow logs, ceramic vessels, woven straw baskets known as skeps and wooden boxes since around 8,000 BCE. 

There is evidence that the Egyptians successfully domesticated bees and created the system of “Beekeeping” that is commonly used today around 2,477 BCE. Egyptian art shows them utilizing smokers to calm the bees while harvesting the honey, the honey was stored in jars for future use, and has often been found in the tombs of Pharaoh's. 

Archeologists also found pottery vessels in Northern China that contained signs of a mixture of honey, rice, and other fruits, along with organic compounds found in fermentation. These vessels date back from 7,000 to 6,500 BCE. The earliest surviving written record of mead is possibly the Soma mentioned in the hymns of the Rigveda, a sacred book of the ancient Vedic religion that later became Hinduism. These are dated around 1700–1100 BCE. 

Since that time multiple cultures around the world have brewed Mead with various intentions including medicinal, spiritual, or personal enjoyment.

At Lady of the Hive, we make wine with all of these intentions in mind. We are also passionate about educating folks on the importance of preserving the Worldwide Bee population. Our goal is to educate visitors on what each of us can do to help reverse the drastic decline we are seeing in today's Bee populations both in the wild as well as those that contribute to the Commercial industry.

Additionally, our aperitifs, though not quite as old as mead, have ancient origins as well. 

Vin Maison and similar aperitivo wines from Italy have their roots in the Hippocras wines of the late Middle Ages (called Hippocras after the Hippocrates, the ancient Greek doctor considered the founder of the science of medicine) and are believed to be the direct descendants of the spiced wines of the Roman Empire. 

Casanova wrote about fruit-infused wines in his memoirs in the 1750s--he reports that Louis XV of France and his courtiers were mad for the stuff--and even that old devil, the Marquis de Sade couldn't get enough of his favorite fruit-infused wines, writing from prison to request that his long-suffering wife send him a bottle of Vin de Peche (peach-infused wine).

This is a matter of debate. Mead and aperitif are traditionally served in very small amounts--a quarter- to half-a-cup or so. It is meant to be an opening to a meal--like a small clear bell ringing to awaken and enliven your senses. That said, my friends say they generally drink our Meads as part of a meal or poolside on a hot summer day. Our Aperitif is often enjoyed like they drink any other wine -- by the glassful.

Our Sparkling Meads are very delicate and effervescent and should be served chilled. Much like any other sparkling wine, it does not store well after opening and should be savored immediately. Our Aperitifs should also be served chilled--in fact, just keep the bottle in your refrigerator. It's the best way to store them--opened or unopened. Unlike our low-alcohol Sparkling Meads, our Aperitifs are fortified, have a higher alcohol content and store longer after opening than a typical wine.