Modern Craft Mead

Welcome to Honey Bandit Mead

We are creators of fine modern hand crafted mead and other honey based alcoholic beverages (a long with a couple of non-honey based ones too) We make small batches which allow us to experiment with many different flavour and aroma combinations. We use the finest and freshest raw ingredient, our honey is never pasteurised.

We are currently producing our mead on the beautiful Te Atatu Peninsula, West Auckland 

Drop us an email Mead@honeybandit.co.nz

What is Mead?

Mead is essentially an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey, In the same way beer is made with Malted Barley and Wine is made with Grapes.

It’s believed to be one of the oldest alcoholic beverages ever made, as it was consumed as far back as 8,000 years. Interestingly, mead was common across ancient cultures around the world including those in Asia, Europe and Africa.

In it’s simplest form Mead is made with just Honey, water and yeast, although it can include other ingredient such as Fruit, Spices or herbs.

Mead can vary greatly in sweetness and Alcohol strengths and can be still or sparkling.

Our Team

Adam Read – Owner and Mead Maker

Originally from Devon, England. Adam moved to New Zealand where he studied Viticulture and Enology at the Eastern Institute of Technology in Hawkes Bay. While spending several years as a vineyard manager and assistant winemaker, Adam continued to experiment fermenting Honey into mead at home.

Adam’s vision is to educate Kiwis on what a modern mead looks like and the full extent of its flavours and styles.

Our Range

Session Range

Our session meads, are generally lower in abv typically 4%-10% and carbonated. Our easy drinking session range comes in 330ml and 440ml cans Similar to a Beer or Cider style but also gluten free.

Our current session meads come in either a mixed six of trial meads…an ever changing range or one of our permanent lines like Taid or Berserker or the Bandit.

Enjoy on a hot sunny day straight out the fridge.

 

Core Range

Our Standard Range, sold in 375ml Bolles and are all around 11.5% ABV. We have Traditional, Oaked Traditional, Traditional aged on Cacao Nibs and Coffee Beans, Sweet Ginger and Coconut and Lime.

Mythic Range

Introducing our Mythic Collection. With the help of our Pagan consultant Aaron Pyne of Inner Realms Journey, we bring to you meads inspired by historical legends. Our Mythic Collection Meads are spontaneously fermented with wild yeast, leaving the gods to determine the path of the Mead.

Enchanted Mead Collection

This new collection is fermented in open top cauldron style fermenters. 

So far we have two Meads in this range.

Coven, Litha and Druid

Other Beverages

Along with our Meads we are have a selection of other fun drinks

A’gor – A Smooth 40% Oaked Honey Spirit with rich Auckland honey and charred American Oak. 200ml or 750ml

Freya-Ane – Named after our Daughter, Freya-Ane is sweet Honey and Strawberry liqueur, 20% ABV sold in 375ml bottles

Lindy-Lou – Made from exceptional quality Auckland Pinot Noir grapes, with just a touch of Arneis, producing a sophisticated, pale pink, crisp, southern French style, bone dry Rosé.

Nain – This Limechello is our modern take on the traditional European liqueur. Full of zesty lime aroma and flavour, it’s a perfect balance between sweet and tangy with just the right amount of alcohol heat. Nain is an ideal after dinner digestif.

Fernway – Our take on a traditional gin with a twist of burdock root for spicy and earthy notes.

Drone – A Spiced Honey Rum