Lindisfarne Mead facts for kids

Lindisfarne Mead is a special sweet drink made from honey. It's a type of alcoholic drink that comes from Northumberland in North East England. This unique drink has a long history, linked to the monks who lived on Holy Island.

It is made only at St Aidan's Winery, right there on Holy Island. Like other types of mead, Lindisfarne Mead is made by fermenting honey. This means tiny living things (like yeast) turn the honey's sugar into alcohol. But Lindisfarne Mead is special! It also includes fermented grape juice, herbs, and pure well water. It's even made stronger with a special spirit. The honey comes from all over the world, and some from the island too. Because it has grape juice, it's called a pyment.

The Story of Lindisfarne Mead

Lindisfarne Mead has a history that goes back to the Middle Ages. Back then, monks lived on Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island. People believed that if their spirit was safe with God, their body needed to be strong with Lindisfarne Mead.

Modern Production Begins

The modern making of Lindisfarne Mead started in 1962. Today, this mead and other products are sold all over the UK and in other countries. St Aidan's Winery opened a special showroom for visitors in 1968. Here, people can try free samples every day. The showroom also sells special food and drinks. It works closely with the Lindisfarne Craft Shop. This shop sells handmade pottery, Celtic jewelry, and other local crafts.

Sharing Mead with the World

In 2006, after many years of talks, the company that makes Lindisfarne Mead, Lindisfarne Ltd, got permission to sell its mead in the United States. At first, US officials said that because Lindisfarne Mead had grapes and herbs, it wasn't a "mead" by their rules. To solve this, the product was sent to the USA under a slightly different name: Lindisfarne Mede. This helped show it was different from meads made only from honey.