The Hyattsville Arts District is quickly becoming a destination for locally brewed libations — think Streetcar 82 Brewing Company, Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store and the upcoming Sangfroid Distillery. In September, the city will be able to add mead to the list of options, with the opening of Maryland Meadworks by longtime Hyattsville resident Ken Carter. Maryland Meadworks will be the first meadery in Prince George’s County.
Mead is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages on the planet, with origins dating back to 8,000 B.C. and historic evidence of its production found across the world. It is made from honey and water fermented by yeast with an alcohol content ranging from 5-20 percent by volume. In the past decade mead has experienced a resurgence that, according to Carter, can be compared to the craft beer industry of 20 years ago where a “tight community exists that helps each other out and shares recipes.” Carter estimates that there are over 300 meaderies currently operating in the U.S. and he expects more to open as Americans get introduced to the beverage.
