Photo by Bill Cavender courtesy Black Heath Meadery
Background: Bill Cavender, co-owner of Black Heath Meadery (1313 Altamont Ave.), recalls his Lithuanian and Polish family members enjoying mead during summer vacations. The lesser-known spirit stuck with him, and making it eventually transformed into a hobby and career. Cavender and his wife, Jayne Heffner, opened Black Heath, the city’s only meadery, in March 2015. Although there was a booming brewery and cidery movement in Richmond, mead was nowhere to be found. “It seemed natural for mead to be in the mix as a great locally sourced and produced alcoholic beverage,” says Cavender.
Notable Sip: The Muse, their year-round offering, is fermented with 100 percent Virginia honey from hives in Chesterfield, Amelia, Henrico and Powhatan. A standard batch calls for 40 gallons, but Cavender, who’s working to dispel the misconception that mead is sweet and syrupy, says don’t let that number fool you. “The biggest thing I hear? ‘Oh, wow, that’s not as sweet as I thought,’ ” he says. In fact, Muse is an approachable, dry to semi-sweet spirit, with yeast notes and a well-rounded, smooth finish.
Poured and Paired: Mead softens the heat of savory and spicy foods. Ham, roasted duck breast and other game provide complementary complexities when sipping on the honey wine.
