Mead masters to toast the winter solstice

THE taste for mead is growing in Australia, and a Geelong-based producer is among the best in terms of quality.

Three Horn has been making mead since 2020 and co-owners Sam Lamanna-Lilley and Zac Lodge went back-to-back as the champion mead producer at the Australian National Mead Competition earlier this month.

Demand for beverages from Geelong’s first meadery also continues to rise.

Lamanna-Lilley said the company’s production of mead – which is fermented like wine but with honey instead of grapes – doubled every three months over the first two years.

“When we started making mead, we were making 200 or so litres a year and we’re on track this year to make 18,000 litres,” he said.

The Three Horn philosophy, Lamanna-Lilley said, was to create the best product by using the best ingredients.

“The issue that we have with the industry is that things aren’t necessarily affordable,” he said.

“We want to put out the highest quality products we can at the most affordable price we can because we don’t want it to be a once-a-year trip.

“We want it to be something approachable for everybody.

“With a range as big as what we have, we have something for everybody as well.”

Originally a beekeeper supplying honey for the meadery, Lamanna-Lilley moved into a full-time role with Three Horn in January to meet growing demand, as the company expanded its events from five last year to 26 by the end of this year.

One of these events will be tomorrow’s winter solstice-themed takeover of the White Rabbit Barrel Hall at Little Creatures as part of the Tastes of Greater Geelong Festival.

Entry is free to the takeover, which will feature mulled mead, mead slushies, and Viking-inspired barbecue from the kitchen.

Lamanna-Lilley suggested attendees “just dive in” and try multiple varieties of mead.

“Don’t think that it’s not for you just because you don’t like one because there are so many different styles,” he said.

“You can have the same brewer make the exact same mead and it will come out differently.

“We are going to have the mulled mead because you can’t really go through the long winter night without a nice warm mulled mead.”

Lamanna-Lilley said the best way to understand mead was to try it.

“There’s definitely consumer demand but there’s not necessarily consumer education,” he said.

“Mead is commonly thought of as this olden day nanna drink or something that pop used to drink back in the day but it really can be anything.

“I always tell people the way you drink it is limited by your imagination; the way it tastes is limited by mine.”

The Three Horn Winter Solstice Takeover begins at noon tomorrow at Little Creatures and runs until late.

For more information, head to geelongcity.vic.gov.au

Three Horn Winter Solstice Takeover is at Little Creatures Brewery, 20 June.