The Colony Meadery in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is a staple in the Lehigh Valley and serves up a unique beverage that attracts area locals and visitors alike. Mead, also known as “honey wine”, is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in human history and is created by fermenting honey with water. It was produced in ancient history throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia, and often includes various fruits, spices, or hops. It’s believed that mead was also produced and served in many homes of Colonial Bethlehem during the 18th and 19th centuries, and today, guests can visit the Meadery for tastings, tours, events, and more. The next time you stay at the Sayre Mansion, take a quick 15-minute ride to the Colony Meadery and see what it’s all about!
The Best Things to Do at the Colony Meadery
Taste the Mead
The flagships blends at Colony Meadery are their best-selling and most popular meads, and all of them have won multiple national medals. Be sure to try their Straight, No Chaser mead, which features a bright, citrus backbone of orange blossom honey, or the crisp and refreshing Mo-Mead-O made with mint and lime. Guests also enjoy the Pikwant Field mead, which is made using 40 pounds of strawberries and 20 pounds of kiwi per barrel to create a deliciously tart fruit flavor.
Check Out the Hive
Located in a former Mack Truck factory in South Allentown, the Colony Meadery tasting room offers tasting flights, mead on draft, mead by the bottle, and even mead slushies. Visitors can also take an informative guided tour of the facility to learn more about the fascinating mead-making process. The tasting room is open Friday from 4 to 8 PM, Saturday from 12 to 6 PM, and Sunday from 12 to 5 PM.
Visit the Tasting Room at the Moravian Bookstore
Founded in 1745, the Moravian Book Shop in Bethlehem, PA, is the oldest bookstore in the country and is the satellite location of the Colony Meadery. Guests can visit the store to taste the mead, then attend one of the shop’s many events including book signings and author meet-and-greets. The Moravian Bookstore also features a wide selection of books on Bethlehem Steel, the Lehigh Valley and Pennsylvania, and Moravian traditions, so you can learn about the history of the area while sipping on honey.
Come Home to the Sayre Mansion!
Guests should know that mead can range from 8% to 20% alcohol by volume, so book your stay at our Bethlehem bed and breakfast and let us help you plan a safe ride to and from the Meadery! Our inn is just a short drive from the facility and the bookstore and features quiet, comfortable rooms and suites for you to return to after a day of fun. We’re also minutes from a wide variety of attractions including restaurants, shops, and the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, so you can spend an entire day sipping, savoring, and relaxing. We can’t wait to hear all about your adventures!
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