Distilleries, Cideries & Meaderies

Hard on the heels of Loudoun’s thriving wine and beer industries come a raft of craft cideries, distilleries and meaderies using local grain, fruit, honey and other produce to deliver a variety of fresh artisanal tastes. The cideries are turning sweet Virginia apples into liquid gold while distilleries - three and counting - are making award-winning rye, whiskey and bourbon as well as classic liquors such as rum, gin, brandy, cassis and even absinthe. The handful of meaderies innovate by harvesting organic local honey and adding intriguing flavors such as ginger, elderberry, raspberries, blueberries and other fruits.

What's Mead?

Said to date back to the Neolithic Period more than 10,000 years ago, mead is the ancient process of fermenting honey with water to create a semi-sweet, flavorful low-alcohol content beverage. Modern meaderies innovate by harvesting local organic honey and adding intriguing flavors such as ginger, elderberry, raspberries, blueberries and other fruits.