Adytum Cellars Information

A secret chamber or place of retirement in the ancient temples; esteemed as the most sacred place; the innermost sanctuary or shrine reserved for only the high priests. From this place the oracles were given. A beekeeper since the age of fifteen, Vince Carlson still tends his own apiary (beehives). After fifteen years of learning about bees and honey, he discovered the ancient secret of mead. His first glass of mead, presented to him from a mead maker, sparked his passion and eventually gave birth to Adytum Cellars. Once he started making mead, it didnt take long to realize the process was a wonderful way to preserve the freshness of fruit to enjoy year round. Each year, Vince travels throughout Washington state, visiting valleys and vineyards, orchards and farms searching for the most striking and flavorful flowers, fruit and berries of the season. I never know from year to year what kind of mead I will be making, he says. In one year peaches are best; another year it might be cherries or pears. The fruit trees and berry bushes decide what will make the best mead of the year. Just as grape varietals manifest different characteristics, so do honey varietals. The composition of each honey is unique to the floral source from which it originates. In mead making, the mead taste is dictated by the honey varietals used. So understanding bees, and being somewhat of a honey connoisseur, is an important attribute for a Mead maker. For example, Fireweed honey produces a dry, clean mead with stone and mineral notes. Mead made from orange blossom honey on the other hand, has a very fragrant bouquet and carries through with orchard citrus tones. Mead making combines the creative spontaneity of art and the quantitative predictability of science. It requires active involvement from both sides of the brain.