“Bottled Legacy: A First Look at Tribute – The Cemetery Mead”
“Dark honey, sacred roots, and a mead born from the hollow of a tree.”
Some of the Art Work For the Tribute Label
A haunting mead, a sacred harvest, and a legacy in a bottle.
Not all meads are born of sunlight and spring blossoms.
Some are drawn from the hollow of an ancient tree…
…in the middle of a family cemetery…
…in the dead of winter.
We’re excited to announce a very special project in the works here at Vinland Meads—a mead like no other we’ve made. It's not ready yet, but it’s coming. We call it Tribute, also known around here as Cemetery Mead.
The Story Behind the Mead
It began when Sarah got a call from her great uncle in Ben Wheeler, Texas. A massive oak tree had fallen right in the center of the old family cemetery—and it was full of bees. He asked if we could safely remove them so folks could visit the graves without worry. And so began one of the strangest, most meaningful extractions we've ever done.
The hive had no queen. No brood. Just bees and honey—more than fifteen feet of ancient comb sealed into the heart of a tree. We suited up with our boys, Easton and Wyatt, and worked through the cold to harvest every drop. The honey we pulled out was like nothing else: deep, dark, oaky, and brooding.
We made six gallons of traditional mead using only that honey, water, and yeast—the way my grandfather taught me. Then we let it age for three full years in oak. The result? A wild, bold, 16% mead with the soul of the tree still in it.
First Cut into the Tree. Sarah Hays with the Smoker.
It’s Not Ready… Yet
We're not rushing this one.
This mead is aging patiently, and when it’s time, we’ll be releasing just 25 bottles—each one hand-blown, filled, and packaged in a handcrafted legacy box.
But right now? We’re still preparing. And we’re looking for a glassblower to help us bring this vision to life. If you or someone you know specializes in hand-blown artisan bottles (750ml, cork-ready, one-of-a-kind), please reach out to us! We’d love to collaborate.
What Will the Final Set Include?
Each bottle of Tribute will come as part of a one-of-a-kind collector’s package, including:
A hand-blown 750ml bottle of Cemetery Mead
A candle made from the wax of the original hive
A jar of raw honey from the extraction
A carved piece of the tree trunk with insets for the bottle, candle, and honey jar
Every bottle will be sold individually, and the price will rise as each one sells—a tribute to the rarity and spirit of this mead.
Inside look of the hive in the Tree.
Follow Along
We’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes footage, photos, and stories as this project progresses. You can view the original bee extraction photos and drone footage here:
📸 Click here to see the Cemetery Extraction Album
To stay updated on the release and reserve info, follow us on social media or sign up for our newsletter.
Tribute is coming.
Hand-harvested. Slow-fermented.
Born from winter. Bottled with reverence.
A Texas mead like no other.
The Dark Honey of Tribute in our custom large Honey Jars.
