Bemuse low-alcohol mead range launched to meet consumer demand for innovative and tasty drink choices in the low- and no-alcohol drinks sector. Peter Morrell tastes the range

Bemuse is a completely new drinking experience based on Britain’s oldest alcoholic drink, offering a range of sparkling, modern craft meads that are not only delicious, but also low in alcohol and sugar.

Founded by entrepreneurs Nataliya Peretrutova and Anna Chalov, Bemuse reimagines mead for today’s tastes, creating a refreshing, lightly sparkling drink that also supports its natural producers – our endangered city and country bees.

Co-founder Anna Chalov explains “Mead is made by fermenting honey and has been produced for thousands of years, with evidence pointing to mead being produced up to 9,000 years ago. The Romans loved it, the Medieval Britons used it as sparkling table wine and Tutankhamun’s tomb was even reputedly stocked with it. Now Bemuse offers an exciting and innovative new twist for a new generation; a curiously modern craft mead.

“With its unique focus on low-alcohol meads, Bemuse has reinvented the style to produce an enjoyably fresh drink and, also, create a pioneering drinks category. A light, social, low-alcohol and low-calorie drink, the Bemuse mead range can be enjoyed all year round, on their own or as an accompaniment to food.”

The new launch is available in four natural flavours that cater to all tastes and serving opportunities, from the sweeter and fruitier (Raspberry) to herbal (Tarragon, Basil & Hops), spicy (Ginger & Cardamom) and craft beer style (Hops). Bemuse meads have a pleasant, natural colour, similar to sparkling white wine but have only 0.5% alcohol and 40 calories per can. They are refreshing and delicious additions to the variety of low- and no-alcohol drinks available on the market and already have consumers buzzing with excitement.

Peter Morrell, editor comments “I have tasted all four flavours of Bemuse, apart from the very pleasant underpinning of honey, each version has its own distinct character. Consumed cold they are lightly sparkling and refreshingly dry, ideal for a summer’s day. I didn’t have a favourite because they were all good, but as a craft beer drinker I was drawn to the Hop version. The Ginger and Cardamom would be great matched with Thai food. The Raspberry is a sip to savour on its own, and for a time of relaxation and contemplation the Tarragon, Basil and Hop flavour is ideal. The other thing that impressed me was the tactile feel of the can, it was textured giving it a luxury feel.”

“Globally, the low- and no-alcohol drinks category is expected to rise by +31% by 2024” explained Chalov “but it is currently dominated by beer which has 92% of the market. By launching the first range of low-alcohol craft meads into the sector, Bemuse is revitalising this traditional drink for a contemporary audience and expanding their choices beyond an increasingly crowded beer selection. In short, we are encouraging people to ‘Bee inspired to drink differently‘.”

The only drink of its kind, Bemuse is made with just honey, water and yeast, infused with natural ingredients to create the individual flavours based on traditional recipes. Consciously crafted to be environmentally beneficial, Bemuse is produced by a natural fermentation process using specially selected honey.

The Bemuse bee featured on the label is a fictional, modern and inspiring character composed of flowers and ingredients used in the drinks, with textured paper highlighting the sensorial aspects of Bemuse and its premium attributes.

The four Bemuse flavours are 0.5% ABV and are available in 330ml fully recycled cans from https://www.bemusedrinks.com