The North Side’s First Meadery Taproom to Open in Albany Park Next Spring

The North Side’s first meadery is slated to open in Albany Park next spring, bolstering the the sweet, boozy beverage’s profile in a city of beer lovers. Co-founders Peter Schultz and Brian Davids plan to open Second City Meadery at 4465 N. Elston Avenue in what was once an auto shop, Block Club reported. The space will house a fermentation facility and tasting room. Owners have not yet responded to a request for details.

Schultz, who began making mead at home in 2014, and Davids, a home brewer with nearly a decade of experience, began offering bottles of their homemade mead for free in 2017. The pair have since grown the brand and offerings with flavors including “Is it mead you’re looking for?” (black currant, blackberries, raspberries, cherries) and “fiasco” (cherries, Tabal bourbon-barrel aged cacao nibs, cinnamon).

Many mead-makers create the storied drink by fermenting honey with water and yeast, and some add fruits, hops, and spices for an extra kick. Countries including the Philippines, Ethiopia, Poland and beyond offer a range of ancient mead varieties, and the beverage garners mentions in epic poem “Beowulf,” as well as the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, George R. R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, and more.

Wild Blossom Meadery & Winery, the state’s first meadery, opened in March in Beverly on the city’s South Side. Wild Blossom staff collect their honey from hives on the roof of the Marriott Magnificent Mile hotel and in the Ogden and Kankakee Dunes, but there’s no word yet on where Second City Meadery will source its sticky sweet stuff.

Second City Meadery’s ownership has not yet provided more information, so stay tuned for more details.