Bushwakker Mead Day continues as local Christmas tradition

Mead connoisseurs and blackberry fans alike can gather outside of Bushwakker Brewery on Dec. 4 for a return of what some call the “Nectar of the Gods.”

Regina’s oldest brewery is bringing back its Christmas tradition. Mead Day, which occurs on the first Saturday of December annually, is already creating some local buzz.

“Well, it certainly is our official kickoff to the holiday season. When we first introduced the mead about 30 years ago, nobody had heard of it, nobody was really interested, but as we got the mead out into the community and people had a chance to try it, they absolutely fell in love with it,” said bar and marketing manager Grant Frew.

The brewery first opened its door in 1991 and has since grown a reputation for what it serves. The mead itself is different from a beer or wine.

“It predates both,” Frew says. “And being made out of honey — pardon the pun — a lot of people will say they get a different sort of buzz.”

The beverage comes in at 10 percent alcohol. Each batch the brewery makes starts from 400 pounds of honey and 84 pounds of blackberries.

“It really is a flavorful, festive treat,” said Frew.

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The yeast used in the mead is extremely powerful. It eats up all the sugar contained in the drink, leaving it with a more dry taste.

“It is a very slow-fermenting beast. We start making the mead very early on in the year and we make it all year long to get it ready,” Frew said.

Pre-orders for the bottled mead are now closed, but Frew says some customers like lining up outside the brewery for the feel.

“I do hear from a lot of our customers that say they’ve been standing in the mead line for so many years that it’s really part of their Christmas tradition too.”