Sweet timing for mead operation

Eventide growing naturally from Burnside base

There is evidence of the existence of fermented honey dating back to 7000 BC. So Eric Hynes and Ronnie Lunn opening Eventide Mead isn’t exactly a new idea, but it sort of is for Nova Scotia, with only Tatamagouche’s Hard Honey and Port Williams winery Planters Ridge with mead listings at the NSLC and very limited availability.

“Go back a decade and your NSLC location might have two or three cider offerings if you were lucky, and now there are whole sections of cider. Ten years from now, or even less, we’ll see the same with mead,” said Lunn.

“Eric is the brewer, and he’s a handy person with a history as an electrician and a contractor. Our brewhouse is his creation, and if something needs doing that requires trade skills, he can either do it or figure it out.”

Lunn spent years working between teaching and church. The church work led to leadership development and coaching roles.

“If Eric is the practical get-stuff-done person, I’m the shake hands and form relationships person,” Lunn said.

“Eric had been homebrewing beer from scratch and certainly made some good, quality products. I recommended that he try something called short mead, which is the style of mead we make. He liked the idea and so we decided to try it.”

Short mead has a lower alcohol content than traditional mead, is less sweet because it uses less honey than winestyle mead and is typically carbonated, said Lunn.

“When we made it, we took a keg to a party just as we had the beer that Eric made. His beer was always well received, but not at all to the same level the mead was. People were coming back and asking for more mead to the point that we had a near-empty keg. That’s when we thought we might have something”

The pair has partnered with Cosman & Whidden Honey in Greenwich to be the honey supplier.

“We’re currently building out our storefront at 196 Joseph Zatzman Drive (at the corner of Akerley Boulevard in Burnside Park) and we’re offering irregular hours if we’re here doing work,” Lunn said.

“As of right now, we’ve only been selling our product for three weeks.”

Eventide plans to test open hours in Burnside and will be at Alderney Market on the Dartmouth waterfront on Saturdays. Some bars and taprooms will have it soon and delivery is being considered.

“It’s a new and emerging market in Nova Scotia so if it’s something you want, be sure to request it at your favourite locations and let owners know that there’s a desire out there for mead and Eventide has what they need.”

Here’s to many good honeymoons. The word comes from the Scandinavian practice of drinking mead during the first month of marriage.

Here are more retail happenings:

■ Lululemon is opening a second Halifax location, in Halifax Shopping Centre across from Aritzia.

■ Growlies for Pets has opened in Upper Tantallon, between TD and Pharmasave on St. Margarets Bay Road.

■ Gamestop (previously EB Games) has closed its Lower Sackville store. Also at Downsview, the Source has closed. Gamestop is down to three Halifax region locations, while the Source is down to four.

■ Fox Hill Cheese has closed its location on Robie Street in Halifax ahead of the building coming down. Its neighbour, Mister Transmission, has relocated to St. Margarets Bay Road in Beechville after 50-plus years on that corner.

■ A Dollarama is open in Timberlea, beside Sobeys.

■ Dhaba Express’s second location is at 811 Bedford Hwy., in the converted Travellers Motel.

■ Eastern Tea Bar & Friends is opening on Gottingen Street, above Independent Mercantile, next month. It will also be home to some small vintage sellers, including Vivian Moderna, Effex Vintage, Harbour City Whimsy and Ms. Elliot Vintage.