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Arkansas Meadery
ALEXANDER • ARKANSAS
Honey • Craft • Arkansas
Honey-Fermented Craft from Alexander, Arkansas
Arkansas Meadery brings one of the world’s oldest fermented beverages into the modern Arkansas craft-drink scene. The family-run producer creates dry, sweet, fruit-forward and barrel-aged meads using Arkansas wildflower honey.
Arkansas’s first commercial meadery • Producing commercially since 2021 • Private tastings by reservation
Arkansas Meadery at a Glance
A quick introduction to the people, place and ingredients behind this distinctive Arkansas producer.
Commercial Launch
2021
The year Arkansas Meadery began commercially selling its meads.
Home
Alexander
A farm-based production facility in Saline County, Arkansas.
Signature Ingredient
Wildflower Honey
Arkansas wildflower honey forms the foundation of the lineup.
Visitor Experience
Reservation Only
Private tastings, tours and mead-making experiences are offered.
What Is Mead?
Mead is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water and yeast. It is frequently described as “honey wine,” although its flavor can vary as widely as wine, beer or cider.
The finished drink does not have to be sugary. A meadmaker can ferment nearly all of the honey’s natural sugar to produce a dry, wine-like expression, retain sweetness, add fruit or botanicals, or mature the mead in oak barrels.
Mead Can Be
- Bone dry, medium-sweet or dessert-like
- Still, sparkling or lightly carbonated
- Fruit-forward, floral, spiced or herbal
- Oak-aged or finished in used spirits barrels
The People Behind the Mead
A Family-Run Arkansas Story
Tony Fry
Owner & Meadmaker
Tony Fry began fermenting beer, wine and mead in 2001. His interest expanded into beekeeping in 2014, followed by the purchase of a small Saline County farm in 2015. Those interests eventually developed into Arkansas Meadery and its first commercial sales in 2021.
Justin Bond
Operations & Marketing
Justin Bond began experimenting with fermentation in 2016. He now works alongside his father, supporting the meadery’s operations, marketing, distribution, merchandise and public events while helping introduce new drinkers to the category.
From home fermentation and beekeeping to statewide retail distribution and an on-farm tasting room, Arkansas Meadery has grown while retaining its small-batch, family-run identity.
Current Mead Styles
What Arkansas Meadery Makes
The lineup ranges from a completely dry traditional mead to fruit, botanical, barrel-aged and lower-ABV canned expressions. Product availability may vary by retailer and season.
Traditional Styles
Traditional Mead • 16% ABV
Fermented completely dry with no residual sugar, followed by a warm honey finish.
Medium Sweet Mead • 12% ABV
A rounder version that retains more of the honey’s natural sweetness.
Fruit & Botanical
Hibiscus & Apple • 12%
Floral hibiscus balanced by fresh apple character.
Hawg’s Blood • 12%
Muscadine grapes, tart cherries and a subtle ginger finish.
Ozark Elder • 12%
Elderberry, elderflower, raspberry and grape.
Barrel Aged
Bourbon Barrel Aged • 18%
Traditional mead matured in used bourbon barrels for mellow bourbon, honey and oak notes.
Ouachita Oak • 16%
Aged in new char No. 4 oak with vanilla, caramelized oak and floral-honey notes.
Canned & Seasonal
Buffalo River Float • 7.5%
A root-beer-inspired mead with vanilla, sarsaparilla and honeyed sweetness.
Harvest Honey • 7.5%
A fall-inspired seasonal mead with apple and warming spices.
Visit the Meadery
Reservation-Only Tastings & Tours
The renovated loft above the production facility now serves as an intimate tasting room. Visits are structured private experiences rather than conventional walk-in bar service.
Reservations and current pricing are handled through Tock. Available offerings may include a standard private tasting and tour, a VIP tasting with a charcuterie board, and a traditional mead-making class.
Before You Reserve
- Advance reservations are required.
- Guests purchasing tastings must be at least 21 with valid identification.
- The tasting room is on the second floor and requires climbing one flight of stairs.
- Ride-share availability can be limited, so transportation should be planned in advance.
Location & Retail Availability
Visit the production facility through a confirmed reservation, or look for Arkansas Meadery products at participating liquor stores across the state.
Arkansas Meadery
Address:
2625 Avilla Vincintage Road
Alexander, Arkansas 72002
Phone: 1-888-691-6323
Email: [email protected]
Where to Find the Mead
The official retailer list covers communities throughout Arkansas, including:
- Benton, Bryant, Cabot and Sherwood
- Little Rock, Maumelle and Hot Springs
- Fayetteville, Bentonville and Eureka Springs
- Fort Smith, Morrilton, Mountain Home, Mena and Texarkana
Selection and inventory can change. Contact the retailer before making a special trip.
Arkansas Meadery Frequently Asked Questions
Open a question below for additional visitor and product information.
Is mead always sweet?
No. Arkansas Meadery’s Traditional Mead is fermented completely dry, while other products retain more sweetness or gain fruit, spice and barrel character.
Can visitors walk into the tasting room without a reservation?
No. The tasting room operates through advance reservations. Review current dates and experiences through the official Tock reservation page.
Which products may appeal to bourbon or whiskey drinkers?
The Bourbon Barrel Aged Mead is the most direct crossover, combining honey fermentation with used bourbon-barrel influence. Ouachita Oak Barrel Aged Mead may also appeal to drinkers who enjoy charred-oak, vanilla and caramelized flavors.
Where can Arkansas Meadery products be purchased?
Products are carried by participating liquor stores across Arkansas. Because store participation and inventory can change, consult the meadery’s current retailer list and contact the store before traveling.
Is Arkansas Meadery a distillery?
No. Mead is produced through fermentation rather than distillation. ArkansasLiquor.com includes Arkansas Meadery in its broader coverage of Arkansas craft-beverage producers and destinations.
From ArkansasLiquor.com
Latest Arkansas Meadery Coverage
News, releases and visitor information from the ArkansasLiquor.com archive.
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Last Updated on February 24, 2026 by Justin Jones PUBLISH DATE: February 24, 2026 Arkansas Meadery has opened its tasting room and is now accepting limited…
Explore Arkansas Mead at the Source
Review the current lineup, locate a retailer or reserve a guided tasting experience at the Alexander meadery.
Independent editorial notice: ArkansasLiquor.com is an independent publication and is not owned by or affiliated with Arkansas Meadery. The Arkansas Meadery name and logo are used for identification and informational purposes. Products, retail inventory, events, prices and reservation offerings may change. Information reviewed July 2026.