The Essence of Mead
On the evening of May 22, 2025, Club El Economista subscribers gathered at Colonia, a meadery, bar, and restaurant in Mexico City’s Colonia Juárez neighborhood. The occasion was an unforgettable mead tasting featuring four unique 100% Mexican meads, guided by Dennis Lazarus, a mead expert and creator of Lazarus & Colin, and Raymundo Hernández, Colonia’s manager.
Mead: A Drink Unto Itself
Dennis Lazarus emphasized that mead is a distinct category of alcoholic beverage, unlike wine or beer. He described mead as the simplest drink to make but the most challenging to perfect, highlighting its unique charm and history.
From Hobby to Business
Lazarus began crafting mead as a hobby 17 years ago and, in 2016, co-founded Lazarus & Colin with Alberto Colín. Their mission is to produce high-quality mead using rigorous processes, from mixing honey with water and adjusting pH levels for optimal yeast activity to controlling fermentation time and ensuring consumer appeal.
Colonia: Mexico City’s First Meadery
Raymundo Hernández, Colonia’s manager, invited everyone to experience mead, emphasizing its diverse flavors and consistency. “As Mexico City’s first meadery, we welcome everyone to explore the unique world of mead,” he said.
The Mead Tasting Experience
Attendees sampled four meads, each crafted with distinct ingredients and processes:
- Tamarindo Mead: A golden-hued mead infused with tamarind blossoms from El Álamo, Veracruz. Its floral and fruity notes paired well with sikil páak, a Yucatecan snack featuring pumpkin seeds and apple.
- Azahar Mead: A semi-dry mead with a hint of orange, boasting 7.6% alcohol. It was served alongside enojo chips, finely diced pico de gallo, and olives.
- Bochet Mead: A French-style mead made with caramelized honey, resulting in a rich, buttery finish. This mead was complemented by sikil páak.
- Acahual Mead: Crafted with teosinte, a Mexican sunflower, this mead showcased nutty and spicy notes, reminiscent of pepper, with a clear, almost transparent appearance.
Subscribers’ Experience
Club El Economista members, including Alfonso Acuña and David Ugalde, praised the event. Acuña found the bochet caramelized mead to be his favorite, while Ugalde enjoyed the acahual mead the most. Both recommended subscribing to Club El Economista for exclusive experiences like this one.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is mead? Mead, or hidromiel in Spanish, is an alcoholic beverage produced by fermenting honey with water and yeast.
- Why is mead unique? Mead stands apart from wine and beer as its own distinct category, with a rich history and diverse flavor profiles.
- Who are Lazarus & Colin? Lazarus & Colin is a Mexico City-based meadery founded by Dennis Lazarus and Alberto Colín, dedicated to producing high-quality meads using rigorous processes.
- What makes Colonia special? As Mexico City’s first meadery, Colonia offers a unique setting to explore and enjoy various meads.
To be part of such extraordinary experiences, consider subscribing to Club El Economista.
