Throughout my days of wine and roses, I was convinced that I’d tasted every type of alcoholic beverage on the planet. But during a recent visit to downtown Eustis, I realized the ancient elixir of mead had somehow eluded me.

This honey-based beverage is no longer a relic from medieval banquets in dusty storybooks. Mead is having a full-blown renaissance thanks to dedicated enthusiasts like TJ Lawrence, president of Pinesmoke Bee Company.

“It all started as a backyard beekeeping passion,” TJ says. “After years of ‘Ren’ faires and farmers markets, we’ve blossomed into a pretty distinctive and inviting gathering place here in the Ironblock Building.”

He’s being modest. Armed with nearly two decades of research and enough nerdy data to make any fermentation geek swoon, TJ has been ready t

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