Hive Mind Dark Cherry Mead Review: A Sweet After-Dinner Drink With A Sharp Cherry Kick

Mead feels like one of those drinks many people have heard of, but can’t quite pin down what to expect. Is it like wine? Is it like cider? Is it really sweet? Is it something you sip, mix or save for special occasions?

Hive Mind’s Dark Cherry Traditional Mead gives a pretty good answer: it is rich, sweet, fruity and much more interesting than you might expect if your only reference point is novelty mead from a gift shop.

Founded in South Wales by brothers Matt and Kitt, Hive Mind is an independent mead producer with a focus on British honey, beekeeping and traditional methods. The brand describes its meads as a “return to real mead” production, using honey, water and yeast rather than cheaper wine bases, refined sugars and flavourings.

Their Dark Cherry Mead is made with 100% British honey and dark cherry juice, inspired by the long history of fruited meads, also known as melomels. According to the brand, the cherry brings richness, fruit and a little tannin, creating a rounded drink with a tart sharpness.

What does Hive Mind Dark Cherry Mead taste like?

This is definitely one for people who like a sweeter drink.

The honey comes through clearly, but the dark cherry stops it from feeling too one-note. Together, they create something that feels rich, fruity and slightly dessert-like, with the honey adding smoothness and the cherry adding brightness. The closest comparison we kept coming back to was a sweeter version of a Bakewell tart. You get that cherry-almond-style association, but with more depth from the honey and a sharper fruit finish.

The aftertaste is where the cherry really shows itself. It has a very sharp edge at the end, which might divide people slightly. If you like tart fruit flavours, that sharpness gives the drink character. If you prefer something softer, it may feel a little intense on its own.

How we tried it

We tried Hive Mind Dark Cherry Mead chilled, and it immediately felt like an after-dinner drink.

It is not the kind of drink you would necessarily pour casually without thinking. It feels more like something to sip at the end of a meal, especially if you would usually go for a dessert wine, fruit liqueur or something sweet but not too heavy.

It works well after a Sunday roast, with cheese – as tried and tested by us. It has enough sweetness to feel like a treat, but the cherry brings enough sharpness to stop it becoming flat.

The lemonade trick

One thing we found is that you can soften the sharpness with a splash of lemonade.

This makes the drink lighter, fresher and easier to sip if you want something a bit less intense. It also brings it closer to a long drink, which could work well if you like the flavour but don’t want the full richness of the mead on its own.

With lemonade, it becomes more relaxed and summery. Without lemonade, it is richer and more after-dinner.

Why you should give Hive Mind Dark Cherry Mead a go

It’s the story behind the drink that makes Hive Mind stand out. They’re not just trying to make mead feel nostalgic. They’re trying to make it feel relevant again, using British honey and traditional production methods while giving the category a more modern identity.

Hive Mind’s wider mission is also tied to supporting British honey, beekeepers and pollinator populations. They’re putting British honey back on a pedestal after years of cheaper imported honeys and diluted honey products reducing its value.

That gives the drink a little more purpose. It is not just “here is a cherry mead”; it is part of a bigger attempt to make real honey-based drinks feel more accessible and exciting.

Got a dinner party coming up? Treat yourself to a bottle for the after-dinner tipple. 

Buy Hive Mind Dark Cherry Mead from their website.

Disclaimer: We were gifted this product in exchange for an honest review.