Kinsale Mead Co. — Attraction in The Municipal District of Bandon-Kinsale

My wife and I ended up here on our day in Kinsale as we looked to find some relatively Irish things that were off the beaten path--we were so pleased that we came. We were able to get a tour and tasting from Denis and expectations for both were greatly exceeded. Despite experience with plenty of wine tastings and even making our own beer, I found myself learning some interesting things about the very meticulous approach and ingredients that Denis is putting into making the meads here. The explanation of the ties with Irish history and heritage adds the context that helps one appreciate how Dennis is making an product that is a renewal of an Irish heritage.

So here's the important part--the meads themselves--they are outstanding. I've had a few meads presented by accomplished winemakers, but I've never found them particularly compelling--usually too sweet and with some "interesting" flavors. The meads at Kinsale Mead Co. are distinctly elegant and nuanced.

The only downsides--the place is a little tricky to find, especially with google. You have to go to the building that sits behind the Lidl and it is on the far right--its appearance matches that this is a production centered operation. But the search is well worth it and don't let the exterior throw you off--there is quite a good presentation and tasting to be had within. It is walkable from downtown Kinsale, but some would consider it a hike. Lastly, this is not like some places where the experience is free. But the time, effort, and euro spent are well worth it in my opinion. Take a break from the pubs and try something else that has good Irish roots.

Denis's (and company) hospitality were also a great taste of Ireland that I very much appreciated. I look forward...

My husband and I were on vacation and decided to spend a day in Kinsale. I was particularly interested in doing a mead tasting, as I had heard good things about it. The facility isn’t located in the downtown area where the bus drops you off—it's a short walk, but for me, it ended up not being worth it based on how we were treated.

When we arrived, we were told that a tour was about to start and asked if we wanted to join. The tour cost €20, while a tasting on its own was €12. I was only interested in the tasting, so we opted for that.

We were taken to a back room since the tour group was using the front. The tasting felt very rushed. Kate, one of the owners, didn’t seem to be in a good mood, and I got the impression that she would have preferred us to join the tour instead.

Partway through, we were moved into the front room to finish the tasting. My husband and I decided to sit for a bit to consider whether we wanted to buy something—potential gifts for people back home. Then, the couple who had taken the tour returned to the room for their tasting, and we were again asked to move to the back or, essentially, pay and leave.

It was such an odd experience, especially since we had already heard all the tasting information. Why were we being rushed and told to leave?

In the end, I didn’t buy anything—not there and not later when I saw their mead in the market. While the mead was good, it wasn’t worth being...

My wife and I were fortunate to come across Kinsale Mead Co. as part of an optional excursion with Vagabond/Driftwood Tours -- thank you to Eamonn, our wonderful guide for encouraging us to go. We participated in a tour of the facility and were presented with an excellent history of mead in general, but also specific to Ireland. Then on to the tasting! Now, I've tried many, many types of alcohol in my life, but never mead. Let me tell you that few drinks are as smooth as mead. It is sneaky -- at 12% or 13% alcohol by volume (depending on which flavor), you'd think that you would certainly taste the alcohol, but no. So delicious and easy to drink. Naturally, we had to buy a couple bottles of our favorites that we sampled, which for us were the Wild Red Mead and the Hazy Summer Mead, but really they were all delicious. Kate Dempsey was well prepared and of course had padded bottle protectors for our flight home, so no worries there. The bottles arrived home safe and sound. A big thank you to Kate and Denis for your warmth, your hospitality, and your excellent mead. If you're reading this and you have the opportunity to travel to Kinsale, make sure to add this stop...