Zymarium Meadery — Restaurant in Orlando

I would come here everyday if I lived in Florida. This is not a joke and this is not a drill

I had a one day trip due to business and this place had been saved on my to go list since I saw that they were opening soon while I lived there. I had a flight at 7 AM, got to be at the airport by 5 AM, I got there by 9:30/10 PM? and stayed until closing (12 AM) haha.... It wasn't too busy as it was a week day but there was still fair amount of people but not loud and obnoxious like your typical bar.

Everyone, you don't understand this feeling I'm feeling until you go there. The staff and Ginger (the owner) were incredibly sweet, intentional, fun, enthusiastic, and personable. 100000/10 :)

They have plenty of mead options for everyone. From dry to hella sweet to somewhere in between to sparkling to sake like to seasonal items, I can go on. Not to mention, they keep coming out with new flavors??? I need a subscription... once I have enough money haha.

While I was there I ordered a flight and after conversing with the bartenders, I told Alex (bartender) the 2 drinks I definitely wanted on my flight and the rest I leave up to him as I was feeling adventurous. He picked items I would have never picked but he gave me a good array of drinks, giving me a peak into the different selections. I didn't finish one of the meads as it was too sour for me haha but all the other ones, I nursed and I drank and I wished I had more. And... if someone ever tells you mead is weak in alcohol... don't believe them. The flight of 5 drinks had me at a good buzz. Plus it's not a sample size - it's a decent amount of liquid in there. tip, get a dry sake type mead to kinda "wash" your palate. I really liked doing that to offset the uber sweetness of one of them. Thanks Alex for picking that one for me

The bartenders were generous with providing samples and I wish I had a full glass of the sparkling lychee one and the blackberry/raspberry mead after having samples... but I had to drive and still had enough on my flight.

I love how they partner with local business (Lineage coffee roasters) and I love how they are intentional about sourcing their honey as well.

Funny enough - they had a masseuse in at that day and the first 3 people for the first 5 minutes were free and lucky for me I was the third person. I added on another 5 minutes and paid the man. He was sweet and a great conversationalist. It wasn't an amazing massage (keep in mind its 10 minutes on one of those sitting type bench you see in airports) but relaxing none the less and a nice little touch to the place.

Bonus: There were no creeps and I felt very safe. It wasn't too loud and it wasn't too overwhelming. The place wasn't too bright nor too dark... It's weird... the place is dark, walls black, yet it was almost... cozy? :)

Price - I'm not complaining - rather I can't. You're getting premium quality stuff from a local family owned store. None of that corporate mumbo jumbo. They are conscious of how they source and how they create their drinks. You won't find mead like this anywhere else. Like I said... I'd come here everyday if I could.

Bathrooms clean & decorations very on point. Ginger does an amazing job with decor. Each bathroom has a different design too :D

I can go on and on about this place (clearly with my crazy rambling review).

But also - To the staff and owners - Thank you from the bottom of my heart. That night was so very needed more than you realize and I thoroughly enjoyed my time.

I'll be back for sure! Whenever that may be haha Until then I'm sending all my...

I’ll echo others’ voices that the atmosphere is chic. The aesthetic lends a dark and underground vibe, likely owing to one of the owners’ design expertise. Cool and appreciated.

On to the specs: I’m a mead lover and critic (amateur) and would defend staunchly the statement that “the fermentations are healthy and as a result the products are high-quality”. Temperature is also a factor in customers’ perception of the flavor and quality, and most (if not all) of their meads were served slightly chilled from a tap. Nice.

To sum up, the mead is good, the variety broad, and the mead list prolific, all of which are appreciated.

On to my “constructive” criticisms:

Given that there is a lot of care and attention to detail put not only into the product but also the ambience, I assume the owners understand their customer base’s preferences better than I, which is why I kept this a 5-star review. But to get me to return to a meadery and continue patronising for years to come, I want more variety in the sweetness levels.

I found most of the meads to be very sweet, despite trying three that were not labeled as “sweet”, but rather as “semi-sweet” or “dry”. I ordered a glass of the latter after my initial tasting. Those labeled as “sweet” struck me as extremely sweet, and those labeled as “semi-sweet” I would have called “sweet”, and not for lack of acid balance.

I do like sweet mead, but I need palate cleansers in the form of something drier. I enjoyed the gallberry blossom traditional and the Florida autumn something-or-other (both described as semi-sweet if my memory serves me). I would have liked to see twice as many meads of that sweetness level, since, again, they were all of good quality. In order to spend as much as I would have had to to take a bottle home with me, I would want to see more drier items...

Zymarium Meadery, a newer establishment in Mills, has swiftly become a personal favorite after my two visits! The clean and spacious layout immediately caught my attention, providing a comfortable and inviting environment to savor many delectable mead options.

One of the first things that struck me was the cleanliness and the ample space available. The space is well-maintained and spacious interior creates a relaxed setting, perfect for enjoying their wide array of mead offerings.

Zymarium boasts an impressive selection of meads, offering a diverse range that caters to various tastes. From traditional classics to more innovative and experimental flavors, their selection is vast and delightful. The quality and variety speak volumes about their dedication to crafting top-notch mead.

The occasional presence of food trucks adds another layer of charm to the experience. It's a fantastic complement to the mead selection, providing diverse culinary options to pair with the drinks. However, the smaller parking lot might pose a challenge during busier times, leading to potential difficulties in finding street parking.

The staff at Zymarium Meadery is not only knowledgeable but also incredibly friendly. Their enthusiasm for their craft is evident, and they're always willing to assist in finding the perfect mead or offering recommendations based on preferences.

For mead enthusiasts and newcomers alike, Zymarium Meadery is...