Bløm Meadworks makes a good case for ordering mead on your next downtown night out. The South Fourth Avenue taproom ferments honey into light, bubbly drinks, with a dryness closer to craft cider than the thick sweetness you might expect. Say “bloom” when you order.
Owners Lauren and Matt moved back to Michigan to open the business, bringing experience in local food advocacy and brewing. Michigan farmers supply the ingredients for their ciders and meads, and the draft list follows the harvest.
The October lineup includes Pear Ginger Cider, made with Michigan apples and pears fermented with fresh ginger. Apple Cyser combines wildflower honey with an apple cider blend, while Black Currant Mead gets its tart berry flavor from more than 300 pounds of currants. All of the ciders and meads are naturally gluten-free. If you’re skipping alcohol, try the house-made switchel soda with apple cider vinegar, honey, and rotating fruit.
There’s enough food here to make an evening of it. The Michigan cheese plate comes with Food For Thought jam, Brinery pickles, and Tasty Bakery gluten-free crackers. Ellen’s Fine Goods and Juicy Kitchen prepare the warm dishes and sweets, with a rotating menu that has included hand pies and strawberry cake topped with burnt honey buttercream. A Mindo chocolate flight gives you four chocolates to try alongside your drink. Those are sample offerings, so check the food menu for what’s available.
Grab a board game while you’re there. The taproom also hosts film screenings, performances, and workshops, and you can watch the fermentation process happening on site. Check the event calendar before you go, especially if you want something more planned than a drink after dinner.
Find Bløm at 100 S. Fourth Ave., next to the Fourth & Washington parking structure. Drivers can enter the garage from Washington.
