One question we get asked a lot is, "Why the name Rebel hive?"  It all starts with my journey into mead, which actually began with beer.  As an undergrad in college, I drank what everyone drank... the cheapest beer I could find (typically anything that was free).  It wasn't until my last year in college that I had my first craft beer and really enjoyed it.  In my defense, it was 2010 and craft beer was just starting to become popular.  I still remember the guy in college that drank those "weird" beers. 

It All Started With Homebrewing.

As I entered into graduate school, I became interested in homebrewing.  Applying my knowledge of chemistry to my newfound love of craft beer seemed like a perfect fit.  However, it wasn't until my second year in graduate school that a new guy, and now life-long friend, joined our grad group and introduced me to everything homebrewing.  From the first time brewing, I was hooked!  Now, if you know anything about brewers, you'll know they love to ferment anything they can get their hands on... and I was no different! 

Malted Grains?  Of course!

Grapes?  Sure thing!

Blackberries?  Yep!

Pumpkin?  I'm in!

Maple syrup?  Yes, please!

In my search for new sugar sources to ferment, the idea of fermenting honey kept coming up over and over.  What was this thing I kept reading about ... mead???  The oldest drink in human history?  The drink spread by the Vikings and drank by royalty?  Of course, I had to try my hand at it!

There Wasn't Good Mead On The Market.

My first batch of mead was, let's just say, undrinkable.  I then tried what was available at the PA liquor stores.  What was available at the time wasn't much better than the stuff I made.  My thought was, "I must not like mead".  Then Mike Manning, owner of The Colony Meadery, held a get together for National Mead Day.  At this gathering, many people brought homemade meads, some of which blew me away!  It was the first time I tried mead and not only loved it, but also wanted to drink more.  After that day, I read all I could to improve my own meadmaking abilities.  I began improving my recipes and winning some awards.  Finally, my big break came in 2015 when I won best of show at a mead only competition.  One of the judges spoke to me afterward and asked, "When are you opening commercially? That was the best stuff I ever had!"  That was all it took for me to take this serious and begin my plans for a meadery.

It Was Time To Take This Serious.

I had recipes, I had a vision in my head, and I began my business plan, but I was missing one key component... a name.  I struggled through many different ideas, but none of them stood out to me.  I knew I wanted something short and catchy that related in someway to the honey that we use in our products.  I also wanted to stay away from the viking or medieval theme.  So like any great mead entrepreneur who needs to think creatively, I decided to have friends over to drink some mead!  At this mead party, a group of us were throwing around ideas and then it happened.  I still don't remember who said it first, but someone threw out the name, "Hive Rebellion".  I liked the idea of it, but it didn't roll off the tongue quite right.  Then I remembered that scene from "The Social Network" where Sean Parker is out to dinner with Mark Zuckerberg.  As Sean is walking out of the restaurant, he turns to Mark and says, "Drop the 'The.'  Just 'Facebook.'  It's Cleaner."  Call it divine intervention or a whole lot of mead, but when that scene popped into my head it made me think of the name, "Rebel Hive." 

Rebel Hive Was Born

From that point on, the name Rebel Hive stuck.  It was short and easy to remember, it related our name to honeybees in the "Hive", and it was downright cool!  From the start, our meadery was rebelling against the standard drinks on the market.  We were rebelling against beer... who wants another IPA?  We were rebelling against wine... boring!  We were rebelling against liquor... I'll pass on the hangover, thanks.  Instead Rebel Hive was bringing something to the market that the world hasn't seen in centuries, a refreshing, drinkable, and exciting alcohol product made from honey!  So the next time you share some Rebel Hive, know that you are part of our rebellion as well!  And this rebellion is one delicious journey!