One of the world’s earliest alcoholic drinks is making a strong comeback thanks to Game of Thrones.

Mead is now becoming a hip drink with it being produced in the UK and North America by either breweries looking to add to their line-up, or stand-alone meaderies.

Ten years ago, there were around 150 meaderies in the US. Today, that’s up to roughly 500, plus 200 more awaiting federal license approval. In the UK and Canada numbers are up as well.

There are even some big players involved as well. Anheuser-Busch is making a low-calorie 3.5% ABV mead called  ‘b’ – get it, as in ‘Bee’. This comes in two flavours, honey and blueberry, and honey and cherry. The irony is with this, it is being marketed as an alternative to Bud Light, which in its medieval-theme commercials, takes the micky out of mead drinkers.

In Wales, beekeeper Matt Newell and his brother Kit are making mead Wye Valley Meadery. According to the BBC, Matt spent months testing recipes, before hiring space in local brewery Baa.

The brothers produce 2,000 litres (about 3,500 pints) of sparkling 5.5% ABV mead a month, which comes in a variety of flavours.

The drink, which has a 5.5% alcohol content and comes in a variety of flavours.

Matt told the BBC: “Some people don’t know what mead is or even that it comes from honey.

“But it is often popular with modern craft beer drinkers, and also female customers. We plan on making a low or non-alcoholic version soon, as this is where the demand is. We hope to help bring mead back into the mainstream and raise knowledge of the importance of bees too.”

For the BBC’s complete story, to here.