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Downtown Ann Arbor will be awash in honey wine when Bløm Meadworks opens its doors next week. The meadery located at 100 S. Fourth Ave. will host a grand opening from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, featuring meads and ciders on tap and in the can as well as sodas made in-house.
While Michigan has its fair share of meaderies, Bløm (pronounced “bloom”) will be the first in Ann Arbor. Matthew Ritchey and Lauren Bloom are the partners behind the new meadery. Ritchey earned his brewing stripes as a partner in Begyle Brewing Company in Chicago but after learning he had a gluten allergy began to venture into mead — a naturally gluten-free fermented honey beverage. Bloom was a former vice president and board member at Slow Food Chicago.
Bløm is located in a 3,000-sqaure-foot space at the base of the Courthouse Senior Apartments, according to MLive. The meadery is reportedly focusing on drier styles of mead using honey sourced from Michigan apiaries. The meads will be offered in four different varieties alongside cider and cyser (a mixture of mead and cider). Customers can pair their drinks with pre-made cheese plates or bring in their own takeout from neighboring restaurants.
Bløm Meadworks is located at 100 South 4th Avenue, Suite 110; open 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
• Meadery in Downtown Ann Arbor Announces Grand Opening in May [MLive]
• Bløm Meadworks to Make a 2018 Debut in Ann Arbor [ED]
• All Ann Arbor Coverage [ED]