When businesses grow and have the desire to scale, it is common for brands and companies to yield to economic interests, opting to make choices that guarantee a longer shelf life of their products with preservatives artificially added after the fermentation of the drink. Even organic wines accept some amounts of sulfites, most of which use sulfur dioxide, due to their potential preservative effects.
It is worth mentioning that sulfites are a natural by-product of fermentation, since yeasts and sugar, in addition to creating carbon dioxide (CO2) and alcohol, also create minimal amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO2). Therefore, all fermented beverages have some sulfites in their composition, however it is the sulfites artificially added by the industry that can be toxic. The ingestion of high amounts can cause, among other things, headaches and abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, as well as severe asthmatic reactions and, they raise suspicions about their cancer potential.
Odemel Mead is 100% natural since its production is purely through the natural fermentation of quality honey, mineral water, fruits and spices. We do not add sulfites, which requires a high standard of quality in the monitoring and maturation of our products. In the same way that we do not add alcohol to speed up the fabrication process – all of our mead has a minimum maturation of 12 to 18 months, with some of the flavors reaching a minimum of 24 months. The maximum concentration of alcohol in beverages that are naturally fermented is approximately 15-16%, therefore, drinks with higher alcohol content use techniques of adding concentrated alcohol or through distillation.
We want to be part of a more humane and conscious economy, either through a close relationship with our people (customers, suppliers, partners), or through our systemic socio-environmental awareness. Our process is purposefully handcrafted – with as few machines as possible – and our Mead Odemel is 100% Natural.