The Colony Meadery produces a modern version of an ancient honey-based alcoholic beverage called mead. Their canned session meads are a popular selection during the summer months. Find them at the Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market in Hellertown from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays. Pictured: Owners Greg Heller-LaBelle and Mike Manning outside their Allentown location.
One of the more unique vendors at the Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, The Colony Meadery, serves up its innovative and award-winning meads there each week.
As a meadery, The Colony is a type of winery that makes an alcoholic beverage from honey. Since the alcohol is made from honey and not grains or grapes, it is naturally gluten-free and easier for the body to metabolize than other forms of alcohol.
It is also a very adaptable form of alcohol, according to The Colony’s co-founder and mead maker, Mike Manning.
“Our products are extremely versatile, mainly because we have ultimate control over the sugar content of the must before fermentation,” Manning said. “If we want more sweetness in the finished product or a higher alcohol content, we use more honey in the honey and water solution.”
During the summer months, The Colony Meadery’s canned session meads are very popular.
“Most of them are light-bodied with refreshing flavors and a slight effervescence,” Manning said.
In the Colony Meadery’s first year of competitions, their meads won 13 medals across three different national mead judged events. Their award-winning meads are on sale at the Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market in Hellertown every Sunday.
Another great summertime mead is a new release called Pass the Mead to the Left Hand Side.
“It is inspired by Jamaican Jerk cooking and is flavored with pineapple, mango, spices and a hint of habanero to give it some kick,” Manning said of the mead released in early June.
The Colony Meadery has been working hard to follow CDC guidelines for keeping its staff and customers safe in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
“Each market we participate in has its own special rules, so we have dedicated representatives for each market,” Manning said.
The meadery also hosts two physical locations. The Hive is their Allentown location, which is more similar to a typical brewery taproom. Located in a former Mack Truck factory, the Hive offers a variety of mead options such as flights, slushies, drafts and bottles. The Colony Meadery will also be resuming limited tours at the Hive on July 11.
Colony South Bethlehem at 211 E. Third St., Bethlehem, is currently open only on weekends. It offers lite fare such as sandwiches and salads to pair with mead offerings.
The Colony Meadery is now allowing patrons inside their Hive location as the county enters the green phase of reopening, they announced in a June 30 Facebook post. The Hive is in the Bridgeworks Enterprise Center at 905 Harrison Street in Allentown.
Social distancing and face masks are required to enter the meadery, and outdoor seating will still be available as well, according to the post.
Be sure to follow The Colony Meadery’s Facebook and Instagram pages to receive all of their news and updates.
The Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market is open every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., from early May through late November. The first hour of shopping is reserved for seniors and individuals considered to be at high risk for developing complications from Covid-19. The market is held next to the Hellertown Area Library at 409 Constitution Avenue, Hellertown. For regular updates, visit and follow the market on Facebook and Instagram.
For more information about this year’s vendors, check out our other recent spotlight profiles of Red Door Coffee Roaster, Carey’s Specialty Meats, Moon Gate Farms, High Point Kombucha, Mainly Mushrooms and Epic Acre Farm.
