Driven by a passion for the land, and for producing delicious and ethical beverages from pure native ingredients, Sunlight Liquor’s founders Tom O’Reilly and Eddy Collett set out to craft a modern take on traditional sparkling mead – one of the world’s oldest forms of alcohol – using similar concepts and methods to that of making wine, craft beer and gin. The duo source high-quality honey based on its region and variety – just like wine, and the recipes use pure ingredients with no preservatives – just like craft beer. Then, the honey is matched and infused with botanical elements, just like modern-day gin.

The result? A sparkling, almost wine-like beverage that balances sweet and dry with a subtle honey flavour. It comes in a tin (woo) and is intentionally crafted to be a refreshing and sessionable sip. There are two varieties so far – there’s Gums and Roses, made from raw gum honey, native strawberry gum (from Tenterfield) and organic hibiscus flower, which is said to be a homage to sparkling rosé. Then there’s the Sparkling Orange Blossom, made from orange blossom honey, bergamont oranges and organic tea, which is slowly fermented to create a clean and aromatic citrus-inspired sip with subtle sweetness. You know the best part? Honey is the hero – so by sipping sparkling mead, you’re giving a gratuitous high five to all of the honeybees out there that are sustaining our entire ecosystem. You can purchase sparkling mead tinnies direct from the Sunlight Liquor website.