I’ve tried mead on and off for many years – I recall my first time was while watching the extended Lord of the Rings trilogy in 2002, and mostly associating it with National Trust gift shops. Later, I discovered better meads – from the various honey types used by UK and German brewers, to those enhanced with fruit or spices.
When visiting the Crow Inn in February 2024, I spotted a small chalkboard advertising local mead. I gave it a try – it was called Salvation and billed as a traditional mead. It was light and fresh-tasting, and when I enquired about it, I was told the brewer had a taproom in the middle of its soft launch.
Tim Young was an English teacher overseas, teaching in Vietnam when the pandemic hit in 2020. While unable to teach, he began brewing mead. On his return, Tim – originally from Essex – chose Sheffield as his new home. Still home-brewing at the time, he decided in late 2023 to give full-time brewing a go.
Paradise Garage, his meadery, is named after a long-closed nightclub in New York – and each of the meads follows suit. Salvation is Tim’s first and only ‘classic’ mead, with the others becoming increasingly adventurous: Roxy, with blackcurrant and peppercorn; Funhouse, featuring chilli, apricot and hibiscus; and AM/PM, the latest addition, made with plum and Lapsang Souchong tea.
Paradise Garage mead can always be found at the taproom in Merchant’s Court (43 Mowbray St), open Fridays 6–10pm and Saturdays 2–7pm. In keeping with the musical theme, there’s even a record player on hand.
It’s also available by the glass at various Sheffield venues (most commonly the Old Shoe), and Paradise Garage had a stand at the recent Indie Beer Feast – so keep an eye on the website, paradisegaragebrewing.com.
Dan Rowe
