During its June 2 meeting, county council approved a conditional-use application for a meadery microbrewery to manufacture honey wine filed by John Talkington and Robert Walker on a 3-acre parcel along Route 9 near Coolspring Road.

Once the final site plan is approved by the planning and zoning commission, the first meadery in the state can start operation.

The proposed project includes two buildings – one for manufacturing and a second for tastings and product and merchandise sales. The meadery plans to host private parties, tours and sample tastings.

Walker said the business would start on a small scale producing about 2,000 gallons – or 800 cases – of honey wine the first year.

On the recommendation of the planning and zoning commission, the building site was moved from the western side of the triangular parcel to the wider, eastern side of the parcel.

The wine – made of honey, water and yeast – is stored in barrels and takes approximately three months to ferment. Called the ancestor of all fermented drinks, mead – or honey wine – dates back at least 8,000 years.

Walker said to start there would be no mechanized production line; bottling would be done by hand. He said the bottling process can be turned into an event, with opportunities for volunteers to get involved. Honey wine would be available on draft and in growlers, by the bottle and glass and eventually in kegs.

The popularity of honey wine is growing with more than 150 meadery microbreweries in the United States, up 130 percent from three years ago. The nearest one is in Baltimore.