Garret Ellison, The Grand Rapids Press

In Greek, the word "Arktos" means "bear." Based on the alcohol-by-volume content of mead out now from the new Arktos Meadery of Grand Rapids, you might need the tolerance of one to drink it.

Maciej Halaczkiewicz, a former nuclear submarine technician from Oak Park, began distributing initial bottle shipments last week from his new venture Arktos, currently Grand Rapids' only mead-making operation, according to The Grand Rapids Press.

At the moment, 500-ml bottles of "Queen Bee," a traditional style of mead aged in oak barrels, can be found at Siciliano's Market, Martha's Vineyard and The Crushed Grape specialty beverage stores in Grand Rapids.

Queen Bee is Arktos' flagship brand, something Halaczkiewicz described as his take on an ancient style of alcohol that's enjoyed a resurgence of interest in recent years as craft beer and ciders gain nationwide market share.

"I wanted to go back to a traditional drink, something reminiscent of the beverage they would have drank thousands of years ago," said Halaczkiewicz, who ages his meads at Arktos' facility.

The alcohol-by-volume percentage of Arktos meads is high compared to typical meads available on Michigan taps and store shelves, which generally clock in around 5% to 10%. Queen Bee hits 15% and that's not even the strongest variety Halaczkiewicz is making.

Arktos has label approval for two "melomels," or fruit-based meads that Halaczkiewicz plans to begin distributing in the coming months. One, "Black Stripe," is made with strawberries and another, "Three Bears," with blueberries. Both reach into the 20% range, giving them a drinkability similar to port.

Other planned Arktos mead varieties include pumpkin pie and apple cider.

Halaczkiewicz's current production capacity is about 2,000 gallons, or about 12,000 bottles per year. Each batch takes 9 months to a year to ferment and age, with optimal taste at 18 months to three years of aging, he said.

Mead is essentially wine made from honey instead of grapes. The basic mixture calls for water, yeast and honey, with fruit and spices added to certain recipes.

Halaczkiewicz, who began experimenting with meads a couple years ago after discharge from the U.S. Navy, earned a home brewing medal for his mead last year, prompting him to explore the craft as a viable business. He served in the Navy between 2007 and 2011, mostly aboard the USS Oklahoma, a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine. Having grown up in Macomb Township, Halaczkiewicz graduated from Grand Valley State University with a degree in geography last year.

He got a silver medal for his honey apple crisp cyser at the Mazer Cup this year, a Boulder, Colorado, competition that functions as mead's biggest award show.

Mead-making was initially a side-job, but "I'm fully committed now," he said.

Although mead is technically a wine, it's generally been more popular with beer drinkers. Grand Rapids' heady microbrew scene helped Halaczkiewicz choose the city as home base, he said. If the business grows, a mead-hall somewhere is an eventual goal.

As far as the name, Halaczkiewicz said he's been fascinated with bears ever since he was a kid. "I thought it would be a fitting name," he said. "Bears love honey."

Editors Notes: This is an AP Member Exchange shared by The Grand Rapids Press.