David Woods loves his Ethiopian heritage.
So much in fact, that he figured he’d recreate some of it here in Tucson by opening the Brill Mead Company.
“It gives me a platform to talk about where I’m from and why it’s unique and special,” said Woods, who produces the mead in the same Midtown space where Mosaic Brewing Company makes beer. “I like sharing the culture and a little of where I’m from.”
Woods’ passion comes in the form of tej, a traditional Ethiopian-style mead that can only be found at Brill.
Brill is the only business in Southern Arizona producing tej.
And unlike mead’s better known cousin, beer, tej goes down much smoother, which Woods attributes to its simple ingredients.
“Instead of wine, which is just grapes mead is just honey-based, so honey, water and yeast,” Woods said.
Woods has been operating Brill, located at 3895 N. Oracle Road, for just over a year.
Brill Mead Company is open Friday through Sunday, from noon until 8 p.m. For more information, visit its website.