Shalom Bringher, a resident of Kibbutz Malkia in the Upper Galilee, refers to himself as “The Alchemist,” almost without a hint of humor. It’s more than a brand name, it’s a precise characterization of his work. Bringher raises bees, “a hobby that got out of control,” he says. The honey Bringher collects does not make it to the jar. Instead, he ferments it, distills it and uses it to make mead, a honey wine which then gives birth to arak and gin.
