Image of Carnival Rose next to a statue of Phyllis Wheatley in Boston, Massachusetts
Nationwide — Zydeco Meadery, is shining a spotlight this winter season on Carnival Rose, its signature hibiscus mead inspired by the beloved Caribbean and Latin American Christmas drink known as sorrel. Located in Emerald Square Mall and run by four generations of the Depradine family, Zydeco Meadery is a Black-owned brand that blends culture, memory, and craft beverage artistry to reconnect diaspora communities with a cherished seasonal tradition.
Carnival Rose is more than a beverage; it is a story passed down through the Depradine family’s Trinidadian and South Louisiana roots. Crafted using the 98-year-old family matriarch’s recipe for sorrel—a festive hibiscus drink enjoyed across the Caribbean, West Africa, and parts of Latin America—Carnival Rose captures the aromas of hibiscus, holiday spices, and bright tropical cranberry. The mead is lightly sparkling, refreshing, and designed to evoke the flavor, warmth, and nostalgia of Christmas celebrations from Port of Spain to Port-au-Prince, and from Pointe Coupée Parish to Puerto Rico.
“Sorrel is not just a drink, it’s a cultural anchor,” says founder Eric Depradine. “Every Caribbean household has memories of making it during the holiday season. Carnival Rose is our way of honoring that tradition while creating something new that our community can celebrate and share.”
Originally founded in Wamego, Kansas, Zydeco Meadery operated from 2020 to 2023 before relocating to North Attleborough. The business began as a pandemic-era dream as Eric and DeAundra Depradine sought to create meads that reflect their blended Caribbean, New England, and South Louisiana identities. Today, their meads rely on regional honeys such as Louisiana wildflower and Massachusetts knotweed honey, contributing depth, floral notes, and complexity to every batch.
Carnival Rose has quickly become the meadery’s most recognizable cultural offering. For Caribbean, African American, and Latin American families throughout the Northeast, this mead bridges generations. It honors elders, memories of home, and the shared December ritual of boiling dried hibiscus calyces with cloves, cinnamon, ginger, orange peel, and a sweetness that fills the house with scent and anticipation.
This year, Zydeco Meadery invites communities to celebrate the holiday season with a taste that resonates deeply across the diaspora.
“It matters to us that people see their culture represented,” says Depradine. “As a Trinidadian-American family with ties to Lafayette, Louisiana, and Boston’s Villa Victoria neighborhood, we’re proud to create something that honors our heritage while welcoming others to enjoy it.”
Carnival Rose and other Zydeco Meadery products are available at Massachusetts farmers’ markets, select local liquor stores, and online via Vinoshipper.
For more information, visit ZydecoMeadery.net
For press inquiries, contact info@zydecomeadery.net or 774-708-0146
