Honey wine, rum, and beer in one day. This 7-hour Kingman crawl from Laughlin is built around Hive Five Meadery and a real distillery stop, then ends with a brewery visit and lunch. I like how it packs big variety into a small-day rhythm, without turning it into a rushed tasting marathon.

I also love the feel of the day: guides like Michael, Wil, and Kevin show up with energy and solid local context, and the group size stays small (up to 12). If you have a sensitive stomach or you do not want to taste alcohol, this may feel like a lot, because the tour includes alcoholic beverages across multiple stops.

Key highlights you’ll care about

• Mead at Hive Five: honey wine with modern flavors like mango and chocolate-covered strawberry
• Cella Winery tasting: you can taste up to 4 wines made from oldest Kingman vines, in traditional oak barrels
• Desert Diamond Distillery behind-the-scenes: a guided look at how rum and vodka are made at Arizona’s oldest craft distillery
• Black Bridge Brewery stop: beer sampling in a microbrewery setting with recipes that go beyond basic
• Lunch included in Kingman: lunch is covered, with options like Sirins Cafe on some days

Route 66 to Kingman: a day with three different drinks, not one theme

This is the kind of outing I like: you start with something you may not know well (mead), then switch gears to spirits with a shop-floor tour, and finish with beer. Instead of one repeated style, you get a real tasting triangle: honey-based drinks, distilled liquors, and craft beer.

The pacing matters. With about 2 hours allocated for transportation, the rest of your day is spent where it counts—at the places doing the making and the sampling. Each stop gets real time, with Hive Five giving you about 1 hour 30 minutes and the other two tasting stops clocking in at about 1 hour each.

And Kingman itself is the quiet payoff. You are not just driving through scenery for scenery’s sake. You are spending time in Route 66 country with local producers that feel built for people, not just for tourists.

Getting picked up in Laughlin and why the small group matters

The tour starts at 9:00 am in the Laughlin area and returns you back to the meeting point. If you stay at the big-casino zone, pickup is offered at the New Pioneer Hotel and Casino (2200 S Casino Dr) and the Regency Casino (1950 S Casino Dr). You will ride in an air-conditioned vehicle, and you get bottled water included.

The group size cap (maximum 12 people) is a big part of why this works. It makes it easier for your guide to steer the day, answer questions, and keep each tasting stop from turning into a waiting room.

Also, small-group tours help with the social part of tasting days. If you like meeting folks while you sample, you will get that chance without feeling like you are part of a crowd. Several groups have praised guides for keeping conversation going and making the day feel fun and informative.

Hive Five Meadery: honey wine with mango, cherry, and chocolate vibes

Hive Five Meadery is your first stop, and it is a standout because mead is not something most people try often. This is Mohave County, Arizona’s first and only meadery, and they frame mead as honey wine with a very old pedigree—then they make it modern enough for today’s palates.

Here’s what you can expect on the tasting side. You will get to sample mead with flavor options like mango, black cherry vanilla, and chocolate-covered strawberry (among others). That flavor range is exactly why this stop feels approachable. Even if you assume mead tastes like one thing, the tasting format nudges you to notice the differences in sweetness, fruit character, and how honey flavor comes through.

This is also a good first stop because it sets context before you go to rum, vodka, and beer. Once you have had a few meads, you start picking up how ingredients and fermentation shape the final drink.

One practical note: because you will also taste wine here (more on that next), take your time. Sip, compare, and pace yourself. Water is included on the ride, but you still want to keep your head clear for the rest of the day.

Cella Winery & Vineyard tastings: up to four wines from old Kingman vines

At Hive Five, you do not just get mead. You also get wine tasting time with Cella Winery & Vineyard. You can taste up to 4 wines, and the wines are crafted from the oldest vines in Kingman.

The details I like here are specific: they grow over 4 acres of vines and 7 varietals in Kingman, and they make the wines locally in traditional oak barrels. That matters because it gives you a more grounded picture of what you are tasting. Oak aging changes how you experience tannins and texture, and having multiple varietals in one session helps you connect those dots fast.

If you like comparing styles, this is a nice setup. You can go from sweeter, fruit-forward profiles to drier, more structured ones without having to hop across town again.

Possible drawback: combining mead and up to 4 wines at the first stop means you might feel the day’s drinking volume right away. If you want lighter sampling, be strategic early—pick a couple meads you want to repeat and save your strongest wine opinions for the later tastings.

Desert Diamond Distillery: rum and vodka, plus a real tour

Next up is Desert Diamond Distillery, described as Arizona’s oldest craft distillery. It is tucked into an inconspicuous spot near the Kingman Airport, so from the outside it does not look like much. But inside, you get the point of a distillery tour: seeing the process behind what ends up in the bottle.

The tastings here focus on their award-winning, premium hand-crafted rum and vodka. You also get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour, which is usually where the value is. It turns the day from just sampling into learning how production steps affect flavor.

Some groups have also mentioned extras that go beyond spirits. During the visit, you might encounter other items the distillery sells, like flavored olive oils, and you could see discussions around old oak barrels used for aging. One group also reported tasting vinegar and oils during the distillery portion. If that sounds like your kind of curiosity, this stop will likely feel extra fun.

Overall, this is a good middle stop. After the honey and wine, spirits feel like a sharper shift. And before beer, you get that distilled comparison in place.

Black Bridge Brewery: microbrews and a chance to sample different styles

Your final tasting stop is Black Bridge Micro Brewery in Kingman. They are known for beer that is not just basic recipes, and the microbrewery setting keeps the mood casual.

This is where you get to slow down a touch and enjoy the day without adding new categories. Instead of learning a production process again, you focus on tasting beer and comparing styles.

One detail I found especially useful from real-world experiences: some groups do a flight of six beers. That format is a smart way to sample without committing to one beer. Even if your pour lineup differs, the idea stays the same—you can taste a range and decide what you actually want to buy later.

If you are feeling a little “done” by then, beer can still work because it is a different texture and intensity compared to spirits. Plus, you will typically still have food in the day plan through the lunch stop that comes after or near this portion.

Kingman lunch: Sirins Cafe on some days, Grand Canyon Brewery on others

Lunch is included, and it happens in Kingman. The exact place can depend on the day of your tour.

On some departures, lunch is at Sirins Cafe, described as one of the top 100 places to eat. Other days, lunch goes to Arizona’s famous Grand Canyon Brewery. Either way, it is on us.

I like that the plan treats lunch as a real break, not an afterthought. Several experiences mention sandwiches and salads, and that the food felt fresh and filling. When a tour includes multiple tasting sessions, a solid lunch is what keeps the whole day enjoyable instead of just numbing.

Practical tip for timing: because tastings happen earlier and lunch is later, keep your water sips steady. The day is built for tasting, but you still want to feel good enough to enjoy the last stops.

Price and value: what $230 buys you in real tasting time

At $230 per person, this tour is not a bargain-basement deal. But it is priced like a day where you are paying for transportation plus multiple producer experiences and the alcohol itself.

Here’s what makes it feel like value rather than a simple outing:

• Multiple included tastings across different drink categories (mead, wine, rum/vodka, and beer)
• Lunch included
• Bottled water and an air-conditioned vehicle
• A small group size (up to 12), which usually means your guide time is not swallowed by crowds

Also, at a day-trip length (about 7 hours), you are not spending half the time in transit. You get roughly 2 hours for transportation, and the rest is concentrated at the actual stops.

So if you love food-and-drink tours and you enjoy learning how beverages are made, the price starts to make sense. If you do not drink much, you may feel the cost is heavier than you want. The tour includes alcoholic beverages, so you should think about how you plan to pace.

Who this tour suits best (and who might want to skip it)

This is a great fit if you:

• Want a single day in Kingman that covers mead, distilling, and craft beer
• Like tours where the guide keeps the story going at each stop
• Enjoy tasting as a way to learn, not just to collect sips

You might want to think twice if:

• You want a mostly food-focused tour with minimal alcohol
• You get overwhelmed by multiple tastings in one day
• You prefer shopping or sightseeing only, not production tours

One more “yes” factor: people have repeatedly praised the guide experience. Names that come up include Michael, Wil, and Kevin, with comments about being informative and making the day enjoyable. That kind of guide chemistry matters on tasting days, because it affects pacing, explanations, and whether you feel relaxed or herded.

Should you book this Kingman spirits and mead day from Laughlin?

Book it if you want a structured, high-sampling day that actually teaches you something along the way. The mix of Hive Five mead plus a distillery tour plus a brewery stop keeps the day from feeling repetitive, and the included lunch helps you stay comfortable.

Skip it if you prefer low-key experiences with no real drinking focus. Since alcoholic beverages are part of the package and the tastings begin right away, the day is built for people who enjoy trying different drinks.

If you do book, I’d plan to go in curious, not competitive. Compare flavors, ask questions, and pace your sips. That’s the easiest way to enjoy all three stops without feeling heavy by the end.

FAQ

What is the duration of the Wine & Mead Tasting, Distillery and Brewery Tour?

It runs for about 7 hours.

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts in Laughlin, NV 89029, USA, and ends back at the meeting point.

What time does the tour start?

The start time is 9:00 am.

Is pickup offered, and where?

Yes. Pickup is offered at the New Pioneer Hotel and Casino and the Regency Casino (both in Laughlin).

How many stops are included?

There are four main parts: Hive Five Meadery, Desert Diamond Distillery, Black Bridge Brewery, and a lunch stop in Kingman.

What’s included in the price?

Bottled water, alcoholic beverages, lunch, and air-conditioned vehicle transportation are included.

Can I taste wine and mead at the first stop?

Yes. At Hive Five Meadery you can taste mead, and you can also taste up to 4 wines from Cella Winery & Vineyard.

What does the distillery portion include?

You get a behind-the-scenes tour at Desert Diamond Distillery, along with tastings of their rum and vodka.

What group size should I expect?

The tour has a maximum of 12 travelers.

What is the cancellation policy?

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

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