In the ancient world, honey was usually the only sweet food available, and highly prized because of this. Heortlings grow sugarbeet as well, but honey is still a highly prized and unique foodstuff that is required for all sorts of necessities, such as mead. While it would be a rare and blessed stead that could specialise in honey, it would be IMO a very rare stead that didn't have a hive or two. While beekeeping *is* difficult, in a stead where you produce 95%+ of all your food and goods, it is no more difficult than other necessary skills. Finally, a bee is one of the few animals depicted in Storm Tribe, and beekeeping is a Minlister cult skill. While there may be *some* steads without a brewer, it would be a sad and gloomy 'cold comfort' stead to live in. :)
John
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