AMERICAN MAKER THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEAD MAKERS ASSOCIATION ISSUE 14.3 - FALL 2014

EFFECTIVE MEAD MARKETING ARTESANO MEADERY PUMPKIN SPICE MEAD LEGISLATION UPDATE

A STORY THAT STARTS WITH A RETURN HOME

AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 1 AMERICAN MEAD MAKER Issue 14.3 - FALL 2014

FEATURES COLUMNS

THE COLONY 5 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT MEADERY A story that starts 6 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 08 with a return home 18 EXPERT MEAD PAIRING EFFECTIVE MEAD 26 MEAD REVIEW MARKETING 10 First Steps 28 MEAD LEGISLATION UPDATE 32 AMMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS PUMPKIN SPICE 33 AMMA MEADERY LIST 14 A Seasonal Favorite

ARTESANO MEADERY 22 At Home In Vermont

2 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 3 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

What an exciting year this has stacked up Mr Paul Reiss, a graphics artist by trade, out that the to be! The biggest thing to happen I would who donated his time and talent to Association is say was our Legislative Committee made create it. Paul also volunteers to do the only 2.5 years old a house call on the Alcohol and Tobacco layout for this Journal and is working this month, yet we Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) on August with our webmistress, Cheryl Webber, have far exceeded the original timeline. 5th to discuss the recent growth in the to update the Associations webpage This is due to the efforts and energies industry and present them with the defi- using current technology. You will start brought to the table by all of our volun- nition of mead, which the AMMA adopt- to see the new logo on all Association teers who have spent their own time and ed at our last Annual Meeting and to ask media over the next few months as we money to come together and improve that they accept it as a matter of policy. upgrade our corporate identity. Also, the industry for the benefit of all. I have As of this writing they have not made a new membership cards are in the works such great hopes and expectations for the decision or published a policy, however, with the new logo. Some of you have been coming year and look forward to working the last word we received was that “they waiting some time for your membership with each of you and to meeting you all as are working on a draft FAQs and will cards and we appreciate your patience. we pursue this crazy dream called Mead. have a response for us in the near term.” There have been a lot of changes which WASSAIL! Of course these things require money, for have taken more time than planned. which many of you have made contri- Other big events you should be following Chris Webber butions to the legislative fund. I want to in the coming months include the Intro- President take a minute and show our appreciation duction to Mead Making Course on No- American Mead Makers Association and recognition to the Mead Free or Die vember 4th & 5th at UC Davis, The Mazer Mead Competition, put on by Moon- Cup International Mead Competition light Meadry. This year they donated this coming March in Boulder, CO and the the entire proceeds of the competition Craft Beverage Expo in Santa Clara, CA to this cause. Your contribution will go in May 2015, which the Association will a long way to improve the industry. be playing a much bigger part in this year.

In other big news you will notice through- As a matter of perspective I want to point out this issue our new logo. Thanks to AMERICAN MEAD MAKER Issue 14.3 - FALL 2014

4 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 5 AMERICAN MEAD MAKER Issue 14.3 - FALL 2014

EDITOR LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Jeff Herbert [email protected] Jeff has been working as a Wildland and Structure Fire Fighter/Paramedic since 1999. He is a founding member of The seasons have changed, even in Arizona. Welcome to A driving force of the craft beverage experience is the human AMMA and has owned and operated Superstition Meadery the Fall issue of American Mead Maker. It is a great season desire to be connected to the food and drink that they con- in Prescott, Arizona since 2012. for enjoying a Methyglyn so I believe I will pour myself a sume. Once this connection is made locally mead becomes glass of the pumpkin mead we have on tap. Lots of spice, and part of the story of a community, and then people begin to tell ART DIRECTOR everything nice. Enjoying pumpkin and honey flavor in a that story to others. Most states now have at least 1 meadery, Paul V. Reiss mead that you made yourself can evoke a feeling of nostalgia and mead is rapidly expanding its role as an integral part [email protected] in the Fall that seems almost tangible. of the craft beverage experience. How that experience will Paul runs a small multi-disciplinary design company in become a collective piece of our culture is yet to be seen. Boston. He also manages Meadist.com, a mead-centric blog In this issue we take a look at the Colony Meadery in Penn- focused on expanding the appreciation of modern mead- sylvania, and revisit Artesano Meadery in Vermont. We met The first mead I made 7 years ago would have just been ready making. Artesano in our first issue, a year and a half ago, and their by this time of year. We typically host a wild Thanksgiving success continues today. Chrissie will enlighten you with dinner and I wanted to pair it with something special. Con- CONTRIBUTING EDITOR her writing on pairing oaked and the American Mead sidering the American mythological origins of Thanksgiving, Chrissie Manion Zaerpoor Makers Association is happy to provide you with an update I thought an ingredient from the Northeast would be appro- [email protected] on our legislative activities at the Federal level. We also priate. So I made an acerglyn and it was a hit. It turns out that Chrissie has been making mead since 1997. After 13 years at have a great article from Erik Newquist of Aesir Meadery on maple mead and a Thanksgiving spread are now a tradition Intel Corporation as an engineer and engineering manag- making pumpkin mead and Vicky Rowe premiers her advice with my family and friends. er, she now owns Kookoolan Farms and Kookoolan World on considerations in marketing your products. Meadery in Yamhill, Oregon. As mead makers we have the amazing ability to be able to Since our last issue I had the opportunity to take my family shape the future cultural associations of mead. Our member- ASSISTANT EDITOR to Spain, Portugal and Morocco and learned much about Old ship and readers around the world would be very interested World port, sherry, cider and spices. While seeing classic to know about the traditions your mead is being shared with. Jennifer Herbert flavors pair with local cuisine and tradition I began to con- As we pass through the coming months of holiday gatherings, [email protected] sider how mead pairs with American culture and the craft take some photos of your friends and families enjoying your Jennifer Herbert owns a Health and Safety consultant busi- beverage experience. I realized that mead first becomes mead, and send them to us at American Mead Maker so we ness with several clients; and owns and manages Supersti- identified as part of a larger story at the local level. Honey is can show the world how the oldest fermented beverage is tion Meadery in Prescott, Arizona. heavy, and many mead makers take advantage of their local becoming a part of modern culture. honey producer’s proximity. The customer has the option to MEMBER SERVICES be a part of this local terroir beginning with their morning Until next time, 6714 Lake Grove St SW coffee or tea, and continuing through to an evening digestif. Lakewood, WA 98499 Using local honey also allows the mead maker to maintain Jeff Herbert 253.537.1050 a relationship with their source of mead’s most prominent [email protected] ingredient and see who handles it.

6 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 7 THE COLONY MEADERY

A STORY THAT STARTS WITH A RETURN HOME

ell, of course it didn’t to the craft beverage industry not to see really start there. Who an opportunity, and had spent too much can say where a story time in the startup world to ignore an Wstarts? In this case, it opportunity when he saw it. might have started when Greg and his college roommate first decided to make Three months later, they shook hands a batch of mead in 2004; or when Mike’s over a draft of a business plan. first batch of mead won medals in 2008; or with an art show that inspired Greg The Colony Meadery started selling in to write about craft beer; or when Mike late 2013, with a focus on clean finishes won best in show at Valhalla and got to and bold flavor profiles. Nine months and pro-am a batch at Moonlight Meadery; or twenty-some products later, the profile of a million other moments. mead in Eastern Pennsylvania continues to grow. Bolstered by statewide distribu- But whatever else The Colony Meadery is, tion in New Jersey, increasing demand it’s a partnership, and that started when from the local brewpubs (who benefit co-founder-to-be Greg Heller-LaBelle from a strange loophole in Pennsylva- moved back to his childhood home of nia’s even stranger liquor laws that allow Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and revived them to sell the products of up to two the Lehigh Valley Beer Society. LVBS was Pennsylvania wineries), and a slew of a hifalutin name for a group of about a medals at 2014’s Mead Free or Die com- dozen local beer lovers. The August tast- petition, The Colony is already planning ing every year was a little special; every- an expansion that will dramatically add one was encouraged to raid the cellar and capacity and capabilities, as well as a bring something dusty out. The cellar of fully renovated tasting room in their the LVBS’s newest member, however, had historic 1920s Mack Truck plant. run dry, and - not wanting to be that guy who brings homebrew to a beer tasting - Mike Manning decided to bring some of his homemade mead.

Greg asked if Mike had ever considered becoming a professional meadmaker; Mike said no. That might have been the end of it, but Greg was a longtime beer blogger who had paid too much attention

8 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 9 EFFECTIVE MEAD MARKETING

FIRST STEPS

• Who is your best customer? ‘red’ or ‘white’. They couldn’t tell me if it sites, and even no websites at all. Some Vicky Rowe Efforts are also being made to get the that is just beginning to see the attraction was cabernet or , or have no Facebook presence, or have a GotMead.com industry its own definition of mead to of mead, plus a distribution network and • How old are they? or . They were not familiar with page that isn’t updated much. Or they assist with accurate formula and label retail network that isn’t quite sure how to • What type of work do they do? (white their favorite varietals, they just knew have Twitter and don’t post much. approval at the federal level. If mead is place your products to best effect. he craft mead market is to the collar vs. blue collar, general income what label they bought and that it was red recognized by the Tax and Trade Bureau So your efforts need to be part education industry what the craft levels) or white. Basically, the mead industry is behind the as an alcohol beverage with a definition and part marketing. brewing market is to the brewing curve right now in using the internet to closer to what mead makers commonly • Male or female? Tindustry in many ways. Mead So your marketplace may not even know reach out to their market to educate them use, perhaps production figures from the The first thing to consider is: Who is your • Wine drinker or beer drinker? provides people with new and interesting what you have. They may not know what on mead and what they have to offer. federal government will follow to help market? I know the usual answer is ‘ev- beverages to entice their palate. However, • Educated about wine (in general) or it is. How will you let them know? track our industry. eryone who drinks’, but in reality, in order the marketing which has to happen is a not? Following are things you can accomplish to effectively educate and communicate bit different, at least at present. Some of the things you can do for your online to get exposure for your name and All of this leads up to you: the meadery with your market so that they will know, And any other characteristics of the peo- local market: label, and let people know what you do owner. You are a small business, and like and trust you, and buy your products, ple you expect to buy your mead. Because the mead market is still small and have to offer: many of the meadery owners I know you have to identify them, so you can (even though it is growing fast), it is but • Set up at a farmers market, and offer (well, most of you) are family owned and speak to what they need (your mead!). Another area to consider: What do they a drop in the bucket compared to wine tastings • Have a website. A working website operated. Maybe you got into it because Here are some considerations: know about mead in general, and your shipments coming in to the U.S. from all that looks nice. It doesn’t need to be you wanted to do something you loved. meadery in particular? • Do open houses and attend local festi- production sources, and Worldwide wine fancy, but it *does* need to work, and Maybe you had so many friends telling • Is your distribution going to be local or vals to get in front of your ‘people’ and production grew 3% to 375.2 million cas- be easy to navigate, and should promi- you your mead was great, that you decid- national? (think short term first, then I’ve completed an informal summer let them see you, your label, and let es in 2013. We do not yet have an accurate nently feature your label and have good estimate of what is produced yearly in ed to give it a go. long term later) study with mead at a farmers market, them try your meads running a booth for a meadery that had descriptions of your meads. It should the meadery market, because the federal • If you have a tasting room, offer regular • If national –what states and via what several meads ranging from very dry to also have: government does not split off mead from Either way, now you have a meadery, and ‘parties’ to introduce people to your mechanism? (outside wine seller, di- very sweet. I would conduct tastings for the rest of wine, but the American Mead- that means a lot of blood, sweat, tears and meads, maybe even invite local musi- • Your address (if you have a tasting rect distribution or some other solu- the market shoppers, and poured mead makers Association reported after their money invested in this venture. So I want cians to perform or allow groups to rent room or offer tours) tion) for many wine drinkers. survey in 2013 that the mead industry to ask you: what is your plan for selling the space and have networking events • A phone number that you will answer • If local – what are your distribution grew 130% from 2012 to 2013. Efforts your mead? All of the excellent brew you or gatherings (people often will not leave messages are being made to gather more accurate make needs to find a buyer! channels, and what local marketing The first thing I ran in to is that people In my business outside of GotMead I am and that is a lost potential customer) information, as this will help all current channels (newspapers, magazines, don’t even know what the word ‘mead’ a small business marketing and business • An email address or contact form and future meaderies in their efforts to You are contending with the wine indus- food blogs, etc.) are out there? means. The second was that the majority growth consultant. In my wanderings sell mead and to grow their operations try 900 pound gorilla, and they dominate • Will you be kegging for bar/restaurant of people who were curious, didn’t even • Respond to your email. I have sent around the internet, I have noticed that if we have exhaustive data to analyze. the industry for wine-like beverages. And sales? know what sort of wine they liked. When several thousand emails over the you are contending with a marketplace asked, the most common answers were many meaderies have out of date web- years to meaderies in my association

10 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 11 with the Mazer Cup International Your distribution channels are another and as owner of Gotmead.com. What area where you can educate. Have you I noticed was that less than 10% of sat down with your distributor to discuss the emails (on the mailing list that your products and the best way to market people *subscribed* to) ever even got them? They probably don’t really know opened – nothing ticks off a poten- how to market your products. Working tial customer more than sending an together can change that a lot. email that does not get answered • Links to your social media (Facebook, Do you have shelf talkers describing your Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) products? Studies show that 71% of buy- ers read the shelf talkers for wine. Vicky Rowe is founder and owner of • Set up a Facebook page Gotmead.com and co-founder of the • Post your events, where your mead Where are your products located? If your Mazer Cup International mead compe- will be, and new releases with good customer base has more craft beer drink- tition. She has been involved with the descriptions ers (remember those questions earlier) mead industry since 1995 and lives in then maybe your product will do better • Post interesting photos from local North Carolina with her husband and near the craft beers. If your customers events or things you like, with com- six dogs, and spends her days adding are mostly wine drinkers, then finding mentary information to GotMead and working out a way to showcase your meads in the with small businesses to help them • DON’T go around asking people to wine section would be more appropriate. create systems to generate a buzz like you. Put out an email to your list Think outside the box, and be willing to about their products and services, and (you do have a mailing list, right?), work with your retailer (or your distrib- get more customers and make more and put together a post on your per- utor) to find a way to put your meads money. sonal Facebook announcing the new where they will maximize sales for you page and inviting people to come and the seller. She spends her fun time playing with take a look. Mention your website as black powder muskets and cannons as well, for those who’d like to check it This is the beginning of what you can a member of the North-South Skir- out. start to do to reach out to your clients. In mish Association and touring mea- • What you are looking for is not short, it comes down to knowing your deries around the country and can be massive likes. You are looking for clients, and *communication*. Get out reached at [email protected]. ‘engagement’ where people regularly there and let them know who you are, If you’d like to set up a consult to talk respond on your page to things you and what mead is. Use the channels about your meadery marketing, drop post. You are developing a fan base offline and online to create a buzz about her a line! here. These are the people who will your business and raise awareness of spread your word *for* you. mead in the marketplace.

12 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 13 PUMPKIN SPICE

A SEASONAL FAVORITE

Erik Newquist For those just interested in going the experiment a lot! What I like to do on ex- Aesir Meadery spice packet route it is really easy to just periment days is to get a bunch of coffee go to the store and buy a pouch of “Pump- filters and some string and measure out t is that time of year again, that kin Spice” or if you have a bulk foods small scalable amounts of each ingredi- magical time when you can find store to get it by the pound. Generally ent and add varying amounts of the test pumpkin spiced beer, coffee, can- this will include cinnamon, clove, ginger, spices take really good notes and very Idles, dish towels, soap, hair spray, nutmeg, and allspice in varying concen- accurate measurements then boil some gum, pet deodorant and moist towelettes, trations depending on the manufacturer. hot water and make tea… a whole lot of so why not mead? My hope with this ar- tea. Adding roughly 1/10th the amount of ticle is to present some of my experience TO SPICE OR NOT TO SPICE honey you would to an equivalent volume and spark some ideas for others to try. THAT IS THE QUESTION of mead to the hot water will also give Before jumping in head first it is probably a decent impression of what the mead a good idea to come up with a game plan Now for the lot of adventurous individu- flavor profile will do. For the science on what you want to actually use for your als making your own spice blend is a very minded folks measure and record the pumpkin mead. The standard spices rewarding experience, but it is also rath- volume of water used as well so you have fresh or pre-made packets? Do you want er time consuming as every traditional dilution data for later. It is a very quick to be bold and use the actual namesake pumpkin spice is very strong so a little way to get an idea on how the spices are and toss some squash in there? Let’s talk goes a long way so it is easy to over-do a going to work together on your palate. about it! flavor. In addition to the usual suspects Wax on wax…er Breath in, breath out, there are a whole host of complimentary small sips, swish, gargle, swallow, enjoy First and foremost, there is a huge variety flavors that really bring out and balance or spit out. Find the flavor you like most, of ways to create a pumpkin and/ or the “big-5” Examples are vanilla beans, try each one twice, once after steeping for pumpkin spiced mead. I have seen and small amounts of brown sugar (only in a minute or two then again at room temp or trialed everything from literally aging secondary you don’t want to ferment when the flavors have blended and filled mead inside of a sanitized pumpkin and the sugars see above note about brown the cup. You may also use a high proof putting a spigot on it to this weird brown sludge), star anise, and maple syrup or neutral spirit to make an extract with the sludge (TOO MUCH SPICE!) that was dark dried fruits. You can also get a bit of different spices, but that process can take more akin to spicy alcoholic muddy water a bite if you add some ginger root! Each weeks all by itself. Nitrogen cavitation is than anything pumpkin, but hey, to each of these ingredients can easily overpower another option but that is a completely their own. your honey both in the aromatics and different article. in the flavor profile so be sparing and Squash, the fruit not the game. For a

14 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 15 true pumpkin and spice mead, pumpkin mush and adding to your mead either let it sit for a month in a low humidity it clears. For me I am not a fan of fining on a black table cloth is pretty rad! As is a good ingredient to use as is banana in primary or secondary or both as the environment checking every day to make agents so I will cold crash and run it is a carved pumpkin with a spigot on squash in a pinch. The catch is the flavor changes with each choice. Anoth- sure it didn’t mold on me. If you prefer through a low level filter to get the big the front full of mead! Or you can serve squashes alone do not add a lot of strong/ er interesting and less complex way of your pie, I mean mead spiced, toss in a bits out or just a piece of cheesecloth to chilled in the skulls of your foe…uh tiny recognizable flavors and are easily over going about it is to get a nice big pumpkin prepared teabag of desired spices either get the chucks out and leave it unfiltered. faux plastic skull shaped cups…yeah little powered or dismissed as an “odd taste”. and treat it like a barrel for aging. San- at the start or part way through depend- Then I will serve it warm, the heat tends cups are cool. itize with citric acid, lemons are great ing on the strength of flavor you want. to bring out the volatiles and aromas real- The exception from my experiments is for this as they are natural and they Finishing a pumpkin melomel or a pump- ly nicely. I would love to hear about what everyone when the mead sits on the squash for an help preserve the pumpkin from rotting kin and spice melometheglin (woo new else does. What kinds of cool mead relat- extended period of time to “age” into the as quickly. The last time I tried this I word?) can be a challenge if clarity is a Presentation, I like to save my pumpkin ed things do YOU do for Halloween? Any flavor to the point of being a pumpkin scooped out the seeds but left most of the desired trait in your mead. and spice meads for parties that I attend tips or tricks that you have discovered? melomel. The ways to make that happen pulp and scraped the sides to get more and plan to do at the meadery itself in the are varied, from canned pumpkin that surface area contact and poured the juice The pumpkin itself does an amazing job future so I can do up a cool presentation Shoot me an email at Erik@aesirmeadery. has had all the hard work done, or for from 4 very large lemons in and swirled of clouding everything up, pectin en- instead of in a bottle. Let me tell you dry com or a message on www.facebook.com/ those who like to control their exper- it for about 10 minutes then dumped the zyme will help but my experiments have ice and a glow stick with warm spiced aesirmeadery or send pictures on twitter iments boiling the pumpkin almost to excess. Then I added stabilized mead and shown that is a tossup as to how effective pumpkin mead in a giant fishbowl sitting and instagram @Aesirmeadery.

16 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 17 already be filtered by which meaderies have the licensing to ship to your state. I am extremely confident that the availabil- ity of meads is set to explode in the next few years.

Some other interesting oaked meads that are out there: Sky River “Solas” from EXPERT MEAD PAIRING WITH CHRISSIE Washington State is a sweet mead that has been aged in a DryFly Whiskey barrel. Although it’s sweeter than a dinner/table OAK & SMOKE mead normally would be, the oak provides a bridge to savory entrees. The sweetness makes it good with richer, higher-fat dish- Many, although by a wide margin not because the sweet earthiness of the igan, makes an Orange Blossom Mead es such as barbeque and cheeses. all, white-wine-style meads are oaked, caramelized cauliflower works with from orange blossom and citrus honey meaning some or all of the batch of mead the earthy and not-too-sweet blackber- and this mead is aged in oak barrels. Iqhilika, a brand from South Africa that spends some time in an oak barrel, which ries. But when smoked salt is added, the They also make Michigan Wildflower also gets wide distribution, makes a dry may be a new barrel, a used mead barrel, blackberry mead comes across as too Mead, aged briefly in oak so the oak flavor mead aged in used red wine oak bar- or a used wine, Bourbon, whiskey, or gin sweet and bright, while the oaked mead is subtle. rels. The used wine barrel contributes barrel. Oak barrels contribute tannins resonates like a perfectly-tuned instru- a faint pink hue and some soft red-wine Kookoolan Farms roasted, pasture-raised chicken, photograph by Pamela Lialias. and “roundness” to meads and ; ment. Without the smoked salt, however, HoneyMaker Dry Mead from Maine flavors, and the mead is quite noticeably well with oaked meads. To build an en- and goat cheese; figs and blue cheese. tannins have a slightly bitter and astrin- the oaked mead comes across as bitter Meadworks won a Mazer Gold medal oaked. The red wine hints make this a trée, look to grilled or smoked chicken, All of these have smoky components to gent component which tends to pair well and harsh compared to the sweetness of in 2012: This modern dry mead boasts better-than-average pairing for grilled red game birds, and rabbit. the flavor profile. Any cured or smoked with grilled, smoked, and toasted foods. the cauliflower. clarity, balanced acidity, and a crisp, dry meats and charcuterie. meat will be beautiful with an oaked finish. Wildflower honey infuses delicate • Chicken, especially grilled or smoked, mead. Lighter fare tends to be overwhelmed by Here are a few widely-distributed exam- citrus and floral notes, tempered with a Nectar Creek Honeywine from Corval- and especially with grilled asparagus, strongly-oaked meads. Smoked salt is ples. They’re a good place to start the dis- slight earthiness. I recommend this for lis, Oregon, made a special anniversary bacon, smoked cheeses, roasted chest- • Greens and mustard, especially with just one example of ingredients that can cussion precisely for that reason: they’re fans of crisp, refreshing white wines such edition session mead aged in oak. It’s light nuts, grilled corn. bacon, pork belly, or sausage and slightly sparkling, and terrific with really make a pairing sing – or not. One far more readily available than the oaked as Chenin Blanc, Dry Diesling, and Pinot • Corn generally. Think for a moment • Ham, pretty much any preparation grilled fish or oysters, and with lighter of my favorite pairings is brown-but- meads from many smaller meaderies. Gris. It contains 12.5% alcohol and is oak how perfect a drizzle of honey is on ever. (Think for a moment: honey ham. smoked cheeses, and grilled or smoked ter-roasted cauliflower with Sky River aged for complexity and depth, although cornbread and you get an inkling of And then extend that idea to mead vegetables. Semi-Sweet Blackberry Mead. It works B.Nektar, a meadery in Ferndale, Mich- the oak flavor is not too strong. Honey- this ingredient’s potential for mead and ham.) But especially try recipes Maker is ready to drink, but it is also fine pairings. Corn in almost any format, for ham that also use juniper berries, Charm City Meadworks in Baltimore, to cellar. It pairs well with lobster, pork, especially with bacon, butter, chan- gruyére cheese, cherries, cloves, figs, Maryland makes a dry mead aged in oak and sheep’s milk cheeses, in addition to terelles, feta or parmesan cheese, garlic, mushrooms, mustard, peaches, and tastes like a soft, buttery chardon- grilled and smoked foods. marjoram, black pepper or bell pep- port, raisins, rosemary, and thyme. nay, and pairs very similarly. Following pers. Corn comes on the cob, baked are several oaked mead and food pairing • Rabbit or hare, especially with thyme, Oak Barrel Reserve, by St Ambrose as cornbread, as hominy grits, and as Cellars received a Mazer Cup Gold medal suggestions: mushrooms, juniper berries, lavender, creamy polenta or grilled polenta cakes. mustard, pine nuts, walnuts in 2014, and Bronze medal in 2013. I Sweet corn needn’t just be boiled: corn • Cauliflower: Roasted or otherwise-car- haven’t tasted this one. on the cob can be grilled for an amazing • Lamb, especially roasted, grilled, or amelized to get a deep, smoky flavor. smoky flavor, and finished with butter cured. But especially with almonds, One of the most surprising and brilliant Note that at least as of 2014, the vast and smoked sea salt. apples, bacon, white beans, cardamom, majority of American meaderies are pairings I’ve had was Sky River Mead- feta or parmesan cheese, dried cher- very small, with very limited (often ery’s Dry Blackberry Mead paired with • Duck and goose are both amazing with ries, couscous, fennel, garlic, roasted single-state) distribution. Forty-six of simple caramelized cauliflower. Add honey, and amazing smoked or grilled. hazelnuts, juniper berries, mushrooms, the fifty states in the U.S. have at least smoked sea salt to marry the flavor with Try recipes that include apples, arti- mustard, olive oil, pine nuts, rosemary, one meadery, however. Try www.got- an oaked mead. chokes, bourbon, corn, curry, juniper sage. berries, molasses, mushrooms, mus- mead.com, and then look at the listings • Chanterelle mushrooms, and other wild tard, peaches, pistachios, Chinese plum • Lentils when made with some ham or in your state. Both amazon.com/wine mushrooms, especially morels, chicken- sauce, or sage, which all go well with bacon and vinoshipper.com have several meads of-the-woods, and lobster mushrooms, smoky and oaky flavors. • Melons, especially with prosciutto or An array of oaked dry and semi-sweet meads, paired with a grilled chicken hindquarter, artichokes and available, and when you set up an ac- can have bold smoky flavors that pair olives; greenbeans and almonds; and polenta. count, the meads displayed for you will • Figs and prosciutto or other hams; figs other hams

18 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 19 MAGIC INGREDIENT: SMOKED SALT

Smoked salt marries food flavors to oaked meads. Keep some in your pantry or cupboard at all times!

Smoked salt is the magic ingredient that can marry almost any savory food to oaked mead or wine. Oaked meads go great with grilled, smoky foods. Your food is too neutral for the oaked mead you have open tonight? Try sprinkling the food with smoked salt to improve the pairing!

• Mushroom tarts, especially with cream, • Quail or squab, similar to chicken and tender from the smoker and redolant shallots, and thyme pheasant, try with cranberries, risotto, of smoke throughout. That would have • Peaches or pears, especially savory figs, ginger, juniper berries, mush- been divine with an oaky mead. BBQ preparations that have spent rooms, pancetta, pears, persimmons, • Scallops especially prepared with ba- some time on the grill! sage, shallots, watercress. (Quail is con. The elegant and classic Coquilles a light meat similar to chicken and St Jacques with some bacon added. • Persimmons and pork have an earthy pheasant. Squabs, which are young umami combination that is just stellar pigeons, are almost all dark meat, like • Smoked cheeses. There are many. with mead, especially a mead that has the drumstick or thigh on a turkey or • Spaetzle, especially with bacon earthy flavors, such as a mead from chicken.) carrot blossom or avocado honeys. • Ribs, spare ribs, BBQ ribs. This is • Red snapper is particularly friendly a sure thing every time, impossible • Pheasant and other game birds, espe- to honey and particularly good on the to do wrong. For pairing with dry to cially roasted, grilled, or smoked, and grill; try recipes that incorporate ingre- semisweet traditional meads, stick especially with apples, bacon, black- dients of capers, celery, fennel, leeks, to a milder BBQ sauce. For spicier or berries, chestnuts, juniper berries, lem- potatoes, saffron, parmesan cheese, stronger BBQ sauces, try bigger fruity on, mushrooms, sage, sausage, shallots, sesame oil and seeds, tarragon, thyme meads or sweeter meads, but an oaked sour cream, thyme. Note that this can • Grilled Salmon, with bacon, avocados, mead is always going to be great with a be as simple as a smoked turkey sand- barbeque. wich on rye bread. chervil, corn, fennel, garlic, juniper berries, mushrooms especially morels • Smoked Trout, especially with al- • Pork any way you can contrive it, and chanterelles, mustard, raisins, monds and lemon, with bacon, with especially with hoisin sauce, tarragon, snow peas, spinach, tarragon, tomato white beans such as flageolets, brown mustard, plum sauce, sage, star anise, cream sauces, walnuts, watercress. butter, mushrooms, cream, garlic, apples, fennel, juniper berries. For an pears, sorrel. Grilled trout with al- over-the-top ambitious party, try roast- • Sausage, with apples, cabbage, mustard. I once had a friend smoke whole cab- monds and lemon is divine paired with ing or pit-cooking a whole suckling pig an oaked dry mead. and serving it with several meads. Pork bages and then serve them slice in half- Meadery and Tas+ng Room: over 115 different meads available belly: there is no wrong way to serve it! inch-thick slabs. The cabbages were for sale from all over the world, about 30 open for tas+ng on any given day! Are we the world’s biggest mead superstore? Open Friday-­‐Saturday-­‐Sunday 11AM to 5PM and any+me by appointment. Located on the Sip47 Wine Tas+ng Route just outside Yamhill, Oregon. www.kookoolanfarms.com

20 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 21 ARTESANO MEADERY

AT HOME IN VERMONT

Paul Reiss step in our plan to make a significant Meadist life change. We both knew we wanted to work together in a venture that meant Artesano Is a small craft Meadery in Gro- something to both of us. Artesano was ton VT, a rural town off the beaten path. the answer.” Luckily, being from Vermont, I had the opportunity to take a brief detour when They started with beekeeping and home driving up to visit my parents. brewing. Mark had given Nicole a hive as a present. Once they started producing Artesano was started by Mark Simakaski mead, they quickly realized that keeping and his wife Nicole. Mark, a bit of a serial bees and making mead were both full entrepreneur, started and sold three time jobs. They now use local honey other companies before finding his way providers and focus on their mead pro- to Vermont and mead. ductions. The honey isn’t the only thing they they source locally - they only use “At the time Mark and I had just come seasonal local ingredients when crafting back from the Peace Corps as the first their mead.

More meaderies are coming online and there is room out there as more and more people be- come aware of what mead is. I see the market growing and Artesano will be right there with it, but we still are focused on staying small enough to maintain the high quality of our product and balance work life with home life. -Nicole Simakaski, Artesano Meadery

22 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 23 “Mark and I find inspiration from our lo- butter and honey sandwich. I tried the cal farmers and food producers. We keep bee pollen strictly to local, real and fresh. One year the local raspberry crop did not produce Though they continue to grow signifi- so we moved to blackberries and it was a cantly, mark and Nicole wish to stay hit.” small, focus on their craft, their com- munity and their family. Nicole sees the If you plan on visiting their Meadery, extensive growth of the mead market and make sure you go in the summer. After expects Artesano to be right there with it giving their meads a try, step outside to “but we still are focused on staying small their ice-cream window and order one of enough to maintain the high quality of their unique homemade flavors. Nicole our product and balance work life with recommends the “bees knees” a peanut home life.” Vermont is the perfect place butter ice-cream with honey drizzle, for the type of Meadery and business they inspired by the simple delight of a peanut are building.

24 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 25 ARTESANO TRADITIONAL MEAD REVIEW

I picked up a bottle of Artesano Traditional and Poets Mead Artesano uses no heat in their mead making process, and it (which I have yet to open) when I visited their facility for a is noticed on the aroma of the mead. The mead has a sweet tour and tasting. Since then, they have expanded their offering honey aroma which came through as warm and buttery. significantly. Floral pollen elements are also present throughout.

If they had all the mead they have now, i probably would have The Artesano Traditional Mead is sweet, but not overly so. left with more! The Artesano Traditional Mead is a great exam- Coming in at 12.4% alcohol, I think it could’ve used slightly ple of a standard show mead – the only ingredients being honey, less backsweetening to balance it out. The added honey also water and yeast. Here is the commercial description: made for a little thicker, buttery mouth-feel. There was an earthy woodiness to the flavor and some light fruitiness on It pours a pale hay yellow color with a little bit of cloudiness. the finish. The haziness, i assume comes from the addition of more honey after aging to achieve the desired amount of sweetness prior to It came in a 500ML bottle, a unique shape that i’ve seen with bottling. the Kookoolan Elegance as well. Its blown shape lends itself to the artisanal brand. You can tell that Artesano considered all aspects of the bottle, from the bottle itself the shape of This golden wine accents the flo- the label (though it was crooked) as well as the swirl icon on ral aromas of Vermont wildflow- the collar detail (though it should’ve been faced toward the front) and the wax stamp over the branded cork. er honey. Our Traditional Mead is crisp, light and refreshing, and can Overall, a very nice offering from Artesano. be served as an aperitif, a dessert - MEADIST wine, or with an artisanal cheese For more mead reviews, visit www.meadist.com plate. This is nature’s bounty cap- tured in a bottle!

26 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 27 ‘Honeywine’ seems to be some 50-year-old MEAD LEGISLATION UPDATE compromise made to assuage someone, but the term is in the way of both the industry and the consumer. It’s not even a term at all. YOUR AMMA WORKING FOR YOU The term is mead. Honeywine is just a partial definition; a disambiguation, a clarifying term. -Ken Schramm

By December 2013, the Legislative 5. Ken Schramm, Brad Dahlhofer, and in advertising seriously and that we are was, and that that’s the leadership in the clarified that section 4.39N (regulatory The first priority remains to be able to Committee had developed a consensus Chrissie Manion Zaerpoor flew to Wash- obviously not trying to mislead consum- TTB. use of varietal or geographic designation) use the word “mead” on as many mead definition of mead and a proposed cost ington, D.C., each on our own nickel. We ers. We were well prepared and re- is only for grape wine. products as possible, regardless of alco- and course of action. We presented this met with DC-based attorney Cary Green sponded to questions forcefully and with Mike Faul suggested to invite someone hol content, barrel ageing, or addition of to an AMMA Board of Directors meeting for dinner the night before, and then the authority. Hybrid products are becoming from the TTB to the class at UCDavis in The TTB can ignore the regulation, other ingredients besides honey and hops. in December 2013, which approved an meeting at TTB on August 5th, which more prevalent in the craft scene, and November; Cary suggested that we’re bet- which is arbitrary, capricious and irra- estimated budget of $2,000 (mostly for lasted almost two hours! label approvals and formula approvals ter off to do something in D.C. to get more tional. But real change requires a rule Meanwhile Michael Fairbrother is legal expenses) with an ongoing goal to cannot reasonably be done ad hoc. attendance from the TTB. Ken suggested change. Mike Faul ran into a varietal working with his senator to try to get the raise a total of $7,000 for this effort over Cary Greene says the meeting was typical that we can run them through a tasting issue like this one once; now he puts it TTB to streamline formula approvals in the next couple of years. of TTB meetings; the TTB participants Since our August 5th meeting at the TTB of varietal honeys. The USDA permits in the fanciful sections and has had no the same was done for breweries. Mike always outnumber the visiting party. we have heard anecdotally that respons- marketing of honeys with the very same more problems. Cary says that yes, this Faul, who operates under both a brewery We were asked to smooth out a few points (There were seven of “them” and four of es to COLAs seem to be shaky; if you’ve varietal indications that the TTB says workaround may work, but we should be license and a winery license, says the and to present to the annual general “us.”) Theresa McCarthy, senior admin- had unusual issues, we’d like to hear we can’t use on the mead labels. Cary able to designate it. Brewers Association was key to mak- membership meeting held during the Ma- istrator, seemed to acknowledge that it about them, so please email Chrissie at ing that happen. There is a long list of zer Cup International mead competition was important for her team to all be on [email protected]. Cary’s take on typical beer ingredients, and if you use in March. There the broad definition of the same page about “what is mead.” The this is that shaky COLA approvals are a those ingredients you don’t need to file a mead and the ambitious goal of changing TTB team assembled that day did rec- temporary short term issue that shows statement of process. There’s no formula legislation was received with cheers, and ognize that they don’t understand mead, they are taking the meeting seriously. He approval needed if all the ingredients the legislative committee was approved and that even the seven of them at the believes that we should be able to get the are on that list. Therefore Faul does not to go forward with scheduling a meeting table for a meeting with the AMMA did AMMA’s definition of mead accepted. have to specify to the TTB what’s in each in person with the TTB. This turned not have a consensus understanding of a Ken pointed out that TTB management recipe for products produced under his out to take longer than expected, with definition of mead. Cary believes that we at the meeting couldn’t pronounce the brewery license. the meeting finally occurring on August showed that we take labelling and truth word “melomel” and didn’t know what it Cary noted that within the TTB, beer regulation and wine regulation are done by two distinct populations of staff. Cary One of the four major committees of the AMMA is the Legislative Commit- noted that section 2555 was written tee. This committee was formed to prioritize and address regulatory and following the introduction of flavored legislative issues that are in the way of the growth of the American mead malt beverages. A significant amount of discussion followed, which required industry. the TTB to redefine “Beer” and “Malt AMMA at the TTB Beverages” entirely. It took five to ten

28 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 29 years. Mike Faul added that it would be each using a specific varietal honey of (reported by B. Nektar Meadery at the 2. Set up an eastern seaboard loca- We will revisit this strategy every very useful to have this for mead. File a specific geographical origin. That’s really TTB meeting). Ken Schramm pointed tion for TTB in-person training year to add new issues as they crop statement of process saying I may or may what his brand message is all about. out that approval of agricultural prod- on mead, maybe in a conference up and to re-prioritize. not use any of the following ingredients. uct geography occurs capriciously, for room at the TTB offices. Whatev- Then labels are filed separately. Fair- Long-standing “Hawaiian Macadamia instance Michigan Cherry Wine. Mike er date, whatever short lead time, In 2014, the legislative committee brother stated that he has successfully Nut Honey” mead and “California Avoca- Faul pointed out that agricultural wines we can easily do this. Each of us activities were one of the largest line done this several times as well, “the nev- do Blossom Honey” mead were disal- do not require formula approval. This can present for an hour. We know item expenses for the AMMA, mostly in er-ending formula that keeps giving.” lowed, but were allowed to be renamed has tax implications for meadmakers, not this subject, we don’t need time to legal fees for our attorney, Cary Greene “Big Island Macadamia Nut Honey” mead, in a good way. prepare. Honey varietals. Style of Davis Wright Tremaine. Check him Gordon Hull of Heidrun Meadery in for example. A Montana honey was The Legislative Committee has agreed on variants. Tasting. Judging. Fair- out on LinkedIn. Cary is also available Point Reyes California has been em- allowed to be renamed “Big Sky” instead the following path for going forward: brother. Schramm. Faul. Chrissie. for private hire by U.S. meaderies to help broiled in issues for six months or so of of “Montana.” This is as ridiculous and Kelly Klein. Chris Webber. with licensing, COLAs, labelling, and having previously-approved labels dis- misleading to the customer as disallow- 1. Follow up with the TTB on its other legal issues related to your mead. approved due to geographic and varietal ing the label for “Bourbon Barrel Aged 3. Develop a 1-2-10 year legal strate- acceptance of the AMMA’s broad gy and make that formal; work up designations for his meads. All of his Mead” but allowing the same product definition of mead. (Cary) meads are made by method champenoise, to be called “The Empire Strikes Back” budget for plowing ahead with it.

Thank you all for MEAD DEFINITION your time and effort putting together the The AMMA is urging the TTB to publish an internal guidance memo adopting the AMMA’s AMMA support letter definition of“mead,” for the purpose of labelling: to TTB. How lucky we Mead, for purposes of the Federal Alcohol Administration Act, 27 U.S.C. § 201 et seq., is a are to have Cary, Rob, wine from other agricultural products or a malt beverage derived (1) from honey and water, John and Erin watch- OR (2) from a mixture of honey and water with hops, fruit, spices, grain, or other agricultural products or flavors, in which honey represents a majority of the starting fermentable sugars ing over our shoul- by weight of the finished product, and having the taste, aroma, and characteristics generally ders as we pursue attributed to mead, and sold or offered for sale as mead, OR (3) from a mixture of honey and water with hops, fruit, spices, grain, or other agricultural products or flavors, in which honey this regulatory relief. represents the largest percentage of the starting fermentable sugars by weight of the finished I, for one, would be product, and having the taste, aroma, and characteristics generally attributed to mead, and sold or offered for sale as mead. lost without their ex- pertise.

-Gordon Hull, Heidrun Meadery

“Mr. Schramm goes to Washington” (along with Chrissie Manion Zaerpoor, xx, and xx

30 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 31 AMMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMMITTEE CHAIRS

CHAIR OF PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE PRESIDENT & CHAIR OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT TREASURER AMERICAN MEAD MAKER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Luke Schlueter Cheryl Webber Jeff Herbert Chris Webber Moonstruck Meadery Dragon's Lair Superstition Meadery Dragon's Lair Bellevue, NE Lakewood, WA Prescott, AZ Lakewood, WA

VICE PRESIDENT & CHAIR OF MARKETING COMMITTEE DIRECTOR AT LARGE & CHAIR NOMINATING COMMITTEE & OF BYLAWS COMMITTEE Ken Schramm TECHNICAL PROGRAMS Schramm's Mead Phil Lorenz Brian Schlueter Ferndale, MI Nectar Creek Honeywine Moonstruck Meadery Corvallis, OR Bellevue, NE

DIRECTOR AT LARGE & CHAIR SERGEANT AT ARMS OF LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE Ben Starr Chrissie Zaerpoor Starrlight Mead Kookoolan World Meadery Durham, NC Yamhill, OR

SECRETARY & CHAIR OF MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Colleen Bos Bos Meadery Fitchburg, WI

32 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 33 AMMA MEADERY LIST

# E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (907) 235-8484 E-mail: [email protected] 51 North Brewing Company Arsenal Cider House & Wine 51 North Broadway St Cellar Bee Well Meadery Lake Orion, MI 48362 300 39th St 39342 Canterbury Dr Bus: (248) 690-7367 Pittsburgh, PA 15201 Harrison Twp, MI 48045 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (412) 260-6968 Bus: (586) 322-6705 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] 7 C’s Winery & Meadery 502 E 560th Artesano Mead Beekman & Beekman Walnut Grove, MO 65770 1334 Scott Hwy Rt 302 Groton, VT 05046 5236 Geer Rd Bus: (417) 788-2263 Bus: (802) 584-9000 Hughson, CA 95326 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (209) 667-5812 Atlantic Brewing Co E-mail: [email protected] A 15 Knox Rd Bar Harbor, ME 04609 Beowulf Mead Acoustic Draft Mead Bus: (207) 288-2337 San Rafael, CA 94903 Elberta, MI E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (415) 491-0908 Bus: (231) 883-2012 E-mail: [email protected] B Adytum Cellars Bias Winery 15132 148th Ave NE B Nektar Meadery 3166 Hwy B Woodinville, WA 98072 1481 Wordsworth, Suite B Berger, MO 63014 Bus: (425) 482-9030 Ferndale, MI 48220 Bus: (573) 834-5475 E-mail: [email protected] 313-744-6323 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Aesir Meadery Bjorn Mead 2109 Wetmore Ave Bacchus Meadery Waterford, CA 95386 Everett, WA 98201 217 E 3d St Bus: (209) 665-6368 Bus: (425) 495-6201 Loveland, CO 80537 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (970) 461-4071 E-mail: [email protected] Black Bear Winery Ah-tu-gi-s-di Meadery 248 County Rd 1 Rt 1 Box 100 Bardic Wells Meadery Chenengo Forks, NY 13746 Vian, OK 74962 6737 50th Ave Bus: (607) 656-9863 Bus: (918) 774-8091 Montague, MI 49437 E-mail: mamabear@blackbearwinery. Bus: (231) 893-6418 com Alaskan Wilderness Wines E-mail: [email protected] 498 Shearwater Black Forest Meadery Kodiak, AK 99615 Bartlett Maine Estate Winery 6420 Burrows Rd Unit A Bus: (907) 486-1420 RR1 Box 598 Colorado Springs, CO 80908 E-mail: [email protected] Gouldsboro, ME 04607 Bus: (719) 495-7340 Bus: (207) 546-2408 E-mail: [email protected] Algomah Acres Honey House E-mail: [email protected] Meadery Blacksnake Meadery 29534 Post Office Rd Bayfield Winery 1815 Windsor Ave SW Mass City, MI 49948 PO Box 1391 Roanoke, VA 24015 Bus: (906) 883-3894 Bayfield, WI 54814 Bus: (540) 834-6172 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (715) 779-5404 E-mail: blacksnake@blacksnakemead. E-mail: [email protected] com Amber Moon Meadery 7600 NW 3d St Bear Creek Winery Blue Dog Mead Oklahoma City, OK 60203 Bear Creek Dr 254 Lincoln St Bus: (405) 496-5663 Homer, AK 99603 Eugene, OR 97401

34 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 35 Bus: (541) 506-1560 Bus: (541) 942-8028 Bus: (541) 765-3311 E-mail: [email protected] San Diego, CA 92116 Victor, MT 59875 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: frankgolbeck@goldencoastmead. Bus: (406) 363-6323 Enchanted Manor Winery com E-mail: [email protected] Bluegrass Brewing Co Chaucer’s Cellars Dithyramb Winery and Meadery 37615 FM 1774 3929 Shelbyville Rd 3535 N Main St 8312 E Briarwood Blvd Magnolia, TX 77355 Great Cats Meadery Hierophant Meadery Louisville, KY 40207 Soquel, CA 95073 Centennial, CO 80112 Bus: (281) 770-0710 Clemmons, NC Liberty Lake, WA Bus: (502) 899-7070 Bus: (831) 475-2258 Bus: (720) 529-3846 E-mail: jon@enchantedmanorwinery. E-mail: torahanjyuu+kumaltygris@ Bus: (208) 405-8338 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] com gmail.com E-mail: contact@hierophantmeadery. com Bos Meadery LLC Chrisman Mill Dogfish Head Brewery Enlightenment Wines Green River Ambrosia 5805 Seminole Ridge Circle Fitchburg, 2308 Sir Barton Way Ste 190 Lexington, #6 Cannery Village Center Clintondale, NY 12515 324 Wells St Hive Winery WI 53711 KY 40509 Milton, DE 19968 E-mail: raphael@enlightenmentwines. Greenfield, MA 01301 1220 W Jack D Drive Ste 2 Bus: (608) 628-3792 Bus: (859) 881-5007 Bus: (302) 684-1000 x2112 com E-mail: [email protected] Layton, UT 84041 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] F Bus: (801) 546-1997 Groennfell Meadery E-mail: [email protected] Boyd’s Cardinal Hollow Winery Colony Meadery Dragon Meadery LLC 856 Hercules Dr, Ste 20 720 W Prospect Ave 905 Harrison St Ste 115 Aurora, CO 80013 Fairwinds Winery Colchester, VT 05446 homebrewchemist North Wales, PA 19454 Allentown, PA 18103 Bus: (720) 371-1970 1984 Hastings Ave W Bus: (802) 497-2345 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (215) 801-2227 Bus: (855) 632-3669 E-mail: [email protected] Port Townsend, WA 98368 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (360) 385-6899 Honey Moon Mead Dragonmead E-mail: [email protected] H PO Box 2701 Brimming Horn Meadery Colorado Cellars Winery 14600 E 11 Mile Rd Bellingham, WA 98227 Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 3553 E Rd Warren, MI 48089 Falcon Meadery Haight-Brown Vineyards Bus: (360) 734-0728 Brimstone Springs Meadery Palisade, CO 81526 Bus: (586) 776-9428 PO Box 5947 29 Chestnut Hill Rd E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (970) 464-7921 E-mail: [email protected] Santa Fe, NM 87502 Litchfield, CT 06759 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (505) 819-8323 Bus: (860) 567-4045 Honey Run Winery Brotherhood Winery Dragon’s Lair Country Wines & E-mail: [email protected] 2309 Park Ave PO Box 190 Crabtree Brewing Co Farm & Winery, Hill Top Berry Chico, CA 95928 Meads 2800 Berry Hill Rd Nellysford, VA Heidrun Meadery Washingtonville, NY 10992 625 3d St #D 6714 1/2 Lake Grove St Bus: (530) 345-6405 Bus: (845) 496-3663 Greely, CO 80631 Bus: (434) 361-1266 PO Box 208 E-mail: [email protected] SW Lakewood, WA 98499 E-mail: [email protected] Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (970) 356-0516 Bus: (253) 537-1050 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (415) 663-9122 Honeyjack Meadery Brothers Drake Meadery E-mail: [email protected] Florida Orange Groves Winery E-mail: [email protected] 9769 W 119th Dr Bay 7 26 E 5th Ave Crafted Artisan Meadery E 1500 Pasadena Ave S Broomfield, CO 80020 Columbus, OH 43201 1189 State Rte 43 St Petersburg, FL 33707 Helderberg Meadworks Bus: (303) 709-7422 Bus: (614) 388-8765 Mogadore, OH 44260 Earle Estates Meadery Bus: (800) 338-7923 990 W Duane Lake Rd E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (330) 618-5050 2770 State Route 14 E-mail: [email protected] Duanesburg, NY 12056 E-mail: [email protected] Penn Yan, NY 14527 Bus: (518) 795-8964 Honeywood Winery C Four Quarters Meadery E-mail: peter@helderbergmeadworks. 1350 Hines St SE Salem, OR Bus: (315) 536-1210 190 Walker Lane Cumberland Brewery E-mail: [email protected] com Bus: (800) 726-4101 Camas Prairie Winery 1576 Bardstown Rd Artemas, PA 17211 110 S Main St Louisville, KY 40205-1154 Easley Winery Bus: (814) 784-3080 Hellbender Meadery Hoodsport Winery Moscow, ID 83843 Bus: (502) 458-8727 205 N College Ave E-mail: [email protected] 3812 State Hwy KK N 23501 Hwy 101 Bus: (208) 882-0214 Rogersville, MO 65742 Hoodsport, WA 98548 Indianapolis, IN 46202 Fox Hill Meadery E-mail: winemaker@camasprairiewin- D Bus: (317) 636-4516 Bus: (417) 429-4985 Bus: (360) 877-9894 ery.com 33 Selby Court E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Dadeez Bees Apiary and Meadery E-mail: [email protected] Marshall, NC 28753 Cascade Winery PO Box 90832 Elsa Wine & Mead Bus: (703) 298-4705 Heritage Wines International Hunters Moon Meadery 4665 Broadmoor Portland, OR 97290 625 W Katella Ave #23 E-mail: [email protected] 640 W. 158th St 404 Immigrant Trail Grand Rapids, MI 49512 Bus: (503) 772-3565 , NY Severance, CO 80550 Orange, CA 92867 Full Circle Brewing Co Bus: (616) 656-4665 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (714) 639-6323 Bus: (888) 835-2986 Bus: (970) 590-6059 E-mail: [email protected] 620 F St E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Dancing Bee Winery Empire Winery & Destillery Fresno, CA 93706 Celestial Meads 8060 E US Hwy 190 11807 Little Rd Bus: (559) 264-6323 Hermit Woods Wine Hydomiel Apidoro 600 W 58th Ave Ste B Anchorage, AK Rogers, TX 76569 New Port Richey, FL 34654 E-mail: fullcirclebrewingco@comcast. 56 Taylor Rd 2212 Calle Parana 99518 Bus: (907) 250-8362 Bus: (254) 983-2337 Bus: (727) 819-2821 net Sanbornton, NH 03269 Ponce, PR 00758 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] G Bus: (603) 253-7968 E-mail: [email protected] Enat Winery E-mail: [email protected] Chateau Lorane Depoe Bay Winery 910 81st Ave Ste #18 I PO Box 47 PO Box 1492 Golden Coast Mead Hidden Legend Winery Oakland, CA 94621 4216 Copeland Pl Independence Brewing Co Lorane, OR 97451 Depoe Bay, OR 97341 Bus: (510) 632-6629 1345 Hwy 93 N #5

36 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 37 E-mail: [email protected] With more than 160 different meads in stock from all over the world, and more than Misty Mountain Meadworks Mystic Meadery Maine Mead Works 1531 Pack Horse Rd 1650 Judson Dr Winchester, VA 22603 Longmont, CO 80501 30 different bottles open for tasting every single day, the Mead Superstore at 51 Washington Ave Portland, ME 04101 Bus: (540) 888-4420 E-mail: [email protected] Kookoolan World Meadery is worth the trip! Bus: (207) 773-6323 E-mail: [email protected] N Manatawny Creek Winery 227 Levengood Rd Douglasville, PA 19518 Mobtown Mead Baltimore, MD Nani Moon Mead Bus: (610) 689-9804 E-mail: [email protected] PO Box 939 E-mail: [email protected] Kapa’a, Kaua’i, HI 96746 Maple River Winery Modern Craft Winery Bus: (808) 823-0486 2760 E Booth Rd E-mail: [email protected] 628 Front St Au Gres, MI 48703 Cassleton, ND 58012 Bus: (989) 876-0270 Nashoba Valley Winery Bus: (701) 347-5900 E-mail: moderncraftsocialmedia@gmail. 100 Wattaquadock Hill Rd E-mail: [email protected] com Bolton, MA 01740 McPhee Meadery Bus: (978) 779-5521 E-mail: [email protected] PNW Puget Sound Monks Mead 265 B Newton Bridge Rd E-mail: bertharvey@mcpheemeadery. Athens, GA 30607 Nectar Creek Honeywine com E-mail: [email protected] 33848 SE Eastgate Circle Meadery of the Rockies Corvallis, OR 97333 Bus: (541) 760-1592 3701 G Rd Montezuma Winery 2981 Auburn Rd E-mail: info@nectarcreekhoneywine. Palisade, CO 81526 3913 Todd Lane #607 5919 Chicago Rd Bus: (631) 285-7469 Seneca Falls, NY 13148 com Bus: (970) 464-7899 Austin, TX 78744 Warren, Mi 48092 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (315) 568-8190 Bus: (512) 707-0099 Bus: (586) 979-8361 Meadery, New Day E-mail: [email protected] Nector of the Gods Meadery Long Trout Winery 1205 NE 2d St 1102 Prospect St Isaaks of Salem L 84 Fork Mountain Rd Bend, OR 97701 Indianapolis, IN 46203 Moonlight Meadery Salem, MA Auburn, PA 17922 23 Londonderry Rd #17 Bus: (937) 478-1718 Bus: (401) 290-8256 La Buena Vida Vineyards Bus: (570) 366-6443 Bus: (888) 632-3379 416 E College St Londonderry, NH 03053 E-mail: info@nectarofthegodsmeadery. E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: askthehippies@longtroutwinery. Medovina Bus: (603) 216-2162 com Grapevine, TX 76051 com J Bus: (817) 481-9463 PO Box 629 E-mail: [email protected] Niwot, CO 80544 Northwest Mountain Winery E-mail: [email protected] Lost Tribes Brew 2825 Marvin Rd NE Ste Q James Arthur Vineyards Bus: (303) 845-3090 Moonstruck Meadery Bus: (888) 582-7397 2221 Madison St Olympia, WA 98516 2001 W Raymond Rd L’Abeille Honey Winery E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Raymond, NE 68428 638 S Main St Bellevue, NE 68005 Bus: (360) 464-7125 Bus: (402) 783-5255 Stowe, VT 05672 Louisville Mead Company Meniru Meadery Bus: (402) 934-7544 E-mail: raycurtis@nwmountainwine. E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (802) 253-2929 3028 Dartmouth Ave 5868 Fulton Dr NW E-mail: [email protected] com Louisville, KY 40205 Canton, OH 44718 O Jilbert Winery Lakewood Vineyards Bus: (330) 244-8515 Mount Felix & Winery E-mail: louisvillemeadcompany@gmail. 2000 Level Rd 1496 Columbia Rd 4024 State Rte 14 E-mail: [email protected] com Havre de Grace, MD 21078 Obec Medovina Valley City, OH 44280 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (216) 781-4120 Bus: (607) 535-9252 Luna de Miel Meridian Hive Meadery Bus: (410) 939-0913 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Salinas, CA 93901 PO Box 1363 E-mail: [email protected] Oliver Winery Bus: (805) 985-7229 Pflugville, TX 78691 8024 N State Rte 37 K Laural Highlands Meadery Bus: (512) 417-3769 Mountain Meadows Mead E-mail: [email protected] PO Box 1199 Bloomington, IN 47404 Greensburg, PA 15601 E-mail: [email protected] Kenco Farms Westwood, CA 96137 Bus: (812) 876-5800 Bus: (724) 249-6323 M E-mail: [email protected] PO Box 454 E-mail: [email protected] Michigan Meadery Bus: (503) 256-3233 Sutton, WV 26601 Mace Mead Works Grand Rapids, MI E-mail: [email protected] Orchid Cellar Winery Bus: (304) 765-7680 Linganore Wine Cellars 250 E Main St Bus: (616) 301-9686 Mountain View Meadery 8546 Pete Wiles Rd E-mail: [email protected] 13601 GlissansMill Rd Dayton, WA 99328 E-mail: [email protected] Middletown, MD 21769 Mt Airey, MD 21771-8599 Bus: (509) 540-0000 PO Box 370 Kookoolan World Meadery Mike’s Meadery Lench Valley, Tasmania, Australia 7008 Bus: (301) 473-3568 Bus: (410) 795-6432 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] 15713 Hwy 47 E-mail: [email protected] LaGrange, IN Bus: (61) 0408 331 165 Yamhill, OR 97148 Magpie Farms Winery E-mail: [email protected] P Bus: (503) 730-7535 Meadery 1849 State Hwy 41 Minnestalgia Winery E-mail: [email protected] 1347 Lincoln Ave Ste 11 Bainbridge, NY 13733 PO BOX 86 McGregor, MN 55760 Bus: Mt Hood Meadery Pirtle Winery Holbrook, NY 11741 Bus: (607) 639-4400 (866) 768-2533 Washougal, WA 502 Spring St Kuhnhenn Brewing Co E-mail: [email protected] 38 MEADMAKERS.ORG AMERICAN MEAD MAKER 39 Weston, MO 64098 Bus: (816) 640-5278 1545 McManus Bus: (608) 929-7692 com Wild Blossom Meadery & Winery Troy, MI 48084 E-mail: [email protected] Prairieberry Winery Texas Mead Works 10033 S Western Ave Chicago, IL 60643 Bus: (248) 816-1592 Bus: (773) 233-7579 Bus: (605) 574-3898 St Ambrose Cellars 5151 FM 20 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] 971 S Pioneer Rd Seguin, TX 78155 Shady Grove Meadery Beulah, MI 49617 Bus: (830) 379-9463 Prawlocki’s Stout Viking Mead Wills Winery 709 Norris Freeway Bus: (888) 912-0017 E-mail: [email protected] 814 S. Main St Ste 3 Del Ray Beach, FL 33445 Lake City, TN 37769 E-mail: [email protected] Lapeer, MI 48446 Bus: (407) 922-5562 Thistle Meadery Bus: (865) 426-4900 Bus: (810) 245-9463 E-mail: [email protected] Starrlight Mead Gawler, S. Australia E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] R 4606 Stllliview Dr E-mail: [email protected] Shalom Orchard Durham, NC 27712 Tomahawk Mill Vineyards & Winehaven Winery & Vineyrd Rabbit’s Foot Meadery Route 200, 158 Eastbook Rd Bus: (919) 533-6314 9757 292d St 1246 Birchwood Dr Franklin, ME 04634 E-mail: [email protected] Winery Chisago City, MN 55013 Bus: (207) 565-2312 9221 Anderson Mill Rd Sunnyvale, CA 94089 Stonekeep Meadery Bus: (651) 257-1017 Bus: (408) 747-0770 E-mail: [email protected] Chatham, VA 24531 E-mail: [email protected] Boyertown, PA Bus: (434) 432-1063 Raftshol Vineyards Shields Demesne Winery Bus: (610) 743-8693 E-mail: [email protected] Woodstone Creek Winery & Dis- 1865 N West Bay Shore Dr 374 Smith Creek Rd E-mail: [email protected] tillery Spraggs, PA 15362 U Suttons Bay, MI 49682 Strad Meadery 3641 Newton Ave Bus: (231) 271-5650 Bus: (724) 435-7246 Urban Farm Fermentory Cincinnati, OH 45207 E-mail: [email protected] 430 Scenic Vista Way E-mail: [email protected] Fair Oaks, CA 95628 200 Anderson St Bay 4 Bus: (513) 569-0300 E-mail: [email protected] Redstone Meadery Skep & Skein Tavern & Meadery E-mail: [email protected] Portland, ME 04101 2106 Harrison Ave NW Ste B14 Bus: (207) 773-8331 4700 Pearl St #2-A Sugar Clay Winery & Vineyards Boulder, CO 80301 Olympia, WA 98502 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (360) 292-4400 1446 240th Ave Bus: (720) 406-1215 Thurman, IA 51654 V E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (712) 628-2020 Valley Vineyards E-mail: sugarclaywinery@iowatelecom. Ring of Fire Meadery Sky River Winery 2276 E US 22 & 3 14270 Woodinville-Redmond Rd NE s net 178 E Bunnell St Morrow, OH 45152 Redmond, WA 98052 Homer, AK 99603 Bus: (513) 899-2485 Bus: (425) 242-3815 Summerside Vineyards Winery & Bus: (907) 235-2656 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Meadery E-mail 2: [email protected] Grand Lakes o’the Cherokees 441251 E Volcano Winery Rogue Ales Historic Route 66 Vinita, OK 74301 35 Pii Mauna Dr 2320 OSU Dr Salt Point Meadery Bus: (918) 256-3000 Volcano, HI 96785 Salt Point, NY Mewport, OR 97365 E-mail: wine@summersidevineyards. Bus: (808) 967-7772 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (541) 867-3660 com E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] San Francisco Mead Company Superior Lakes Mead & Wine Von Jakob’s Vineyard 1180 Shafter Ave Rohan Meadery 36241 Jefferson 1309 Sadler Rd San Francisco, CA 94124 6002 FM 2981 Harrison Twp, MI 48045 Pomona, IL 62975 Bus: (415) 819-4947 La Grange, TX 78945 Bus: (586) 231-9501 Bus: (618) 893-4500 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (979) 249-5652 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Sandhill Crane Vineyards Superstition Meadery W Royal Court Meadery 4724 Walz Rd 120 West Gurley Street Cellar-1 Sheboygan, WI 53081 Jackson, MI 49201 Prescott, Arizona 86301 Walton’s Mountain Winery & Bus: (574) 971-7515 Bus: (517) 764-0679 Bus: (480) 296-4212 Vineyards E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: heather@sandhillcranevine- E-mail: superstitionmeadery@hotmail. PO Box 526 yards.com S com West Point, CA 95255 Spruce Mountain Meadery T Bus: (209) 293-4010 Sap House Meadery Larkspur, CO E-mail: [email protected] PO Box 595 Bus: (719) 351-4909 Table Mountain Vineyards White Winter Winery Box 24 Center Ossipee, NH 03814 E-mail: Information@SpruceMountain- 68323A Lea St Huntley, WY 82218 Bus: (603) 539-1672 Meadery.com Iron River, WI 54847 Bus: (307) 459-0233 E-mail: [email protected] Bus: (715) 372-5656 Spurgeon Vineyards and Winery E-mail: info@tablemountainvineyards. Schramm’s Mead 16008 Pine Tree Rd Highland, WI 53543 E-mail: [email protected]

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