Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/670021
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m M a y - J u n e 2 016 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 7 9 THE CHARM OF MEAD Ask any of the top mead mak- ers what inspired them and they'll quickly reply, as did Ken Schramm, one of the industry's best known: "It's delicious!" Jeff Herbert of Superstition Meadery (Prescott, Ariz.) says, "I've always been fascinated by history, religion and mythology, and mead is intimately intertwined with these subjects. As a mead maker, I ference, mead makers have their own quaint lingo that actually dates back to the time of Chaucer. M e a d i s n ' t a l w a y s s w e e t , although most meaderies do pro- duce a traditional sweet, honey-only beverage as one of their offerings. It can also be made totally dry or semi-sweet and can include many fruits and spices. Mead can also be made sparkling by letting it con- tinue to ferment in the bottle. Heid- run Meadery in Point Reyes Station (Marin County, Calif.), specializes in French Méthode Champenoise- style mead, offered in Champagne- style bottles. Other fun facts to know about mead: It takes about two and one- half to three pounds of honey to make a five-gallon batch of mead. Honey prices range from $2.50 to $3 per pound in the quantities large meaderies are using. The amount of honey going into mead is a tiny fraction of overall U.S. honey pro- duction, the majority of which goes into commercial baked goods. MEET THE MAKERS Vineyard & Winery Management spoke with a handful of mead mak- ers across the United States to get a personal view of what's happen- ing in the industry. Chaucer's Cellars Santa Cruz County, Calif. Chaucer's Cellars by Bargetto Winery was probably the first com- can introduce a customer to a piece of their past while elevating tradi- tion with technique." And there's a sexy connection, too. Says Michael Fairbrother of Moonlight Meadery in Londonderry, N.H., "In 1995, I tried cyser [apple wine made with honey] for the first time and just loved it. Who wouldn't like that? I was absolutely hooked and had to try making it. By 2006, I was pouring my mead at a party; all the men were going for the beer and cider, while the women were more interested in the mead." THE LANGUAGE OF MEAD Mead isn't just the world's old- est recorded alcoholic beverage, it's rife with its own mythology and terminology. Much like a bunch of app engineers speaking in high- tech gibberish at a developers' con- Mead was consumed in great quantities at weddings in many cultures (including Scandinavian, German and Welsh), and a month's supply of mead was given to the newlyweds to guarantee a particularly enjoyable first month (moon) together. Hence, the origin of the term "honeymoon." + Mead is the oldest recorded alcoholic beverage, made by Egyptians, Ethiopians, Romans, Greeks and Vikings. + Mead is made by ferment- ing honey, sometimes with fruits and spices, to an alcohol content of between 7% and 14%; up to 18% for dessert meads. + The basic recipe for mead is honey, water and yeast. They'd best all be superb, otherwise the results will be meh. + There are an estimated 400 meaderies in the United States as of 2015, most of them established since 2008. AT A GLANCE Quaff these terms and you'll sound more like a nerdy meadist: Braggot: Mead made of honey, water, yeast and ale Cyser: Mead made of honey, water, yeast and apples Hydromel: A mead of low alcohol Melomel: Mead made of honey, water, yeast and fruits Metheglin: Mead made of honey, water, yeast and spices and/or herbs Pymint: Mead made of honey, water, yeast and grapes KNOW THE LINGO