The chairs are up and the bar is closed as Helderberg Meadery was forced shut down during the pandemic.
“We cannot do tastings, we cannot do out our cocktails. We thought, ok that’s a lot for our business here,” said the owner Peter Voelker.
Peter Voelker started making mead after years of experimenting.
“The mead I was making myself was better than anything I could buy in the store,” said Voelker.
Mead is a sweet wine-like beverage, considered a wine because of a similar production process. However, the mead is fermented with honey. The drink dates back to the 11th century, with a Nordic Ancestry just as strong as Voelker’s.
“I'm a descendant of the first king of Norway, So my entire lineage depends from Scandinavia,” he explains.
His taproom in Easperance has been open for the past two years, featuring authentic Viking decor. But the business has been in production, focusing on wholesale for eight years prior. The pandemic left all of that in question.
“Some people, this is their only job, and I didn’t want to shut down. I didn’t want to take away that income away from them,” he said.
Thankfully, an executive order from Governor Andrew Cuomo has been allowing them to keep the lights on. Cuomo gave the green light on alcohol delivery during the pandemic.
So, the company has started to bottle up the sweet stuff the will drop it off, right on doorsteps. This allows them to keep things flowing without donations, fundraisers, loans, or layoffs. Allowing the customers to shop and drink local, which Voelker attributes to keeping the business afloat.
“I love what I make, I’m not someone to just mix some honey, water, and yeast and put it out,” said Voelker.
Helderberg mead can be ordered through their delivery website.
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2020/04/18/meadery-finds-success-through-delivery-during-pandemic-struggles
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