Collaborating for a Cause: Schramm's

From porchdrinking.com

Ferndale, Michigan, USA

In this week’s instalment of Collaborating for a Cause, we switch gears from beer to mead. On Nov. 14 of last year, Alyson Schramm of Schramm’s Mead announced an upcoming release to represent their participation in GivingTuesday 2023. In an amazing show of kindness and generosity toward a craft beer and industry icon, Schramm’s donated 100% of profits from its Nov. 28 webstore sales to the Kidd family GoFundMe to go toward medical expenses and future needs. Additionally, Schramm’s conducted a pre-order for custom-labelled bottles of Alex Reserve, its limited-batch apple mead.

The Schramm’s Cause

Schramm’s Mead opened its doors 10 years ago in September of 2013, and has since become the benchmark of quality in the world of honey wine. Co-founder and head meadmaker Ken Schramm has been honing in on perfection since the ’90s, and the influence he’s had on mead education and progressing the industry as a whole is unmatched. To learn more about the road to Schramm’s and the direction its program is headed, check out our “Exploring Honeywine | Schramm’s Mead” article featuring the renowned meadery.

Co-founder Alyson Schramm took the lead for its November benefit dedicated to Alex Kidd. In the meadery’s GivingTuesday announcement, Alyson Schramm noted she’s always had a soft spot for Don’t Drink Beer‘s style of shit-posting intermingled with Kidd actually being a wonderful and compassionate human being. Kidd is also known for sharing his clever reviews on meads, and his inside jokes on honey wine have always been well-received. Alyson and her husband, James, also welcomed a daughter into the world just days after Alex welcomed his daughter Paloma. The heartfelt personal connection brings further perspective to the significance of the fundraiser for both families.

Alex Reserve

Images Courtesy of Schramm’s Mead

As part of the GivingTuesday benefit, Schramm’s produced a limited run of Alex Reserve custom labels for the second batch of its Reserve Apple Mead. Bottles went live the day of the benefit on Nov. 28, with each 375 millilitre priced at $60 with a limit of four bottles per person. Once all sales from the day were tallied, Schramm’s was able to raise $3,069 for Kidd and his family. An incredible gesture, and yet another beautiful show of support for the cause.

Schramm’s was generous enough to allocate a bottle to us for purchase as well, giving us the opportunity to share both our experience with this limited mead as well as show some additional support with a donation to Alex and his family.

The Review

Photo contributed by Eric Griffin

There’s a rich golden hue as the mead cascades into the glass. The pour brings minimal agitation, and the liquid quickly settles flat. When swirled, noticeable leg retention is slow to catch up to the falling golden nectar.

Sweet, caramelized apples immediately greet the nose. There’s a spiced component to complement the rich fruit, very reminiscent of apple butter but simultaneously sparking undertones of cognac.

The palate brings many of the same qualities as the nose, albeit with more complexity. The apple skin brings a drying tannin. The alcohol is more present, both warming and crucial to cutting the sweetness derived from the honey. Fresh pressed cider meets honey-roasted apples and a touch of lavender. We will have to inquire later about the varietal honey used for this batch. The floral character brought on with temperature gives fantastic depth to the experience.

Alex Reserve fully coats the palate, drying slightly but finishing long and warm. As expected there’s residual tackiness well into the next sip.

Supporting the Kidds

Kidd continues to show incredible resilience following his Jan. 8 surgery, and has since been discharged from the hospital. As he continues to recover we will continue to support him, and this first instalment with Schramm’s post-op is the perfect place to pick the series back up.

As always, we’ll continue to provide a link to the Kidd family GoFundMe. Please continue to follow PorchDrinking as we have some exciting additions to the series over the next couple of months. Contributions from the likes of Wax Wings, The Veil (and their huge collaboration), Phase Three, Lua and more are upcoming, as well as a special one-off instalment featuring a high-gravity vertical thanks to the generosity of Alan Sprints from Hair of the Dog Brewery. We can’t wait to share these experiences with you all and continue highlighting the beer community’s love and support of the Kidds. Stay strong, Alex!

https://www.porchdrinking.com/articles/2024/01/23/collaborating-for-a-cause-alex-reserve/ 

Pembrokeshire man creates a buzz around new honey spirit

From uk.news.yahoo.com

A proud Pembrokeshire man has created a new alcoholic drinks business after feeling intense ‘hiraeth’ during lockdown.

Former Fishguard man, James Rowlands, now works as a teacher in a special educational needs school in Cardiff.

During the coronavirus pandemic he found himself locked down in Chepstow and experiencing an intense longing for his native Pembrokeshire.

James, who is also a trained microbiologist, has always been interested in honey, brewing and distilling.

“I had a real sense of hiraeth [during lockdown],” said James. “I wanted to find a way to connect with nature again while being homebound in Chepstow.”

James began experimenting with honey, brewing and then distilling it, trying several variations of the process until he produced his first batch of honey spirit.

Having developed a love for the craft, he decided to turn it into a business, becoming a licensed producer and launching Hive Drinks Co in February 2021.

The company focuses on creating innovative drinks and spirits made almost entirely from honey, designed to be drunk on their own, with mixers or as part of a cocktail.

“Hive Drinks Co takes inspiration from the ancient practice of making mead, a honey wine,” said James.

“I wanted to create something that was authentic and paid homage to this simple and sustainable means of provenance, but I wanted to do it in a new and innovative way by creating a spirit.”

James applied for a start-up loan to enable him to upscale the business and pay for raw materials, production facilities and transportation of goods.

He has received £9,000 of funding from the British Business Bank is now collaborating with Dai Wakeley, the Master Distiller at the renowned Hensol Castle Distillery and Sam Cooper, Director of Afon Mel Mead and Honey Farm.

The result is a flagship Hive honey spirit that went on the market late last year.

                                                    James Rowlands from Fishguard (Image: British Business Bank)

The British Business Bank Start Up Loans programme provides government backed loans of up to £25,000 per individual, up to a maximum of £100,000 per business, facilitated through delivery partners in Wales like Business in Focus.

In addition to finance, successful applicants receive free mentoring, access to resources and advice.

“The mentoring I received as part of the start up loan programme gave me the support and confidence that I needed to take that first step in growing Hive Drinks,” said James.

“The process of applying was simultaneously straightforward but also rigorous and it meant I was accounting for everything from projected sales, to branding, to minimum order quantities, because I’d had the opportunity to talk it all through with my mentor”, James said.

In the short term, James hopes to increase production of the honey blossom spirit beyond the current small-batch scale, as well as to expand the drinks range.

Looking further ahead, James’ experience as a teacher of boys with social, emotional and behavioural challenges means he has aspirations to turn Hive Drinks into a social enterprise.

“The aim eventually is to start my own apiary, meadery and distillery, which would mean as well as sourcing the honey, I could produce the spirit on my own premises as well,” he said.

“This is where it would be great to employ people who have experienced challenges, or who are from disadvantaged backgrounds, so they can build up work experience that they might not otherwise be able to achieve.”

Jessica Phillips-Harris, senior manager for Wales at the British Business Bank said: “We’re thrilled to have supported Hive Drinks in its journey to producing its first batch of honey spirit. The start up loans programme is all about providing access to finance for everyone and some of our biggest successes have come from businesses borne out of passion projects, like this one.

“Combine that with James’ aims for a sustainable and socially beneficial business sand we see a real recipe for success. We wish James all the best with his endeavours at Hive Drinks.” 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/pembrokeshire-man-creates-buzz-around-080000359.html

How to Warm Your Mead at Home

From delawaretoday.com

Love a warm cocktail? Try making spice-infused mead from the comfort of your kitchen 

Ingredients

• Mead of choice (we recommend spiced or berry varieties)

• Cinnamon sticks

• Additional spices (cloves, star anise, ginger, etc.)

Directions

• Grab an electric kettle, teapot or small sauce pan.
• Over low heat, pour in a bottle of mead. (If you’re using an electric kettle, pour in the mead, then turn it on. Don’t allow the mead to boil.)
• Add in cinnamon and any other spices for an extra warm and comforting sipping experience.
• Allow about 15-20 minutes for the flavors to infuse, keeping the liquid below boiling.
• Pour into a toddy mug and serve with cinnamon or star anise to garnish.

https://delawaretoday.com/food/warm-mead/

Warm Mead Is a Comforting Winter Libation in Delaware

From delawaretoday.com 

Warm mead is an ancient honey-based beverage to sip on cold winter evenings. Here's where to find it in Delaware and how to heat it at home

You’ve heard of mulled wine. Now make way for hot spiced mead! Honey wine—packed with health benefits—is the ideal drink to enjoy this winter.

Mead is growing in popularity across the country, thanks in part to popular media like Game of Thrones and Vikings. This honey-based drink is widely believed to be the oldest form of fermented alcoholic beverage. Often referred to as “The Drink of the Gods” in Greek mythology, it’s also widely believed to come with a myriad of health benefits.

Emerging studies show that overall health in Delaware and beyond begins with our gut microbiome—the bacteria living in our gut. A mix of “good” and “bad” bacteria affects everything from inflammatory response to mental wellbeing. Certain foods are known to help cultivate “good” bacteria. Despite its fermentation, there’s not enough research to classify mead as a source of probiotics. Honey—the basic building block of mead—is an excellent prebiotic. In other words, while drinking mead likely won’t rid your gut of “bad” bacteria, it can certainly cultivate the growth of “good” bacteria when consumed responsibly.

                                                                                                          Photo by Sydney Livingston

Warm mead—similar to a hot toddy or warm water with honey—can also be used as a home remedy. The soothing properties of honey can be found in warm mead. Many people use it to alleviate symptoms of seasonal allergies, the common cold or flu.

In Delaware, two major meaderies offer plenty of infused and flavoured meads to put in your kettle. From the sophisticated flavours of spiced and barrel-aged meads to sweet and tart fruit-infused varieties, there are plenty of flavours to try.

Where to Find Delaware Mead

Wilmington’s Liquid Alchemy Beverages offers a mead inspired by Scandinavian glögg—a warm spiced wine spiked with whiskey or rum. Owner Terri Sorantino (a 2023 Delaware Today Top Women in Business honoree) was inspired by her Swedish roots to craft Gloggtoberfest. Through the fall and winter, patrons can sip a version heated in an electric kettle. The meadery also heats the Pucker Up Baby mead for a tart and fruity option. Sorantino recommends heating either flavour over the stove or in an electric kettle with a cinnamon stick or two.
Liquid Alchemy Beverages | 28 Brookside Drive, Wilmington | 438-0252

The Brimming Horn Meadery in Milton and Seaford also offers plenty of flavors that can be enjoyed warm. A Force of Time, for example, is infused with hibiscus flowers, peppercorns, ginger, saffron and cinnamon. Brimming Horn’s Dark Sorcery mead aged in Hoodoo chicory liqueur barrels is also an option to bring home and heat up in the cold winter months. Notes of sweet honey, molasses, roasted chicory, walnut, oak and coffee make for the perfect sip in the frosty season.
The Brimming Horn Meadery | 28615 Lewes Georgetown Highway, Milton | 664-1188

https://delawaretoday.com/food/warm-mead/

New meadery to offer nectar of the gods in Tucson, Arizona

From tucsonweekly.com

David Woods recently strolled into Cartel Roasting Co. to discuss his new meadery, Brillé Mead Co.

Over a cappuccino, he said starting a business and his hopes for his fledgling meadery, which will open to the public in January.

Brillé is inside the former Dillinger Brewing Co. on North Oracle Road. It is one of only a handful of meaderies in Arizona, and it will share a space with Mosaic Brewing Co.

Woods, 27, described Brillé on his website, noting his vision “is firmly rooted in my experiences growing up in an orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Adopted by a loving American family in 2009, I’ve spent over a decade away from my place of origin. Yet, with each passing year, my connection to my heritage deepens and widens.”

While living in Arizona, Woods started making Ethiopian mead, called T’ej, at home. Woods uses hops in his mead, along with Arizona honey, spices, fruit and Ethiopian-origin coffee beans. He ferments his meads in stainless steel tanks for three months.

He said that the meadery’s name, “Brillé,” is derived from the Ethiopian drinking vessel called “Berelé,” the round drinking flask customarily used to serve T’ej.

“I wanted to make something from home,” said Woods, who also is an engineer at Raytheon. “Why not use the platform to share a little bit about my culture?”

His 750-milliliter bottles – the same size as a standard bottle of red or white wine – will retail between $25 and $30. Woods also will sell other flavours of mead by the glass and bottle.

Mead, which originated 20,000 to 40,000 years ago, has been referenced in ancient Greek history as a gift from Aphrodite, earning its nickname as the “nectar of the gods.”

Mead doesn’t actually fit into the categories of wine, beer or liquor. It is made by using a traditional fermentation process – but instead of grains or grapes, honey is used.

“It’s an alternative to beer and wine, and depending on the day, it can be better than either,” Woods said.

                                                          David Woods (Owner) with Ababa (drink)

Not all mead is sweet, however. The flavour depends on the type of honey used, other ingredients and fermentation time. Mead can range from sweet to dry, and still to sparkling. The longer the fermentation time, the drier the mead and the higher the alcohol content.

Woods described his mead as having “a lot of flavour with a hint of sweetness.” He’ll offer varieties that range from dry to semi-sweet.

About a year ago, Shanna Nelson was working at Dillinger as an assistant brewer when she met Woods. Nelson now works at Borderlands Brewing Co. and considers Woods a friend.

The 26-year-old describes the taste of Woods’ mead as “earthy and herbal, and sweet but not too sweet,” and sometimes likes to mix it with seltzer.

“I think it’s an exceptional product,” Nelson said. “Most mead is one note, and that note is very sweet. I really appreciate that it’s more complex than a traditional mead in an American sense. I think it’s so interesting.”

Some studies assert that mead contains health benefits because it contains honey.

It’s true that honey boasts anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant benefits. In addition, the fruits, herbs and spices that are sometimes infused into mead can have health perks.

Alcohol causes inflammation, however, and mead’s 4% to 20% alcohol by volume might cancel some of the touted benefits.

Mead also can have a positive impact on the environment, because mead encourages the preservation of bees. Climate change, deforestation and chemical-heavy agricultural practices are killing off scads of bees, so every little bit helps.

Of course, starting a business by yourself is no easy task. Woods is quick to note that he had help getting started.

“It’s a matter of leveraging what’s around us,” he said. “I’ve gotten a lot of support.”

(Submitted)

Ababa Mead.

About a year ago, Woods was able to leverage space to brew his mead and serve customers at Dillinger Brewing Co. Eric Sipe, Dillinger’s owner at the time, had met Woods through someone at the UA Arizona. When Woods proposed sharing the brewery’s space – and shared some of his mead – Sipe jumped at the idea.

“I instantly said, ‘Yes,’ with no hesitation,” said Sipe, who opened Dillinger seven years ago. “I allowed him to use as much of my space as possible.”

Last year, Sipe sold Dillinger to the owners of Serial Grillers, who have renamed the North Oracle Road brewery Mosaic Brewing Co. The Serial Grillers Restaurant Group also owns Transplant Pizza and Craft, A Modern Drinkery.

“He’s got all the right ideas, the product is great,” Sipe said. “He’s got the traditional Ethiopian style, which might be the sweetest. He’s really doing a good job of making Southwestern flavours.

“Plus, he’s a super, super likable guy.”

Sipe is confident that Brillé will be a success.

“He was literally growing up in an Ethiopian orphanage until he was 12,” Sipe said. “This is probably the easiest thing he has done in his life.

“As long as he wants to do it, he will be successful.”

Brillé Mead Co.

3895 N. Oracle Road, Tucson

520-449-6862, www.brillemead.com

https://www.tucsonweekly.com/tucson/new-meadery-to-offer-nectar-of-the-gods/Content?oid=35096450