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.
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.”
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
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