I don't know how you guys do it...

[Chevette Girl]

I give a lot away but I don't give it away till I'm happy with it, which is why I've still got a bunch of wines that are still hopefully aging into something I'm proud to give away rather than giving away because I'm running out of room and my friends and family are nice and will drink it anyway.

 

[icedmetal]

If I even thought of trying to drink everything we make, my liver would pack up shop and head for the hills.

Anytime we visit somebody's house, they get a bottle of something. Often times at the annual Christmas gathering, everybody gets a bottle. It gets fought over when we put it in with the white elephant gifts.

We probably only drink a bottle ourselves once or twice a month. I expect that'll become once a week when we have more of the good stuff around, but that'll probably be it.

 

[Chevette Girl]

We probably only drink a bottle ourselves once or twice a month. I expect that'll become once a week when we have more of the good stuff around, but that'll probably be it.

I hear ya, I'm lucky to kill a bottle or two in a month myself...

 

[wildoates]

Anytime we visit somebody's house, they get a bottle of something. Often times at the annual Christmas gathering, everybody gets a bottle. It gets fought over when we put it in with the white elephant gifts.

Same here. I don't really drink it but exceedingly rarely, but I sure love to make it.

 

[kudapucat]

Mead Recycling

Please be advised that I live in Bundoora, Melbourne, Australia.
I recycle full bottles of mead. I can also clean and return the bottles to you should you wish to refill them.
PM me for my address.
Generally I charge for this service, but as a special offer to gotmead patrons only, I'm willing to accept any bottle of mead for free.
Tasting notes and brewlogs make it easier to recycle the bottles.
Regards,
Hamish.

 

[gray]

Are the returned bottles accompanied by any sort of written statement concerning the quality of said recycled mead? Perhaps even just a rolled up scrap of paper saying "It was ok"?

 

[skunkboy]

Half the fun is definitely sharing the stuff, and getting feedback.

 

[kudapucat]

Are the returned bottles accompanied by any sort of written statement concerning the quality of said recycled mead? Perhaps even just a rolled up scrap of paper saying "It was ok"?

This is a service we've been looking into yes.
We expect the cost to be minimal, especially if a proforma sheet is send with the bottle for filling out during evaluation.
The EPA is a stickler for documentation on all waste produced when recycling. We wouldn't want to hurt the environment.

 

[akueck]

The feedback thing is kind of odd. I feel like most folks are holding back since it's something I made, even when I flat out tell them "if you don't like it, just dump it, I don't care". Getting honest feedback (face-to-face) is like pulling teeth! If it sucks, I really really want to know; negative feedback is more instructive than "yeah it's good". It's like they don't want to hurt my feelings. Arrrgh. On the flip side, I kind of do that to friends as well. Though usually I do the honest thing once and then go with platitudes if it isn't something they want to hear.

 

[gray]

I feel less comfortable about feedback from my family than I do my friends. My friends are pretty open with me about whether they like something or not... whereas my family loves it because i made it whether it tastes terrible or not. It's one of the reasons I've been trying to get mead out to people I don't know, I think there's less potential for soft criticism if they've never actually met the person making the product.

 

[Chevette Girl]

My friends and family are pretty honest. I do get the occasional, "BLEAH!" or the doubtful "Well, we drank it..." with the silent "please don't bring that one again" attachment... But every time I hand over a bottle, I do specifically request a critique to potentially make an improvement next time...

I was exceptionally pleased when I shared some strawberry wine with my friend's mom (who has been known to spit wine across the room if it's not to her taste) and she said nothing bad about it AND finished her glass...

 

[beeboy]

Most of the time when i give a bottle or two out to friends I get some type of review on how they like it. Most of the time positive but some times a little negitive. I really think a lot of the time people just don't have anything to compare a mead to except wine. Most wine drinkers I know have a preconcieved idea about meads and just don't seem very interested in expanding thier pallet. I don't know how many times I have heard "well it tastes ok but I don't know what a good mead is suposed to taste like". We are the redheaded stepchild of the wine drinking world. JMHO

 

[YogiBearMead726]

We are the redheaded stepchild of the wine drinking world. JMHO

Sounds about right.

I might add, most brewers have similar doubts and preconceptions towards mead. The ones I talk to regularly think it needs to be dessert mead status. I'm slowly changing that idea by bringing them some of my dry meads. Maybe one day, mead makers will be able to stand on a level playing field with the two giants, and this site is such a great tool/inspiration for aspiring "micro-meads".

 

[AToE]

My problem getting people convinced that mead is excellent is producing a great (not just decent) dry traditional. Most people think (and I'm finding they're often right actually) that dry mead is bland, and frankly, it can be without fruit/etc. I've got some batches aging that I think will be amazing, but nothing I have bottled that's a totally dry traditional is "knock your socks off" yet.

That's my fault for not having the recipes/processes down though. As I get better and better I'm sure I'll win people over. Until then, everyone goes nuts for my blueberry mels! ;D

 

[mmclean]

@ AToE,

I'm not a big fan of blueberries themselves, but in meads they seem to be the bomb.

I think a blueberry and black currant base can produce a mead on level with a high dollar red wine.

 

[AToE]

I haven't played with black currants yet - I find that as I get higher and higher lbs per gallon with blueberries my meads seem to be starting to push how much acidity is decent in a dry mead. I totally agree though, there's potential here to hook serious red wine drinkers with dry red meads.

 

[Tannin Boy]

I totally agree though, there's potential here to hook serious red wine drinkers with dry red meads.

Here I am!
My buddy hooked me after he made a cranberry Melomel !
I have been tinkering with it ever since and love the flavor profile.
Yet I drink and make big Red's I still find that a ( bit ) of sweetness
is needed for this style and berry for sure. Now let's discuss the benefit's
of health that mead brings to the table! ccasion14:

TB