• PATRONS: Did you know we've a chat function for you now? Look to the bottom of the screen, you can chat, set up rooms, talk to each other individually or in groups! Click 'Chat' at the right side of the chat window to open the chat up.
  • Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
  • We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.

Response from Ken Shramm

Barrel Char Wood Products

Norskersword

NewBee
Registered Member
May 19, 2004
683
0
0
Recently I decided to email Ken Shramm, the author of The Compleat Meadmaker, and although I'm sure experts like Joe Matiolli exchange words with him on a regular basis, I thought it was really cool when he responded. Just wanted to share this with you guys:

Jeff Tollefson (Norskersword) wrote:

Hello Mr. Schramm, I just wanted to let you know you did an awesome job on your book (although I'm sure you hear this enough). You did such a great job on it, I have heard your book called things like "The Mead Bible" on various forums including gotmead.com and morebeer.com. It seems that everyone who appreciates mead appreciates your book as well.

I'm a newbie to mead myself, but meadmaking has quickly become one of my favorite hobbies. I think with your book you have taken giant leaps in achieving your goal of making mead well known again.

Have you thought about writing another book? I think the mead community would welcome a recipe book from the Mead Master. You mentioned in your book that The Compleat Meadmaker was not as much about recipes as it was about learning to make mead. You have some great recipes in your book, but I'm sure there are many more where they came from.

Once again, my compliments on your "Mead Bible".

Ken Shramm wrote:

Thanks for the kind words, Jeff. I'm trying to reclaim some of my life now, and I think another book may be a few years away. I have pushed my other love (fly fishing) aside to get this book out and publicized, but the stream is calling me again, and is far to satisfying to be ignored.

The book has certainly helped some folks get off on the right foot. Some of the medal winners at this years AHA National Competition have given me some credit for influencing their mead making efforts, for which I am most humbly grateful.

We picked, pitted and froze three gallon bags of cherries this evening, and more cherries are a-ripening. There is mead making afoot, I tell you.

Life is good. Thanks again.

Ken
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
Administrator
Dec 26, 2004
7,874
8
0
34
The OC
Kind of how I pictued him. Very down to earth and well grounded. Cherry melomel on the way.


I think we should all show up at his house with a bottle of our finest, get him drunk and then raid his orchard!

. . . sorry, was that out loud??

Oskaar
 

pain

GotMead Owner
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Apr 5, 1996
1,698
18
38
North Carolina
gotmead.com
Ken and I had a long talk a while back (he's been kinda busy lately) and he *is* just a down home guy. He's from my home state of MI, and we talked about just about everything. He even, without being asked, sent me a pre-release copy of the book, and asked *my* opinion! Needless to say, I was flattered.

Ken is a great guy who wrote a great book. All, y'all, if you haven't got yours yet, get one. He worked really hard to define our hobby, and I for one think he's done the best job yet!

Vicky - who really needs to re-read hers, its been so long since I made a new mead!
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
Administrator
Dec 26, 2004
7,874
8
0
34
The OC
Does that mean you're gonna be there when we raid the orchards??

Enquiring minds want to know!

Oskaar
 
Barrel Char Wood Products

Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns