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Are there commercial meads?

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Maylar

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
May 23, 2015
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Connecticut
If I wanted to try a mead to see what it's like, is it something I can find in a liquor store or wine shop (in the USA)? If so, will it be in a wine bottle or in the cooler with the beers?

TIA
 

ScottBehrens

Premium Patron
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Aug 26, 2012
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Vero Beach, FL
I find it with the craft beer on the warm shelfs. Usually when I ask for mead, the liquor store says 'who?'.

Don't pass judgment on what's available in a liquor store, you can make better in most cases.
 

curgoth

Why do something when you can overdo it?
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Jun 10, 2014
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Toronto, ON
www.memento-mori.ca
It depends a lot on where you are. It's pretty easy to find in Michigan, where there are 3 meaderies. When I was there in March, I found a beer store that had an aisle that was mostly mead, next to the cider. (Beer Baron, for anyone interested)

Up here in Soviet Canuckistan, if you can find mead at all, some of it will be with the beer, some with the wine, depending on which part of the local booze laws the meadery used to get it on the shelves.
 

Squatchy

Lifetime GotMead Patron
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Nov 3, 2014
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Denver
I find it in the walk in with beer most of the time in smaller liquor stores. In the giant liquor marts they have an entire section usually around brandy and cordials.
 

pokerfacepablo

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 17, 2012
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St. Cloud, MN
Most of the liquor stores I shop at, stock it in the dessert or port aisle. Agree with everyone else in that you should make your own.

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Wingnut

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 29, 2012
80
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Snohomish, WA The Evergreen State
Sky River Mead in western Washington State.
Our state run liquor stores in WA didn't carry mead but several speciality wine stores did. Now that the state is out of the liquor business we can find it at a lot of the big grocery stores and the "Total Wine and More" outlets in the area.


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MeadMakr

NewBee
Registered Member
Apr 22, 2015
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Southern Maryland
Both GotMead (http://gotmead.com/directory/meaderies/meaderies-us.html) and the American Mead Makers Association (AMMA) (http://meadmakers.org/meadmakers.htm) keep a listing of commercial meaderies on their websites.

A couple meaderies are getting much better distribution nationwide. A good one to start with is Moonlight Meadery if you can find it (33 states, and international).

Some liquor stores now have a shelf devoted to mead. Others, you'll find it with the craft beer section. Legally, it's a wine, but who really pays attention to that :)
 

Lberry6595

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 16, 2014
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And I will add a personal recommendation of B. Nektar, they're out of Michigan I think, but they've got a pretty big distribution network, we get them in my rinky-dink college town in SC so I would be surprised if their stuff is hard to find elsewhere.
 

Maylar

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
May 23, 2015
621
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Connecticut
I've asked at my local packies and they say, "Huh?". There is a bigger place that has lots of wines and craft brews, so I think I'll inquire there. But I've also got some honey and whatnot coming in the mail, so it looks like I'll be making a gallon soon anyway. Just thought I'd check some out before hand to see if it's something I'll like.
 

Crowing

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 12, 2014
127
0
0
Groton, Connecticut
I'm in CT as well and the only commercial meads I've ever found were Viking blood, and some other I can't even recall the name. Neither of them were worth buying again, even my over-spiced JAOM was better. I would say just make your own.
 

ckr

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 1, 2015
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You can by them online depending what state your in. I would recommend Redstone mead or rabbit's foot mead both have very good Meads. You can most at wine stores or a Bev Mo s.



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Foothiller

Got Mead? Patron
GotMead Patron
Apr 1, 2015
77
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Sierra Foothills, CA
I guess I'm lucky to live where I do (Northern CA). One large wine store has a few meads with dessert wines, sherry, port, etc., although the clerks don't know much about them. But our Whole Foods Market has a shelf of meads in the beer section, informed staff, and occasional tastings with a local commercial meadery (Strad).
 
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