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Commercial Mead Evaluation in Georgia

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pain

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From Julia at Redstone (via forward)

In an effort to promote meads in the Southeast and encourage more people to try this ancient beverage, www.ClassicCityBrew.com (Georgia's largest beer
website) will be hosting our second blind commercial mead evaluation conducted by "Beer Judge Certification Program" judges, wine enthusiasts, and beer authors.

Meads will be evaluated by a team of eight outstanding judges with awards presented for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and HM. Attractive award certificates WILL be mailed out to winning meaderies; and meadery names, contact information, judges comments and links to participating meaderies will be posted on the summary page of www.ClassicCityBrew.com and in our monthly Brewsletter. This will provide some marvelous exposure for your meadery.

Please use FedEx to send ONE bottle each of only 1-2 of your best meads that are currently available (by June 15) to:

Brewtopia Events LLC
1121 Echo Trail
Watkinsville, GA 30677
ph 706-254-BREW

Thanks for your interest and participation!

Owen Ogletree
http://www.ClassicCityBrew.com
Southern Brew News
Athens Magazine
 

toolboxdiver

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Great info Vicky, I have one question do all meaderies make there melomels by blending regular wines with traditional meads. The Meadery I went to a couple weeks ago did that and I was really disappointed. The Traditional Mead was good but there apple cyser was really bad (in my opinion since I make some really awsome cyser's) AND IT WAS 70% APPLE WINE AND 30% traditional mead. they had some melomels that were 60% traditional mead and 40% fruit wine but in my opinion they were really lacking in character because they were not fermented together. Is this common practice in a meadery to take short cuts like this? to get the different flavors they want. Just curious
 

pain

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Most meads that meaderies make, at least the ones I've had, have been true meads. The meadery here in NC, Desi's Dew, makes champagnenois style, that is, bubbly mead. There are several meaderies that make 'mead' out of honeyed wine with spices or fruit added. Bunratty in Ireland is one.

Unfortunately, the feds and state authorities haven't put together any regulations about what constitutes a mead yet. One of the goals of the IMA is to work towards getting such definitions established.

As far as good meads, I've had some real stinkers from commercial meaderies. The same is true of wineries, I guess. Some are great, and others not so great.

Vicky
 

toolboxdiver

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Thanks Vicky, yes I have had some bad wines at commercial wineries also, so I reckon I'll stick with my private stash...hehehe, or maybe sample some from other private mead makers. Have a great day ;D
 

Oskaar

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Champagnoise - bottle carbonated
Charmat - bulk carbonated

For those who weren't sure of the difference.

Oskaar
 

Greenblood

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Oskar,
My understanding has always been that in addition to being naturally carbonated in the bottle, the yeast must be riddled and disgorged to truly meet the conditions of the Methode Champagnoise.

Greenblood
 

pain

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Yup. And Bill at Desi's Dew has the devil's own time working up a method that lets him do it quickly, so to keep up production. His mead is pretty good tho, especially if you like dry meads.

Vicky
 
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