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Southwestern Florida meadery recommendations?

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Shelley

Shelley

Honey Master
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Sep 13, 2013
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Harford, NY
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The family is visiting Florida soon and I am looking for any "you've just GOTTA try this!" meadery recommendations. We're going to be in the Tampa and Ft. Myers area. Our evenings will end on the early side due to the little 'uns, and that seems like a prime opportunity for an in-hotel mead sampling.

(And if anyone has recommendations on where to stay -- or avoid -- near Sanibel, I'd appreciate it. I'm discouraged by the hotel reviews I see in Ft. Myers.)

Slainte!

Shelley
 
GntlKnigt1

GntlKnigt1

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Mar 17, 2004
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I know mannye and Medsen are near there....shaunG in bTampa....i remember the grouper was great down there in FT Myers a long time ago

Sent from Arthur Dent's towel smothering a volume of Vogon poetry, some of which just leaked out.
 
mannye

mannye

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Oct 10, 2012
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Might as well ask me what's good in Kennebunkport because that's another place I've never been. Well, I've been to Tampa once like 15 years ago but only for work. I wouldn't know anything about anything there. Maybe Medaen has gone there? Or Bob? Here on south Florida I could help but alas in Tampa my map only says "there be dragons"


Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
 
mannye

mannye

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Riverat said:
I'm from Tampa and my Dad is in Sarasota, I'll ask his wife for their recommendation and get back to you, they spend a few weekends a year either in Sanibel or in the immediate vicinity
Click to expand...


Hey! So are there really dragons there? :)


Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
 
mannye

mannye

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I've heard that Tampa is very nice. The water isn't as nice on the west coast of Florida, but that sand is probably among the best in the world.


Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
 
B

Bob1016

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Jun 24, 2012
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Coral Springs, FL
Thr water always bugged me! People would say it so beautiful, but the reason it's that color is because of all the crap in it!
Can't help much, but I recomend cigar city for beer, and if you get to tarpon springs there is a great Greek resturaunt near the beach.
You might want to check out walker farms honey, they've got some hard to find florida specialty honeys.
 
Shelley

Shelley

Honey Master
Registered Member
Sep 13, 2013
365
32
28
Harford, NY
MeadMagic.com
Bob1016 said:
Thr water always bugged me! People would say it so beautiful, but the reason it's that color is because of all the crap in it!
Can't help much, but I recomend cigar city for beer, and if you get to tarpon springs there is a great Greek resturaunt near the beach.
You might want to check out walker farms honey, they've got some hard to find florida specialty honeys.
Click to expand...

I'm North Atlantic raised, myself, so partial to the sea-green colors myself.

Thanks for the tip on the honey store - since I'm doing the navigation… :-D
 
mmclean

mmclean

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Jul 22, 2010
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I left Ft. Myers bout 20 years ago. It was a dump then and has only gotten worse. Ft.Myers Beach on Estero Island is nice if your staying at a resort like The Lani Kai Island Resort and you can drive across the causeway to Sanibel/Captiva.

Naples is/was nice.

Meaderies, I don't know about. None that I know of. Like I said, been a while.
 
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bkwing

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Jan 6, 2011
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Tampa, FL
Meaderies: Not a ton down here...though there are a few on the way. Stop by Southern Brewing & Winemaking as there are usually a few meads as well as ciders (if you are interested) to compliment their large selection of beers on tap (can check their facebook for info). They also happen to be the best homebrew/winemaking shop in the Southeast, so it's a cool spot to drink and look around.
 
Shelley

Shelley

Honey Master
Registered Member
Sep 13, 2013
365
32
28
Harford, NY
MeadMagic.com
bkwing said:
Meaderies: Not a ton down here...though there are a few on the way. Stop by Southern Brewing & Winemaking as there are usually a few meads as well as ciders (if you are interested) to compliment their large selection of beers on tap (can check their facebook for info). They also happen to be the best homebrew/winemaking shop in the Southeast, so it's a cool spot to drink and look around.
Click to expand...

This was an amazing homebrew store. What a selection of grains! They didn't have much mead available, and not local (B Nektar). We did dutifully sample the vanilla cinnamon and orange blossom bottles that they did have, though. :) (The OB was best.)
 
M

MJ7

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Feb 5, 2014
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mannye said:
I've heard that Tampa is very nice. The water isn't as nice on the west coast of Florida, but that sand is probably among the best in the world.


Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
Click to expand...

Having lived in Tampa for the last 7 years or so (left there in 2012) the city itself has a few nice spots, but the rest of the city is pretty ugly, not terrible, just ugly. Clearwater beach and De Soto beach have ranked in the top 5 (even number 1 and 2 a few years ago) as the best beaches in the entire US. Part of the reason for this is that they state will not allow offshore drilling rigs, they want to keep their beaches nice and the water clear.

As for mead, nope, never had any in Tampa or the state of FL, but then again I never drank mead then. I could recommend some nice breweries though or places to hang out.
 
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