History Of MEADMAN
How it Started
The Idea of MEADMAN started back in shared apartment between the founders back in 2018.
In the earlier years before all the founders met, Trevor had traveled to various Ren Faire and larping events and experienced a different beverage around the campfires that he was originally accustomed to, and that beverage was mead. As he enjoyed the beverage, he ventured into the idea of making some himself.
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Moving forward to the end of the spring semester of 2018, Matt and Trevor acquired some additional free time that was originally occupied by college course work and extracurriculars. They decided to try creating there first mead with their friend Jacob.
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The first mead which we still own a bottle of was nothing shy from crude, using the budget of three broke young adults we purchased the most basic of ingredients and jerry rigged most tools of the trade with cheaper components. We fermented the better part of a half gallon of crystalized honey from our local co-op produce store in a one gallon growler using a party balloon as an airlock.
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Satisfied with results using the cruddiest of methods, the potential and dream of making something better and more refined was born. Thus the birth of MEADMAN
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History Of Mead
What is Mead
Mead is a drink widely considered to have been discovered prior to the advent of both agriculture and ceramic pottery, due to the prevalence of naturally occurring fermentation and the distribution honey-producing insects worldwide; as a result, it is hard to pinpoint the exact historical origin of mead given the possibility of multiple discovery prior to recorded history.
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Mead is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey mixed with water, and sometimes with added ingredients such as fruits, spices, grains, or hops. The alcoholic content ranges from about 3.5% ABV to more than 20%. The defining characteristic of mead is that the majority of the beverage's fermentable sugar is derived from honey. It may be still, carbonated, or naturally sparkling; dry, semi-sweet, or sweet
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Types of Mead
Mead can be categorized by the ratio of honey to water, or additional ingredients added to and after the fermentation. There is specific styles made with certain herbs fruits and other additives but they generally can be categorized by what is listed below:
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Short Meads are noted as being made with a smaller quantity of honey than traditional.
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Traditional Meads are noted as average mixture of honey and water.
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Great Meads are noted as being made with a larger quantity of honey than traditional.
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Metheglins are noted as meads fermented or aged with herbs or spices.
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Melomels are noted as meads fermented or aged with fruits.
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Braggots are noted as meads fermented or aged with grains.
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Acerglyns are noted as meads fermented or aged with maple syrup.
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Brochets are noted as meads fermented or aged with caramelized honey.
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Local Ingredients
Keeping it Local
From the inception of the business we strived to use local ingredient produced in West Virginia, both to support locally but to also help with the agricultural trend of homesteading and small scale farms that prioritize quality over quantity. Currently we are seeking any and all nearby apiaries, maple taps, and various produce to establish local supplies and reduce end of season waste.
Nature Preservation and Pollinators
Honey in the Wild & Wonderful
Although currently not at that stage yet one of the target goals of the business is to create a neutral energy consumption meadery and business while also prioritizing pollinator beneficial agendas and maintaining the natural environments that truly defines West Virginia wherever the buildings are established.