Where to share your mead?

[Srimmey]

Where does everyone go to share their mead?

I would love to find a group of brewers that I could spend time with and sample each other’s creations. I have some bottles I’m really proud of that are unlike anything which can be bought in a store.

Some of my family likes the but they are often a little outlandish for people who are only use to store bought wine/cider/beer.

I think it would be a ton of fun to get some feedback from others and also try meads made by others. I’ve yet to try a store bought mead I’ve liked.

 

[Jonakr]

Since home brewing appears on the. decline, and meads have never been as popular as beers/ales/ciders, I think your best bet would be to see about local brew clubs and then see if anyone there does mead.

I had the opportunity to help a co-worker get into the hobby, but before he spent money I suggested he try at least a few to see what types he likes.

He didn't like any of them.

 

[MightyMosin]

I have this same issue. I might try to join a club...

 

[fatjay]

I drink alone in my basement with the lights off.

 

[Beekeeper]

My local brew club(s) are active with beer and mead brewers.

 

[Maylar]

I give them away to friends and family. And drink them with dinner.

 

[Maylar]

I drink alone in my basement with the lights off.

While listening to George Thorogood?

 

[Srimmey]

I give them away to friends and family. And drink them with dinner.

This is where I am at. It’s alright but I would really love to engage with other mead makers in person.

There is a world of difference between a home made mead and a store bought wine.

 

[Srimmey]

I drink alone in my basement with the lights off.

I tend to spill it all on my lap when the lights are off.

 

[Rish]

A number of the beer folks share/swap beer by shipping to each other (I've done a few and enjoy it).You might find some folks here that would be interested in doing that with you.

 

[jdubdvdt]

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-clubs/find-a-homebrew-club/

Looking in Oregon I found two in Eugene.
One doesn't have much of an online presence so they may not exist anymore.

I did find one website for Cascade Brewers. They have internal competitions that apparently include mead for you.
https://cascade-brewers.com/club-only-competition/

https://cascade-brewers.com/questions/
"Cascade Brewers Society (CBS) meets the last Monday of every month, for the whole year expect December. Please join us at Hop Valley Eugene at 7:00pm. Your first meeting is free to attend!"

​

Cascade Brewers Society
5413501445
[email protected]

Willamette Valley Homebrew Club
(541) 484-3322
[email protected] <--- this store apparently is closed so this may not be a good source.

Join up - my local club in FL has a ton of mead makers and some is incredible.

 

[MightyMosin]

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/homebrew-clubs/find-a-homebrew-club/

 

[Srimmey]

A number of the beer folks share/swap beer by shipping to each other (I've done a few and enjoy it).You might find some folks here that would be interested in doing that with you.

How does one go about shipping bottles through the mail?

 

[Maylar]

How does one go about shipping bottles through the mail?

You don't. It's illegal. You can use UPS or FedEx but you have to lie about what's inside. I tell 'em it's vinegar or bottled water.

 

[Rish]

How does one go about shipping bottles through the mail?

As @Maylar said, don't use USPS. I use Shippo https://goshippo.com/ . They're always cheaper for me than FedEx or UPS. I print a label for the package at home and drop it off at local UPS store, no questions asked. Here is info on preparing for shipping. May be more detail than you want.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/tutorial-for-shipping-beer.93042/

Hope this helps!

 

[fatjay]

You don't. It's illegal. You can use UPS or FedEx but you have to lie about what's inside. I tell 'em it's vinegar or bottled water.

Thanks to covid, PA's state liquor stores started shipping booze, and they always use UPS. To receive the booze, a person that is 18+ needs to accept the package (the first time, after that they just started leaving the boxes). So there must be a way to ship.

A friend of mine asked me to ship a few bottles down to him, and I was trying to figure out the best way. I'm assuming you'd have to package them pretty well.

 

[Rish]

^^Bubble wrap well so containers don't touch, put in zip lock or vacuum pack bags to contain a break or leak. Snug your bottles up with packing so they don't shift around.

 

[Maylar]

Thanks to covid, PA's state liquor stores started shipping booze, and they always use UPS. To receive the booze, a person that is 18+ needs to accept the package (the first time, after that they just started leaving the boxes). So there must be a way to ship.

A friend of mine asked me to ship a few bottles down to him, and I was trying to figure out the best way. I'm assuming you'd have to package them pretty well.

You can ship booze UPS or FedEx but you need to be a licensed distributor. For us, we have to fib about the contents. I get raised eyebrows from UPS when I ship "bottled water" to brew comps with an address like "Happy Holidays Homebrew Competition" lol.

 

[fatjay]

You can ship booze UPS or FedEx but you need to be a licensed distributor. For us, we have to fib about the contents. I get raised eyebrows from UPS when I ship "bottled water" to brew comps with an address like "Happy Holidays Homebrew Competition" lol.

I was thinking of marking it "flavored vinegar" as something that would be permitted and believable, but no one would be interested in.

 

[amber-ale]

Have you tried contacting your local SCA (society for creative anachronism (sp?)) group?
Mead and historical re-enactment people are a natural pairing.

 

[Raptor99]

When I tell friends that I make mead, they say that mead is far too sweet for their taste. Apparently they have never tasted a dry mead. I usually make mine with only a little back sweetening.

I am in Oregon, not too far from Portland. A bit of a drive from Eugene, but it would be great to find someone who wants to taste each other's mead. I haven't tried very hard, but I might be able to find a mead maker in my area. Most homebrew clubs focus only on beer, and wine clubs focus only on grape wine. So they are not a good fit for me.