I'll come to the Dump with ya ruthie.......

awww, ruthie... <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>

i don't think i've ever had any actual mead, but the first thing i think of on mentioning it is the rose mead my mom made one time when i was little, which due to it's magical properties (otherwise stated, due to it's alcohol content) was off limits to us kids...which seemed criminal. the entire incident was steeped in mystery considering how little alcohol my mom drank and considering how something that smelled so good and looked that pretty when poured in a glass could be off limits to the majority of the household. i don't recall all that was involved in her making it, but it seemed to start out on the stove...and probably required some of grandpop's honey...and of course rose petals.

<center><FONT COLOR="#000080">--- Edited 1 times, lastly by agnes on Nov 24, 2004 ---</FONT></center>

Agnes, she was probably bringing the honey to a boil. If it's straight from the hive, it can have bacteria and such that can ruin the mead. It's been years, but I remember it's pretty much like making any wine except that you start with honey instead of fruit--add water and yeast, let ferment, draw the clear wine off the sediment a few times, test for sugar/alcohol content and when that's right, have a bottling (and taste-testing) party.<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/yum.gif" width=15 height=15>

louise~What do ya say, Im gonna have a Thanksgiving Dinner, that cant be beat, then I'll gather up all of their trash, & come pick you up! And we'll end up at the Dump of your choice, between Ok. & Oz, & who knows maybe we could sing a song, of course I'll hafta get my tin bucket, {to carry my tune!}

agnes, what a great memory, thanks for sharing! Altho, I bet it would bring a bigger smile to your heart, had she let you kids have a tiny taste! But, then well she didnt wanna open THAT can of mead!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ceashel:

Agnes, she was probably bringing the honey to a boil. If it's straight from the hive, it can have bacteria and such that can ruin the mead. It's been years, but I remember it's pretty much like making any wine except that you start with honey instead of fruit--add water and yeast, let ferment, draw the clear wine off the sediment a few times, test for sugar/alcohol content and when that's right, have a bottling (and taste-testing) party.<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/yum.gif" width=15 height=15><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
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Yep! That's pretty much it, Ceashel! We don't boil ours. We use Camden Tablets, which contain sulfites, that kill the bacteria and any stray natural yeasty-beasties that might be in there. Some folks are allergic to sulfites, though, so always read yer labels! If you boil it you can loose some of the flavor & such, but to quote The Complete Meadmaker, "...it's all about the buzz!"

We plan on having a wee bit tomorrow (well, maybe a wee bit more than a wee bit!). We'ver got about 5 gallons of strawberry mead (at about 13.5% alcohol) and two separate 5 gallon batches of maple mead (one at 13% and the other at 17%) made with honey and maple syrup. "Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays!"

Thanksgiving always reminds me of a T-shirt that I saw some years back at a Connecticut River Valley Pow-wow in Farmington. It was a cartoon drawing of hungry Pilgrims lined up holding plates that were being filled with food by Indians. The caption read, "Thanksgiving: America's first welfare line!" They offered their help, homes and food and look at what they got in return. Something to think on, I reckon. Most of us might have things to be thankful for, but it would be nice if we could all figure out how to spread it around so that everybody could, as well. May you all have that and more.

Captain Zap

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmead!!!!

Hey Captain Zap... you ARE planning on going to the tailgate at the Church next season, aren't you!!! heehee

Wishing you a thanksgiving that just couldn't be beat!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Wyldflower:

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmead!!!!

Hey Captain Zap... you ARE planning on going to the tailgate at the Church next season, aren't you!!! heehee

Wishing you a thanksgiving that just couldn't be beat!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
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Forgive my ignorance, but I'm a greenie here. What tailgate? When? If it's at the church in Stockbridge.....hmmmmm....I don't live to far from there. Maybe an hour away plus or minus as the crow flies. It is a possibility. Are mead-type beverages allowed in these sometimes way too politically correct days? Maybe we'll bring some maple beer, too, if we get some brewed by then....whenever it is.

Have a Happy & <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/peace.gif" width=16 height=16>,
Captain Zap (whose town dump is only open on Saturdays & always closed on Thanksgiving)

wow...thanks ceas and captain zap! now, if i should get such a notion... <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>
i've never made anything like that myself aside from accidentally letting some fresh cider go hard.

my good friend, on the other hand, made one particular batch of probably some of the best beer i've ever had...almost dependably! on occasion though, upon opening a bottle from this particular batch the whole of it's contents would foam out onto to the ground (if you were fortunate enough to be standing outside at the time).
i always think of how we'd built up the reputation of this beer before offering some to a friend, who gladly accepted, but upon opening it watched helplessly as his beer foamed out in it's entirety onto the ground (which may have taken up to a minute to do), and how we laughed at how pitiful a look he had on his face.
it was only a few bottles that did that, but seeing it happen once made every bottle suspect.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by aka ruthie:
agnes, what a great memory, thanks for sharing! Altho, I bet it would bring a bigger smile to your heart, had she let you kids have a tiny taste! But, then well she didnt wanna open THAT can of mead!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

ruthie, it could be a tough call, that one. <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>

anyway...captain zap, sounds like you're in for a full day or so of revelry!
i'll let wyld explain the tailgate thing cuz she probably knows what she's talking about.

everybody have a good many!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by agnes:
i'll let wyld explain the tailgate thing cuz she probably knows what she's talking about.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

HAHAHAHAHAHA
Me???? know what I'm talking about????? LOL

Tailgate...how to explain...
I'm sure you know that Arlo does shows at the Church a few times a year... when he does, particularly in October, people gather on Sunday in the early afternoon, and just hang out, enjoy shared food and drink (people bring what they can to share) and wait for the Sunday evening show. There are others who have been tailgating for years, so I defer to them on the explanation. But you're soooo close to the Church, it would be really nice to get to meet you at one or another of the shows!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Captain Zap:
...Maybe an hour away plus or minus as the crow flies....<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Captain Z: Yes, it's at the Church. If we can travel 1,500 or so miles to the Fall Revival, could you maybe drive for an hour to get there? (No pressure.) The dates aren't posted yet, but I'm guessing it will be Oct. 7-9, 2005, with the tailgate being on the 9th--whatever than Sunday is.

I used Camden tablets for other wine, but not the mead. I raised the bees and collected the honey, and preferred boiling to sulfites for that.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ceashel:
If we can travel 1,500 or so miles to the Fall Revival, could you maybe drive for an hour to get there? (No pressure.)

I used Camden tablets for other wine, but not the mead. I raised the bees and collected the honey, and preferred boiling to sulfites for that.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
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Yikes! That's a haul! We don't get out much. We've got two dogs, two potbellied pigs and a kazillion cats who all live in the house (all house broken... well,except for the occassional "cat-tastrophie"), so we can only do day trips. It's tough to find someone to pig-sit. But it sounds like it could turn into an annual ritual, so to speak. Have mead, will travel. Uh, oh! Think I may have just alerted the GBPD!

I can see you're not wanting to use the Camden tabs, but we haven't had any problems with it, so far. We don't use 'em when we make the maple beer, though. We boil that 'cause that's how ya make maple syrup, anywho! Bring some of yours. We can have a sampling partay! <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/looney.gif" width=15 height=15> Hmmm... might have to find a pig sitter, after all!

This has sort of gone off the original topic a few times, eh? Maybe we should start a new thread titled "Digressions". Well, actually, it sort of came back around, again, to the Church, which = Guthrie Center. There ya go!

Have a happy, folks.

<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/peace.gif" width=16 height=16>
Captain Zap

Cap Zap

I had Mead once and it wasn't very good. i would like to try some of your Druid Fluid Brewed in the Woo-ids!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by PSBeaty:

Cap Zap

I had Mead once and it wasn't very good. i would like to try some of your Druid Fluid Brewed in the Woo-ids!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
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My SO & I are by no means brewmeisters, but we do prefer a somewhat sweet mead to the drier stuff. Should my much abused brain remember that there'll be a tailgater at "The Church" in October & if we have any brew left by then, then you're welcome to sample some if we bump into each other, PS. Bring along yer drinking horn!

<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/peace.gif" width=16 height=16> through mead consumption! (Uh, wait! That could be what caused the Vikings to rape, pillage, & burn!)
Zap

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Captain Zap:
<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/peace.gif" width=16 height=16> through mead consumption!
Zap<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

that's an interesting thought <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/smile.gif" width=15 height=15>
or maybe we could start passing a giant peace pipe...kind of like the white bike of amsterdam...