The Mead House

We're now going to devote a full show once every 6 week schedule to the Social Club. This is where we answer a host of questions from mead makers and brewers with no formal expertise other than what we have experienced in our own brewhouse! Join in the fun, submit your questions to info@themeadhouse.com. or visit our Facebook or Twitter, both @TheMeadHouse and post your questions there.

In this episode, we meet Eric Depradine of Zydeco Meadery. He is a 2006 and 2008 graduate of UL-Lafayette in history and chemistry and has worked various municipal governments in Louisiana and Missouri regulating federal and local wastewater laws.  Eric is also a 2021 graduate of Highland Community College's enology certificate program and the owner of Zydeco Meadery, one of four minority owned alcohol manufacturers in Kansas.

Back in the saddle again for a full 6 week schedule, JD outlines his amazing trip covering some 7,800 miles with a visit to Sap House Meadery and a chance to meet with Ash Fischbein and Evan Henderson. Some of the images he talked about on the episode can be found here. Jeff recently completed his move and wound up with a freezer full of "cleanout mead" material, Ryan helps him sort it all out, and we wrap with a rather lengthy Social Club entry that, well, you just got to listen to!

Ryan and Jeff take the helm for a full episode of the Social Club! This is where we try to answer questions from brewers and meadmakers with no formal expertise other than our own experience in our brewroom. JD is still wandering the country, we hear he'll hit 25 states before he decides to come home!

Well, it's been a minute or two, so we're playing catch-up. JD and his wife took off for a 30 day cross-country trip that started on June 1st. One of his stops was at Sap House Meadery in Ossipee, New Hampshire. There he spoke with Ash, Evan and Matt, the team that makes it happen with an outstanding staff of people. The interview in this episode is condensed, to hear the full interview, please go to our Patreon page and log in. You must be a member to listen to the almost hour long interview. Jeff and Ryan were left at the studio to put together segment 2 and 3, wrapping with the Social Club.

Charles Lipnicki is a Canadian Mead maker, farmer, and bee keeper. He and his wife Laura own and operate the “Island Honey Wine Company” in Canada’s smallest province Prince Edward Island. In past lives Charles has been a pastry chef, entrepreneur and salesman. His long time hobbies included being an avid home brewer wine and mead maker. Charles and Laura always longed for a simpler lifestyle and had a desire to create a life for themselves on a small farm. After learning about a “new to North America “ fruit called the Haskap berry they knew the farm would have to include this incredible gem as an anchor crop.

While JD is on the road somewhere between here and there, Ryan and Jeff are left alone in the studio to produce episode 200! Jessicka of Mountain Rose Herbs returns to The Mead House. MRH will again be sponsoring the secret ingredient category of the Iron Bee (announcement on dates soon!). She'll talk about what she's seen at MRH during the pandemic and offer some thought on the secret ingredient...without giving too much away.

Welcome listeners! We always have fun with our Social Club segment, so this episode is dedicated to all our valued listeners. We'll spend the entire episode answering questions from meadmakers and brewers with no formal expertise other than what the three of us have experienced in our own mead house.

Michael Jordan is the owner of A BEE Friendly Company, Inc. His growing interest in self-preservation and the love of the earth has made him more than a beekeeper. One of the few called “Bee Activist”, his teaching on beekeeping has been heard all over the world. He has worked with Worlds of Wonder Discovery Channel, Bee’s Without Boarders, The Pearl Foundation, Boys & Girls Scouts, various 4-H groups, The Rotary Club, and many youth programs ...teaching the lost art of beekeeping.

Previously joined us with his co-brewer John last May to talk about a mango braggot they'd put together. Toward the end of the episode he mentioned a sourdough starter we'll have to ask about and says he's recently filled up 170 bottles of mead, so it sounds like he's been busy in the last year. Here to tell us what he's been up to during his pandemic period is returning home meadmaker Ravi Hausner.

Our guest this episode is one of the most incredible home mead makers I think this show has ever met. This will be his 3rd appearance at the House, and back on episode 129, his first appearance, we billed him as "He’s a Minnesota-native, has six International Mazer Cup wins, a Minnesota State Fair Best of Show and two first round placements in this year’s National Homebrew Competition. And, he’s only been making mead for a year and a half."

Continuing our "Homebrewing in the Pandemic" series. Master home meadmaker, Nathan Steigman returns to The Mead House. Nathan pursues his craft with dedication and a willingness to fail only to go back through the notes and do it again differently. A Statesman in the art of crafting some of the best tasting homemade mead. Also, Have you got your MacGyver on? Jeff touches on some DIY projects that would have mad MacGyver proud with Ryan and JD sharing as well. Finally, we wrap the episode with a few Social Club questions.

Chip Walton is the producer and host of Chop & Brew, a web show about homebrewing, craft beer, and cooking. His day job is that of digital content producer at Northern Brewer Homebrew Supply for the second time in ten years. During his first tour of duty at Northern Brewer, he co-created and produced the popular Brewing TV webshow.

Medal winning home brewer Matt Weide joins us this episode. A regular here at the house, Matt brings us up to date on his projects and how the pandemic has affected his home brewing. We also get into a nutrient discussion about step feeding, when is it used, and do we stick to a step feeding regimen.

Wrapping up our 6 week run with discussions and interviews on honeybeer, this episode we hook up with a long time friend and supporter of the show, Ash Fishbein, owner of Sap House Meadery and Hobb's Brewing Company in New Hampshire. Hobb's has been brewing a honeybeer called Wannabee and we'll talk to Ash about what his influence was foro this honeybeer as well as how they incorporate it into the wort for the best character. Also, we can't let him get away without a few updates from Sap House Meadery, so get your paper and pen out, prepare to take notes, Ash will drop nuggets, lots of them! We'll be on 2 weeks hiatus, so don't miss the next podcast on March 30th! See you then!