Speaker: James Boicourt, beekeeper, meadmaker and co-owner of Charm City Meadworks
What is mead? Mead is an alcoholic drink made of honey and water that has been fermented with yeast. It can be flavored with herbs, fruits and other flavorings during the process. James explained the Charm City processes, answered questions, and treated attendees to a mead tasting – an excellent close to a warm July evening.
Mead is produced by a cold process, similar to wine. In place of grapes or grain, mead employs honey as its base ingredient, and it is fermented with water and yeast for approximately two weeks. By not heating the product during fermentation, it enables the meadmaker to retain the subtle nuances of the honey's original nectar source.
Following fermentation, Charm City ages its mead for two to four months in oak casks that originally held bourbon whiskey. Throughout this aging, the product is closely monitored to determine the flavors that are both being added and also developed over time. In the case of our flavored meads, the finished product is then removed from the casks and filtered, and stored in large cases called "totes" to facilitate the infusion process, using fresh fruits, herbs, and spices.
The history of mead is a long story of love and passion. Mead has been a drink of choice since before written history, made and enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Inca and Aztec tribes, and of course, the Vikings. It has been referred to as the "nectar of the gods," and has long had fertility (and specifically the birth of sons) attributed to its consumption. The modern-day term "honeymoon" comes from the term "mead moon," an ancient tradition where the newlywed couple would be given enough mead to last a full lunar cycle, in hopes that the wife would bear a son. In addition to fertility, mead is known for its aphrodisiacal and intoxicating properties.
A huge thank you to James Boicourt of Charm City Meadworks.
If you enjoyed hearing about mead and want to learn and taste more. Considering joining the group as we travel up to the newly renovated tap room in Baltimore. Charm City Meadworks is located at 407 E. Preston Suite B in Baltimore MD. The tap room and manufacturing space is currently under renovation. We are looking at a tour and tasting on one of these four possible dates: Sat Sept 9, Sun Sept 10, Sat Sept 23 or Sun Sept 24.
Send an email to Pam at pphepp@aol.com if you want more information.
Charm City Meadworks: (443) 961-1072 http://charmcitymeadworks.com/
-Maureen Jais-Mick
