Tag Archives: Mead Day

Baltibrew Killa Bees! We on a swarm!

Once a year, Baltibrew joins other homebrew clubs in the area at Snyder's Apiaries in White Hall, Maryland to make mead. For those of you unfamiliar with the topic, mead is honey wine — literally, water, honey, yeast, and a little bit of yeast nutrient make mead. It is one of the oldest forms of fermented beverage, was drunk by vikings before going into battle, and done right, it tastes awesome.

Wootown members Lloyd and Ruth Ann Snyder run the apiary, and do us the great courtesy of providing us with the proverbial hook up — cheap honey, an awesome environment, and most importantly great company.

Mead mazing is easy, doesn't take that long, and is really more of an excuse to hang out in the country with other brewers, learn tons about fermented beverages, and drink some awesome examples all made with honey. This really is one of the best brew days we take part in.

Basic Details:

• Saturday November 1st, 11 a.m. start time  at the home/apiary of Wootowners Lloyd and Ruth-Ann Snyder (4747 Norrisville Road, White Hall, MD 21161)
• Honey is $4.25 per pound.
• 12 pounds makes 9.3% mead, 15 pounds makes 11.2% mead.
• It takes about a half hour per person to maze mead, and usually more than one person is doing so at a time.
• Snyder's takes cash, check, or credit card.
• Yeast and yeast nutrient are available or you can bring your own.
• You will need a clean fermenter, lid or cap, and airlock.
• Wootown is bringing its whizz-bang, inline water heater, so there's no waiting for large volumes of water to heat up, and will have a stirrer available for aeration.

As usual — but for serious this time — bring food and home or pro brew (Cider, wine, beer) to share. Wootown and its members do an excellent job sharing dishes, and homebrew. We want to come correct as well. Please don't show up empty handed!