The Mead House

In this episode, Jeff speaks to the winner of the Mead House’s Iron Bee 2021, Kyle Ducharme. You can now listen to The Mead House Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, iHeart Radio, YouTube, and now on Amazon Music. Check the front page of the website for more locations and

It’s been a long wait, but Jeff is back to talk the future of the Mead House, or at least his first several future projects. Included in this episode is the first in a series of mead recipes for you to play with and enjoy at your leisure! Sangria Mead

This episode we wrap up what has been an almost 5-year commitment to provide inspiration and motivation to our listeners in the meadmaking/brewing community. I have decided to retire from the podcast to attend to some health issues that I need to focus on.

The results are in! The Iron Bee 2021 is over, and we have some incredible submissions to talk about. But first, a big thank you to Matt Weide, a long time friend of the Mead House, also a BJCP certified mead judge, for assisting in the judging off all the meads that were submitted.

How do I estimate the amount of nutrients needs in a braggot? A bit confused on how to use Voss Kveik for braggot and mead. Any advice? I’m thinking of making a hoppy braggot as my next batch. These are just a few of the topics we discuss in this episode as we devote the whole show to braggots! 

Our guest this episode comes from a family who has been making mead for 5 generations. Now mind you, that dates back to around 1870. Her family has been making mead for over 40 years continuously, and she's been here before back on episode 213. We’ll welcome Rachel Lipman of Loew Vinyards in Maryland back to the house in a bit and talk nothing but mead.

We started as a small 3 man operation, my father, myself, and my middle brother because we loved the taste of Lehua honey. We were purchasing it locally at exorbitant rates and decided we should start our own hives when we bought our Farm.  It took us a year to clear our farm, another 2 years to plant fruit bearing nectar available trees, and when we started we did bee removals to get our first hives.  I started commercial beekeeping when I was 18, just out of high school, for a local producer. Spent 2 years with them learning equipment, harvest techniques, bee treatments and honey processing.  I'm proudest of my father and myself for analyzing, deconstructing and innovating techniques to keep our bees ethically, organically, and as clean a standard as required by law and then some.  Our ethic has always been geared towards food production- if I don't eat it, I'm not going to share or sell it.

This episode is another Social Club episode! We promised a while back that we would devote two shows to the Social Club during our 6 week session, and this is number 2!  How to incorporate lavender chamomile tea, Looking for a rhodomel recipe, Are Bochets better made with lighter/delicate honey, or a darker/bold variety and much more! We'll be back in 2 weeks for another 6 week session and episode 215.

"I started to learn how to make mead with my grandfather in 2017. That day I got to learn how to stir honey and learn our family recipe, which we hold incredibly close to us. Mead is of huge significance to my family. Although we have been making meads for over 150 years, the recipes we use here in Maryland are only about 40 years old.

Several months ago we told you we would dedicate 2 shows per 6 week session to the Social Club. This has been the most popular segment of our shows for some time. So for this episode, get your pen and paper out and get ready to take notes! The Social Club plus an update on the Iron Bee 21.

In her own words, "I wanted to try my hand at Meade making, but wanted a class, you know, someone to show me how so that I didn't make a mistake. Finally last winter I decided enough playing chicken and made my first batch, a 1 gal Traditional, and the next week I started a 5 Gal trad that I split in secondary to blueberry, blood orange, lemon ginger and strawberry, with 1 gal trad, and I haven't looked back."  Software engineer and home mead maker Laura Scott joins us this episode.

"Big fan and listener of the show. I have listened to every episode after diving into this hobby two years ago. My parents have an acre hop yard that got me involved in the beer industry and now I'm a quality analyst at a brewery in Vermont. I wanted to jump on the show with you all to discuss my 30 gallon barrel project and my successes and failures in mead making."  Listener Kyle Ducharme joins us for the entire show! Jeff has visions of bonfires retu8rning home to pick up a coat he forgot, then we wrap the show with the Social Club as always!

Ryan missed the show, he's off doing something, well, listen to the beginning of the show. Jeff starts a keezer build, he and JD discuss some of the in's and out's of keezers. Jeff also has an update on the Iron Bee 2021, and we wrap the show with the Social Club!

Nick Burgoyne is a native of Atlanta, GA and is currently a Sales Specialist for Aseptic Fruit Purées. Having fifteen years in the brewing industry, his goal is to facilitate support for customers and help them to discover exciting new flavor profiles for their brewing and distilling projects. Throughout his time in production as a brewer at an international brewing facility he led a department, spearheaded numerous projects, and developed several top-selling brands that went on to win accolades at The Great American Beer Festival and other notable competitions across the country.

In this episode, JD buys a new fermenter after considerable contemplation, scaling down to one vessel that will do it all. Ryan and Jeff have some 411 on the Iron Bee, it's open now for registration, and wile you're at it, sign up and become a Keyholder on Patreon.