Groennfell Meadery
  • Our Meads
    • Year-Round
    • Seasonal
    • Buy Mead Online
    • Mead Finder
  • About
  • Blog
    • Articles
    • Videos
    • Thursday Fun Facts
    • Cocktails
    • Homebrew Recipes
    • Food Recipes
  • Contact
    • Marketing Materials
  • Store

Recipe Release Today!

1/31/2017

0 Comments

 
Ricky the Meadmaker couldn't be more excited. - Groennfell Meadery
It's here! It's here! The day is finally here!

All of Groennfell and Havoc's recipes are in one place online!

Ricky has spent the last few weeks modifying and reformulating all of the recipes we brew here at the Mead Hall so that you can replicate them at home! 

There are a few things we do on a large scale that simply don't translate to the homebrew scale (certain concentrates and extracts), but Ricky has replicated all of our recipes using only homebrew scale equipment and gotten pretty darn close.

If you haven't read it yet, please go check out our article How We Brew Everything We Brew, then head on over to the New Recipe Page and get to brewing!

0 Comments

Mead Cocktail: Warmest Winter

1/27/2017

0 Comments

 
Mead Cocktail: Warmest Winter - Heat Together: 3/4 Mug of Winter Warmer, 1/8 Mug Brandy, 1/8 Mug Vodka. Garnish with Cinnamon. - Groennfell Meadery
0 Comments

Thursday Fun Fact 1-26: Mulsum

1/26/2017

0 Comments

 
Thursday Fun Fact 1-26 - Groennfell Meadery - While Bunratty doesn’t make mead (which is why they have to write “meade” on their bottles), they do technically make mulsum, and it would be pretty cool if they labeled it as such.
0 Comments

How We Brew Everything We Brew

1/24/2017

10 Comments

 
Ricky the Meadmaker making mead - Groennfell Meadery
Starting next week, all of our recipes are going to be available in one place on our site so you can try your hand at making all of our meads at home.

No more bugging Ricky the Meadmaker to e-mail you his formulae!

That said, rather than having all of the steps for each batch of mead, we're going to focus on making sure you know the ingredients, the ratios, and a few specific pointers for each brew.

Generally speaking, all of our meads are brewed in a very similar fashion. So, we thought we'd give you our techniques all in one place before inundating you with recipes.

Big Disclaimer: These are our practices, we are not claiming that they are necessarily the best practices.

With that out of the way, here are all of our general principles in one place:
  • Our honey is never heated above 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and usually only to 94F. This prevents the volatilization of complex flavor and aroma compounds.
  • Our brewing water, for similar reasons, is never heated above 98F.
  • We filter our water with a carbon filter to remove off-flavors and to give ourselves a stable starting point throughout the year. This prevents our having to worry about changing aquifers, treatments, and other issues.
  • With the exception of our darker meads, all of our honey is raw (or strained) wildflower honey from Canada.
  • With the exception of a few wild-fermented meads, we sulfite the must (the honey water combination) to kill or suppress wild yeast and bacteria. For more on that discussion, please check out Them's Fightin' Words. 
  • We never filter our products because we believe subtle flavor and aroma is much more important than clarity.
  • Fruit juices are almost always added in primary fermentation with the exception of citrus juices which are added in secondary.
  • All spices and herbs are added in secondary.
  • We only sulfite and sorbate post fermentation if a sugar-bearing ingredient is added such as orange juice, maple syrup, or raisins. This prevents refermentation and exploding cans.
  • We are careful to brew our meads with an original gravity such that we can add ingredients in the secondary and still hit our intended ABV. (Specifics for each recipe will be included.)
  • We force carbonate all of our products because many of our yeast strains produce hydrogen sulfide in a quantity that would render the packaged product... a little eggy.
  • We oxygenate the ever-loving heck out of all of our products pre-fermentation, then we are very careful not to introduce oxygen at any later stage.

We know that's an awful lot, but we'll have reminders in each recipe. We hope this is helpful!

Head over here for our recipes!

10 Comments

Ask the Meadmaker EP. 79 - Nordic Strong Man

1/21/2017

0 Comments

 
In which Ricky the Meadmaker answers questions about fermenting caramelized sugars, the best ways to add vanilla to mead, what would happen if you "carbonated" with nitrous oxide, and more!
Further Reading:
What the Heck is Nitro?
Mead Varieties Poster
The Ability of Brett to Ferment Caramel - The Mad Fermentationist
0 Comments

Mead Cocktail - A Dandy Gent

1/20/2017

0 Comments

 
Mead Cocktail: A Dandy Gent - Psychopompous Cherry Honey Wine; 3 Dashes Rhubarb Bitters; 3 Dashes Lemon Bitters; Splash of Aperol; Splash of Seltzer. - Groennfell Meadery
0 Comments

Thursday Fun Fact 1-19: Namesake

1/19/2017

0 Comments

 
Thursday Fun Fact 1-19 - Groennfell Meadery - If you stick Mini Snickers Bites into every bottle of your mead after fermentation has completed, there’s no special name for the style, but you can be pretty certain you will cause one of your friends to fatally choke. Then, maybe they’d name the style after you!!!
0 Comments

Local Monster Burgles Meadery - A Hero Emerges

1/17/2017

2 Comments

 
Grendel by J. R. SkeltonRendering of Burglar by J.R. Skelton
Early on Sunday morning a local monster attacked our little Mead Hall. After destroying both doors but failing to gain entry, this villain shattered a window and made off with all of our money from the week.

Given that he took an envelope marked "Tips for the Staff," we at first assumed that this individual is a blood relative or protege of the unreformed Grinch. Then, a more likely suspect appeared...

Who would attack a Mead Hall, especially one who's so committed to our community? Well, according to the scholars of old, the answer appears to be obvious: Grendel.

That's right. The joy, revelry, and harmony that we promote at our Mead Hall has been stirring the evil in the heart of this great beast.

​But, unlike the men of Hrothgar: Our Wassail is not over; we do not weep to Heaven nor mourn under the sun! Why?

First and foremost, no one was hurt. Glass can be replaced, doors repaired, and money made; but our staff and customers are all safe and sound, and that's what really matters to us.

Next, The Colchester Police Department has been absolutely amazing. They were at the scene before we even got there from our home. They not only did an amazing job with the details of the case, but they were very, very supportive to our little six-year-old pseudo-staff member, Lillian.

Lillian was there when the break-in was discovered, and as you can imagine, she was really upset that one of her safe places was broken into. Officers Jeff and Mark went above and beyond to make sure she felt comfortable and safe, even making her an honorary member of the Colchester Police Force with her own little sticker badge.

Lillian is really the hero of our story. Last night, she came over to Ricky and Kelly's house to make sure that they were OK, even sitting with Ricky to read his favorite book.

Then, this morning, she proudly announced - before going to school - that she didn't care about the monster, she was going to go win all of our tips back. (Not giving a coherent plan, we asked her not to engage in mortal combat, but we told her that we really appreciate the sentiment.)

So, if you see Officers Jeff or Mark, please thank them for doing such an amazing job with our Little Hero.

And, of course, if you see our Little Hero, please tell her how proud you are of her, because we can't possibly tell her enough.


Of course, if you do have something to report, a little more information about the burglary is here, and you can contact the police at 802-264-5555

2 Comments

Mead Cocktail: Fresh Salad

1/13/2017

0 Comments

 
2 oz. Smuggler’s Notch Hopped Gin; 2 dashes Lemon Bitters; 2 dashes Orange Bitters; Top with Root of All Evil; Garnish with Fresh-Picked Basil. - Groennfell Meadery
0 Comments

Thursday Fun Fact 1-12: Old Avestan

1/12/2017

0 Comments

 
Thursday Fun Fact 1-12 - Groennfell Meadery - If you spoke the Old Avestan language you would say “maðu” instead of “mead,” which is pretty darn close considering you’re speaking a language that’s been dead for over 2,000 years.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Blog

    Groennfell Meadery is Vermont’s premier craft meadery. Inspired by Old Norse legends, brewed with extraordinary ingredients, Groennfell’s meads are unlike anything you’ve had before. Crisp, clean, and astoundingly drinkable, the only way to explain any one of Groennfell’s meads is to try one yourself.

    RSS Feed

    Recipes using Mead

    Categories

    All
    About Mead
    Announcements
    Articles
    Ask The Boss
    Ask The Meadmaker
    B Corp
    Bees And Honey
    Bevv
    Cocktails
    Colchester's Mead Hall
    Construction
    Contest
    Distribution
    Drink Your Values
    Events
    Firkin Friday
    Food
    Friendly Viking Fund
    Gifts
    Holiday
    Humour
    Infographic
    Kolbitar
    Legal Matters
    Logo
    Mead History
    Meadmaking
    News
    Photos
    Playlists
    Podcast
    Poem
    Quizzes
    Recipes
    Renaissance Faire
    Sale
    Science
    Seasonal
    Skillful Saturday
    Survey
    The Feast
    Thursday Fun Fact
    Updates
    Vermont Craft Mead
    Videos

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013


    Newsletters

    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2016
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016​
    • Older
    Sign up for our emails!
Home  |  Our Meads  | About  |  Blog  |  Contact  |  Store
650 Industrial Park Rd. Saint Albans, VT 05478
(802)497-2345
Privacy and Use Policy