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1940's Mead Found

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VintageMead

NewBee
Registered Member
Apr 6, 2013
1
0
0
United Kingdom
Hi all,

I recently come to own three vintage bottles of mead (dating from 1948 ). I've been reading up on some of the history of mead and where these bottles have come from but I wondered if anyone else could shine any light onto these bottles and if a possible collector might be interested in them?

Here is a little of what I've found so far:

1st Bottle: 1948 Sack Methaglin 24.5% A sweet spiced mead similar to Vermouth
2nd Bottle: 1949 Mead 19%
3rd Bottle: 1949 Hippocras 24% A spiced pyment

These meads were produced at the Guval Meadery, just outside Penzance and was only in existence for 5 years or so. In searching for its history I came across this British Pathe clip from 1949:

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/mead-making/query/Penzance

From what I've been reading I understand some mead improves with age, so these may be excellent. On the other hand I don't have the fully history of how it has been kept and it is possible that air has seeped into the bottles and ruined the contents.

Thank you in advance for any help,
 
Great video! Loved the comment on "plants with strange names like rosemary, tansy and lemon balm" Great Mead find and what a great video site!

I don't think I would be able to resist the temptation to try it!
 
I have tansy. I wonder what it imparts? I am only grudgingly growing it for a friend who moved out of town and wants to make sure she doesn't lose it. It is a prohibited noxious weed I gather and she would have a hard time getting some. Mainly it is apparently a family heirloom plant that her mother grew. Can anyone tell me its usage?
 
Vance G said:
I have tansy. I wonder what it imparts? I am only grudgingly growing it for a friend who moved out of town and wants to make sure she doesn't lose it. It is a prohibited noxious weed I gather and she would have a hard time getting some. Mainly it is apparently a family heirloom plant that her mother grew. Can anyone tell me its usage?
Click to expand...

Tansy has many uses including culinary and medicinal. In the past it was used to flavor omelets, sweet meats and even crushed and used in whiskey. It can be toxic so ise should be sparse. I'm not an expert on tansy, I just have Google.
 
I have a huge patch I want to get rid of :) it keeps falling on top of the actual pretty flowers...
 
VintageMead said:
Hi all,

I recently come to own three vintage bottles of mead (dating from 1948 ). I've been reading up on some of the history of mead and where these bottles have come from but I wondered if anyone else could shine any light onto these bottles and if a possible collector might be interested in them?

Here is a little of what I've found so far:

1st Bottle: 1948 Sack Methaglin 24.5% A sweet spiced mead similar to Vermouth
2nd Bottle: 1949 Mead 19%
3rd Bottle: 1949 Hippocras 24% A spiced pyment

These meads were produced at the Guval Meadery, just outside Penzance and was only in existence for 5 years or so. In searching for its history I came across this British Pathe clip from 1949:

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/mead-making/query/Penzance

From what I've been reading I understand some mead improves with age, so these may be excellent. On the other hand I don't have the fully history of how it has been kept and it is possible that air has seeped into the bottles and ruined the contents.

Thank you in advance for any help,
Click to expand...

Oh man.. the video clip on that web site is hysterical !!!
 
I just watched this again...at about 45 seconds in, they mention breeding a special race of British bees. This was made in 1949, and Brother Adam was around at Belfast Abbey probably working on that project. I wonder if there are videos of him doing that kind of stuff or making mead.....

A Dutch language documentary on him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RriNoKaroHw
 
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I would love to hear how that mead tasted. You might as well drink it because it's probably not worth much.

Heck, I would be willing to take them off your hands for say 10 bucks a bottle??? ;)


Sent from my galafreyan transdimensional communicator 100 years from now. G
 
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