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Great Lakes Mead Tasting

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Kace,

You've kinda started an interesting train of thought here.

If we held it somewhere near one of the two major ferry routes, it could accomodate the East/West travelers across the lake.

For instance The SS Badger runs between Ludington, MI and Manitowok WI twice every day during the travel season.

Ludington has camping at a state park and (my preference) at Buttersville County park. Being a tourism area, there are also lots of hotels, and B&B's. If we held it in Ludington (I'm afraid that I'm about to volunteer for something... ;D) We could arrange to pick up people at the dock and transport to lodging. I have a 15 passenger van we could use for that. (oops...did I just do what I think I did...)

I took the SS Badger a couple years ago and we had a great time. www.ssbadger.com

An alternative might be Milwaukee or Muskegon where the Lake Express high speed ferry runs. www.lake-express.com

Good thoughts. The West Coast of Michigan is known for wineries too, so some winery hopping might be possible as part of this whole thing.

David Baldwin
 
Up here in Green Bay, WI

I'd LOVE to be part of a Great Lakes GM event.

PS: David...it's ManitowoC...I know, it's a minor thing, but with the Packers, Brewers and Bucks really stinking up the place, all we have left is our spelling! :D

My vote would be a northern suburb of Chicago. It would be a LOT easier to get a buy-in from my wife if I could promise her shopping at IKEA while I sample some outstanding meads.

I'll keep watching.
Trevor
 
Muskegon is nice. If I remeber right Vicky had travelled there recently to see family. It would kick as to meet the webmistress herself and give her a great big hug for giving us gotmead.
 
Touche, Wrath...

Trevor, although I really dig your nombre (It's mine, too!) I don't dig your reasoning... IKEA and Northern Chicago can officially kiss my patootie. Too expensivo, both. I really think it would behoove us to find something cheap and rural. If it's rural enough, we can have some pre-mead skeet shooting!
 
Well, if we are to go ahead and organize this as an "event", we need to come up with some workable game plan.

Is this going to be a formal/informal/combination event?

I'm definately not ready to pull off something on the scale of the International Mead Festival. Yet, we could incorporate some elements of a more formal event into a more relaxed or informal event.

Totally informal camping type events are great fun, but impossible to plan good weather for. I'm ok with a bit of rain - my equipment will handle it, but I've camped with others who are NOT prepared, and it's no fun that way.

If people are going to travel any distance, we'll want some "civilized" accomodations for weather contingencies and for those whose idea of "roughing it" is Motel 6.

Grand Rapids isn't huge for camping, but there are places to camp, and there are many motels to choose from as well.

Another thing to consider is winery/meadery tours. Cascade Winery makes a few very nice meads, and they are about 15 minutes from Grand Rapids downtown. Vona Meadery is located in Clarksville, MI - an easy drive 35 minutes or so from Grand Rapids. Robinettes Orchards has recently opened their own winery and are about 15 minutes from downtown. St. Julian winery is in PawPaw also a comfortable drive from Grand Rapids (about 70 miles).

There may even be another meadery in Grand Rapids by the time this all gets organized.

Lots to "cuss and discuss" as my mom would say... Fortunately we've got lots of time to plan.

David
 
I like the idea of Grand Rapids. Holland's not too far from there, and all you Tulip fans could go have a look...

For the record, that Tulip Festival thing over there is HUGE, and all the hotels in Holland and GR are pretty much booked for that week. I know that. I don't know why, but I do...

Anyways, I like cabin ideas, too. That takes care of the weather, but still allows for fire, as well as a more relaxed atmosphere, altogether.

Cuss 'n' discuss. I like that.
 
Between the discussions of where we should - or should not - go for this event, I'm interested in hearing what types of meads you folks would be bringing.
 
Cinnful Cyser, Strawberry Mel, Blueberry Mel, Pumpkin Mel, Spiced Metheglin (Nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.)

That Cinnful Cyser is outright amazing. Tasted it last night. Should be fantastic by April, if any makes it that far...
 
Well it sounds like a rather informal event to me. Especially if there is only going to be 5 or 6 of us getting together.
 
hey all,
are wimmen allowed at this event? i sure would like to come!
i'm in chicago, from michigan, willing to travel anywhere, could camp, could stay at a motel, hotel, whatever.
just let me know.
cheers,
'thief
 
I've got some nice Dry Clover Meads, a Cyser (strong at 18% abv) brewed on Jan 1 '05 that is starting to get very nice, a Catnip Metheglin, and a combination Scotch Wee Heavy Ale/ Heather Metheglin (consequently it has the unwieldy name "Heavy Heather's Wee Scotch Braggot").

Trevor
 
You betcha women are invited! My lovely wife of 11+ wonderful years will be 95% likely to be there too.

Besides that, it would be safer to go on a VP pheasant hunt than to exclude the ladies here... Our own Meadwench would track us down and kick some... ;D

As to what I'll bring... Hmm... Maybe some of my most recent batch, a blueberry/ginger mead, and maybe some of my rhodomel.


David
 
...
I'll probably bring an Acerglyn, a Chocolate Acerglyn, a Blueberry Melomel, a Sweet Pyment, a Cherry Melomel, a Cyser and foreducational purposes... a Pineapple Melomel, just to warn anybody off of making one themselves, at least from 100% pineapple juice and honey.

Wrathwilde
 
Well if were gonna start bringing a hard lesson learned meads I can bring a mint methglin. Suitable as motuh wash!! What was I thinking????
 
Hey, is this only open to people in the midwest? My wife and I have been known to travel across the country for a wine/mead event. This would be much closer!

Brian
 
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