Meadpub?
- Thread starter Dagda
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Now, I know that those theme restaurants are the last thing any of us would want to visit. But.....with the need to bring mead into the mainstream, would the celtic/viking/mount Olympus theme not be what the general public would expect and therefore throng to? It would certainly raise awareness, and be fairly unique.
Jay, the English pub thing would work, if built as you say. I spent far too many evenings in just such a place, and would make it a permanent stop on my way home from work if it was close. Making this a mead pub would be a wonderful hook, but expect people to ask where the viking helmet and celtic carvings are. This is what is envisioned by people when they think of mead.
As for myself, I would go to any establishment that served mead, no matte the "theme". Great food, excellent domestic beer selection, an extensive but not expensive wine list, and mead would make it a winner in my mind.
Angus
Jay, the English pub thing would work, if built as you say. I spent far too many evenings in just such a place, and would make it a permanent stop on my way home from work if it was close. Making this a mead pub would be a wonderful hook, but expect people to ask where the viking helmet and celtic carvings are. This is what is envisioned by people when they think of mead.
As for myself, I would go to any establishment that served mead, no matte the "theme". Great food, excellent domestic beer selection, an extensive but not expensive wine list, and mead would make it a winner in my mind.
Angus
We've had a number of "Themed" restaurants here in So Cal, the only one I know of that really has made it's mark is "themed" in name only and is called "The Hobbit" the food is excellent, but there are no hobbits or wizards running around, just phenomenal cuisine, an incredible wine list, and a banquet/group orient menu that is set. I know of Igor's in Hermosa Beach (think Frankenstein's Castle meets Dracula), but I don't know if that one is still open either. We have another restaurant here in OC that's called the Cellar that was decorated as a wine cave but, again no costumes and general Haute Cuisine.
We had a couple of places pop up one was called 1520 AD that was very cool, but it ran about four or five years and folded. We have the Medieval Times and Wild Bill's restaurants (really B grade shows with even worse food and wine) but they are tourist traps and generally frowned on by the locals since they're so expensive and the food/drink is so poor. I dunno, a mead themed restaurant would be popular at the beginning, but I really doubt the sustainabililty, at least here in So Cal.
Cheers,
Oskaar
We had a couple of places pop up one was called 1520 AD that was very cool, but it ran about four or five years and folded. We have the Medieval Times and Wild Bill's restaurants (really B grade shows with even worse food and wine) but they are tourist traps and generally frowned on by the locals since they're so expensive and the food/drink is so poor. I dunno, a mead themed restaurant would be popular at the beginning, but I really doubt the sustainabililty, at least here in So Cal.
Cheers,
Oskaar
Oh, man! Oskaar, now you're giving me another reason to miss SoCal! I miss the Hobbit! Stop that!!! 
hi! I live near daytona beach, fl. We had 3 or 4 brewpubs come and go. All of them had a common flaw. They had very expensive food. I have been talking to other homebrewers and homebrew shop owners about opening a brewpub with a menu of sandwiches, burgers, sausages, wings etc. To go to lunch in those places would cost around $100! I think having a tasting room in a brewpub could boost the publics exposure to mead. Quality beer, mead and food in a comfortable, not stuffy environment and not spend a days pay! Sounds like a winner to me. Any input or opinions?
Has anyone done any marketing research in the areas they are considering? We all have our own ideas about mead, and our own ideas about the direction we want to take it. I do not think I would be wrong in stating that most of us view it as a cut above other alternatives. I can't believe that most people I run into still don't know what it is. I am late to the party myself, but I am still amazed that 65 to 70 percent of those I survey do not know what mead is.
I suggest anyone who wants to open any kind of commercial establishment do some real market research into what the majority of your potential clientele drink, what their taste preferences are, and their preferences for foods and atmosphere to go with them. You need to get them to the party, then open their eyes, minds and taste buds to all that mead is. I also view mead as premium beverage, and it should command a price that demonstates that it is just that. When people are uncertain, price is one way they judge quality. This stuff costs more to produce than either beer or wine. It ages more consistently and more substantially than wine. Damnit - they should pay more for it! I plan on opening a commercial establishment. When I do, the mead I produce will not be the less expensive variety some others are selling. I would rather sell less at a higher margin for the market that wants to pay more for something really special. That's what mead is to me. By the way, who out there lives in southern Oregon that is interested in a commercial meadery? I'm writing a business plan.
I suggest anyone who wants to open any kind of commercial establishment do some real market research into what the majority of your potential clientele drink, what their taste preferences are, and their preferences for foods and atmosphere to go with them. You need to get them to the party, then open their eyes, minds and taste buds to all that mead is. I also view mead as premium beverage, and it should command a price that demonstates that it is just that. When people are uncertain, price is one way they judge quality. This stuff costs more to produce than either beer or wine. It ages more consistently and more substantially than wine. Damnit - they should pay more for it! I plan on opening a commercial establishment. When I do, the mead I produce will not be the less expensive variety some others are selling. I would rather sell less at a higher margin for the market that wants to pay more for something really special. That's what mead is to me. By the way, who out there lives in southern Oregon that is interested in a commercial meadery? I'm writing a business plan.
I have to agree with horsepoor. When I tell people I know that I've started making mead, everyone without fail asks, "How do you make meat?" like I'm some kind of idiot. Most people, even now, still don't know what mead is.
Soooo, for my place, I would also totally do a theme. HONEY. I like the idea of having an old world feel, but the menu would all be honey. If there's chicken wings on the menu, put a honey glaze on it. I don't know that I would even want beer on tap. Put a braggot on tap for the beer drinkers! Customers would get the idea very quickly!
To be honest, I don't know that I'd do a restaurant. I'm leaning towards a bar perhaps a club with a house band. Might have to reconsider and do a restaurant on one side. And there'd be NO kids. Love mine but there are enough other places they can go. This would be adults only.
I'd also want a mead fairy. One of the bars in Singapore has a wine fairy. One wall section, maybe two stories tall, is covered in wine, the more expensive stuff at the top. When someone ordered an (expensive) bottle from the top, a petite, young female dressed as a fairy was lifted up by pullies to retrieve the wine. It's a production.
If I could get the backing, I'd go way upscale and make it a place for elite to go, someplace like North Scottsdale. If you can get the elite to try/accept, the lemmings usually follow. Then when mead is accepted, you can now afford to open another, more reasonably priced place designed for a different market.
It may not work, but that's my idea.
Soooo, for my place, I would also totally do a theme. HONEY. I like the idea of having an old world feel, but the menu would all be honey. If there's chicken wings on the menu, put a honey glaze on it. I don't know that I would even want beer on tap. Put a braggot on tap for the beer drinkers! Customers would get the idea very quickly!
To be honest, I don't know that I'd do a restaurant. I'm leaning towards a bar perhaps a club with a house band. Might have to reconsider and do a restaurant on one side. And there'd be NO kids. Love mine but there are enough other places they can go. This would be adults only.
I'd also want a mead fairy. One of the bars in Singapore has a wine fairy. One wall section, maybe two stories tall, is covered in wine, the more expensive stuff at the top. When someone ordered an (expensive) bottle from the top, a petite, young female dressed as a fairy was lifted up by pullies to retrieve the wine. It's a production.
If I could get the backing, I'd go way upscale and make it a place for elite to go, someplace like North Scottsdale. If you can get the elite to try/accept, the lemmings usually follow. Then when mead is accepted, you can now afford to open another, more reasonably priced place designed for a different market.
It may not work, but that's my idea.
At least two of the microbreweries in Michigan also serve mead (Kuhnhenns, Dragonmead), but neither of them really does food.
me likes the idea of a meadery restaurant. Based on the Mountain Sun, the Goldhill Inn and the little place in Golden...all micro brew pubs with suuuuuper great food and atmosphere (The Mountain Sun and Goldhill Inn consistently have folk and bluegrass shows as well)
Only I think if (when) I were to do it I'd design it a little more country side cafe style, like a lot of the finer wineries popping up in the thick of the grape country. A big ol' cellar lined with casks, tours and tasting of course! A front room with everything for sale and an attached restaurant/cafe for snacking or dining, of course with glasses and bottles of mead for sale and recommended dishes associated.
:sunny:
My folks were just telling me about a place somewhere in Denver where they had a New Zealand dinner, 5 course meal with paired wines from Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud, and raved about it, even sent me pictures! (it's actually Zoka's Restaurant in Pine, Colorado. Which is funny because there is a bench at the local frisbee golfcourse that was put there by Zoka's...I digress)
Yeah, something like that would be way cool.
I gotta get finished with school. Recently started taking business classes to pair with the last 3, 4 years of chemistry and other sciences. A year or two left and you'll be seeing me in the industry me thinks.
:dink:
Only I think if (when) I were to do it I'd design it a little more country side cafe style, like a lot of the finer wineries popping up in the thick of the grape country. A big ol' cellar lined with casks, tours and tasting of course! A front room with everything for sale and an attached restaurant/cafe for snacking or dining, of course with glasses and bottles of mead for sale and recommended dishes associated.
:sunny:
My folks were just telling me about a place somewhere in Denver where they had a New Zealand dinner, 5 course meal with paired wines from Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud, and raved about it, even sent me pictures! (it's actually Zoka's Restaurant in Pine, Colorado. Which is funny because there is a bench at the local frisbee golfcourse that was put there by Zoka's...I digress)
Yeah, something like that would be way cool.
I gotta get finished with school. Recently started taking business classes to pair with the last 3, 4 years of chemistry and other sciences. A year or two left and you'll be seeing me in the industry me thinks.
:dink:
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Old conversation, but fascinating.
There's a place here in Illinois, over in Naperville, called "Tasting deVine" (http://www.lynfredwinery.com/devine.html). It's basically a tasting room for Lynfred Winery. It's right in the middle of downtown Naperville, and has the most awesomely cool atmosphere. Basement place, wood floors/walls/ceiling/bar. They sell an assortment of wine related stuff (funny t-shirts, glasses, gadgets, etc), but their primary thing is on-demand tastings. For $6 you get to choose 6 wines from a list of 10-14 wines that changes monthly. No reservations necessary, just walk in, pay them money, taste some wine.
Not quite a bar or pub, but I suspect it's a pretty good model for getting people to try new and unusual things.
There's a place here in Illinois, over in Naperville, called "Tasting deVine" (http://www.lynfredwinery.com/devine.html). It's basically a tasting room for Lynfred Winery. It's right in the middle of downtown Naperville, and has the most awesomely cool atmosphere. Basement place, wood floors/walls/ceiling/bar. They sell an assortment of wine related stuff (funny t-shirts, glasses, gadgets, etc), but their primary thing is on-demand tastings. For $6 you get to choose 6 wines from a list of 10-14 wines that changes monthly. No reservations necessary, just walk in, pay them money, taste some wine.
Not quite a bar or pub, but I suspect it's a pretty good model for getting people to try new and unusual things.
Scary thing is, I know where Naperville is! I have family in Brookfield, so I am up that way a couple times a year...guess I may have to take my Aunt on a trip over there, since she likes wine!
Damn Wayne, I'm sorry.....
Don't forget to show her the other sights, like the bum who ran for Mayor. He "lives" two blocks away by the parking garage (apparently there's a unsecured electrical plug there, plus he can steal WiFi from Barnes & Noble). ;D
