Hi!
I'm new to GotMead and very glad to find you. I've been making meads for about 2 years, now, and in that time, I've met a total of two fellow meadmakers, so I'm very glad to find others that I can compare notes and share information, chat and generally hobnob with.
About two years ago, I was re-reading Lord of the Rings and was intrigued by his description of 'miruvor', a mead made by the elves. He described it as "a clear drink, pale golden in colour: it had the scent of a honey made of many flowers, and was wonderfully refreshing. Very soon they were laughing, and snapping their fingers at rain, and at Black Riders. The last few miles, they felt, would soon be behind them."
One thought led to another and within a week or so I had picked up Ken Schramm's "The Compleat Meadmaker" and was off and running (well, off, anyhow). In the time since then I've made 5 batches; two metheglins, two melomels and a mead with nothing other than honey, water, yeast, etc. (Is that what people mean when they refer to 'show mead'?)
I have two batches in primary fermentation, right now, whose destiny has not been determined and I'm getting ready to try my first rhodomel, having perused the postings on this site (thanks Oskaar, for the tip).
In the time since I started on my quest, I've made some miruvor and thanks, in part, to it I, too, have done a lot of laughing and have snapped my fingers at rain (no mean feat, being an Oregonian) and at Black Riders.
I'm a voracious reader and, like my father, I have walked through this world with a book in one hand and a hammer in the other (figuratively speaking, of course), so I 'know' a number of things to be found in books like Schramm's and Papazian's, but there are many things I don't know. I'd like to learn what I can from you all and to the degree that I can help others, I'd be glad to do so.
Best Wishes to All!
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