Ancient Libation
Hierophant is just one of three new meaderies that have popped up in the Inland Northwest. ADAM MILLER PHOTO
No longer just for medieval knights, mead is making inroads in the region BY AMY MILLER-KREZELAK
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nce difficult to find, there are now hundreds of meaderies in the U.S. From 2012 to 2013, mead sales skyrocketed by 130 percent, a margin of growth topping the sales of beer, cider, wine and spirits. Relatively quick turnaround time — approximately two months fermentation — means that meaderies can produce seasonal releases with relative ease. The small-batch mead industry also promotes the health and well being of the honeybee population, because many meaderies use honey from local apiarists committed to sustainable beekeeping practices. Jeremy and Michelle Kyncl are resident mead makers who share an infectious passion for plant sciences, fermentation and honeybees. After experimenting with fermenting grapes, hops and honey for the past eight
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years, the Kyncls kept coming back to mead, and Hierophant Meadery was born. “I’m into making things go bad in a good way,” says Jeremy. “Part of the reason we went into mead was for the freedom. We can put things into mead that you could never put into wine. Unlike beer, there isn’t a brew day. With mead you let it do its thing.” “Mead is a wonderful platform to experiment with plant extracts,” adds Michelle. “Given where the craft [beer] brewing industry is in Spokane, we were worried we would be entering a saturated market, so we went with mead.” The Kyncls brew balanced, dry meads with distinctive flavors to create a delicate product, similar to white wine but much smoother.
“People think they’re going to get this gamey, syrupy mead and they’re surprised. It’s filtered and clean, with intentional flavor additions,” says Michelle. Hierophant Meadery’s current infusions include chamomile, balsam poplar, hops and Douglas fir. For purists, Chrysopoeia, a semi-dry mead, features fragrant wildflower honey from Mt. Spokane. The meadery strives to create blends that will appeal to wine drinkers, beer drinkers and everyone in between. Hierophant Meadery shares the local mead market with the newly opened Fenwyr Cellars Meadery, which celebrated its grand opening this past weekend. Daniel Jessee, the company’s mead master, isn’t new to this game; he’s been brewing mead for about 12 years. “Ever since I started looking into brewing, mead