Celebrate the 2012 release of Apple Pie Mead this Saturday with Brothers Drake Meadery. Brothers Drake will be throwing an all-day-apple-pie party Saturday to celebrate the release of their arguably most celebrated mead, Apple Pie. The party starts at 11:30am and lasts until 1:30 am to celebrate this annually anticipated release.
Apple Pie only comes out once a year using freshly pressed cider from Hugus Fruit Farms in Rushville, Ohio, and its popularity turns it into a very limited release.
“We drive three of our tanks down to the farm in Rushville during the height of cider season, and Ralph Hugus presses cider straight into the tanks,” said mead master Candy Griffin. “We bring the tanks back to the meadery, add honey, spices and yeast, and then we let fermentation begin.”
The mead ferments for a year before it’s ready.
“It’s so damn good that it’s gone before we know it,” said Griffin. “Since we spend most of the year without Apple Pie being available, it’s a big deal when the next batch comes out.”
Brothers Drake opened in 2007 in a location north of Columbus on 23. When the current owners Sarah Jones and Oron Benary took over, the meadery moved to the current location in the Short North. At this point the meadeary switched to all high-quality, locally made ingredients, including all Ohio wildflower honey. Brothers Drake Mead is only available in Columbus, matching the business model which focuses on buying, producing and selling locally.
“We believe in using local ingredients to make a product for the local people to enjoy,” said Griffin.
Griffin joined the team behind the scenes in November 2011 and officially became the mead master in May 2012. The tasting room in the Short North got a full liquor license in November 2011, and now Brothers Drake features a full bar stocked only with Ohio-made spirits. Ohio beers, whiskey, gin, vodka and bourbon stock the shelves to create the frequently rotating cocktail list.
Saturday’s Apple Pie Mead release celebration will feature goodies well beyond the newly released mead. The meadery partnered with Cocoa 917 to make apple pie chocolates–dark chocolate shells filled with Apple Pie Mead, which Griffin describes as an “apple pie hug.” Throughout the day plenty of local apple-related deliciousness will be available, which will include Taste of Belgium Waffles, Mozart Bakery’s Apple Strudel, a full list of food trucks as well as plenty more. And if you haven’t met the faces behind this locally celebrated product, Saturday’s your chance–the owners and staff will be in house to celebrate as well as answer your questions.
With the return of Apple Pie Mead, Brothers Drake fans can also look forward to one of their most popular seasonal cocktails, The Courtland. The Courtland is made with Apple Pie Mead and OYO Whiskey for a perfectly balanced, full-flavored cocktail. Also coming up will be the new cocktail Apple Pie a la Mode as well as Great Balls of Fire, which has been touted as “quite possibly the best shot ever” by Griffin.
Apple Pie Mead Day features a full list of entertainment including cooking demos, tours, a brewing class on making your own Apple Pie Mead, as well as a performance by Angela Perley & The Howling Moons later in the evening. Plenty of enthusiasts can enter the Miss/Mister Apple Pie Mead Contest, which is an open interpretation of Apple Pie celebrations and love expressions.
Apple Pie Mead will be available for sale with a case discount on 2012 Apple Pie Mead as well as limited releases of 2011 and 2010 bottles of Apple Pie Mead.
“It’s going to be a FANTASTIC party the entire day, from 11am when we open until we close!”
I recommend you listen to the Mead Master on this one.
Here’s an abbreviated list of Saturday’s schedule, but check out their Facebook event for the ever-changing full lineup for the day:
11am Taste of Belgium Waffles
12-12:30pm Apple Pie Mead making class
1-5pm Meet the Makers–Free production tours with owner Oron Benary and mead master Candy Griffin
2:15-3:30pm Apple-centric cooking demos
5pm Homemade ‘real’ Apple Pie contest
10pm Angela Perley & the Howlin’ Moons
11pm Miss Apple Pie Contest, all entries accepted
