NC Mead

Jun

2024

Best of Cork Talk: Starrlight Mead & Cider

This month it’s another Best of Cork Talk episode featuring Ben and Becky Starr from Starrlight Mead & Cider in Pittsboro, NC!

We interviewed Ben and Becky back in 2019 and featured the episode Mead Making Starrs in November of that year. Fast forward 5 years and a lot has changed! They have not only refined their mead making style, but have expanded into carbonated session meads and most recently cider. We dropped in to the tasting room back in May of 2024 and recorded this update. While we were there, we also tasted their new meads and ciders and it is definitely a must for our listeners!

If you like this episode, please leave us a rating and review. It really helps spread the word. Subscribing and sharing with a friend is another great way to support Cork Talk.

This episode was made possible in part by a grant from the North Carolina Wine and Grape Council. For more information, please visit https://www.ncwine.org

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Mar

2022

Recreating Ancient Methods

This episode features Nico von Cosmos from Stardust Cellars in North Wilkesboro, NC! At Stardust Cellars, Nico focuses on recreating ancient winemaking techniques including overwintering, ancestral sparkling wines and meads, and wild fermentations.

Biodynamic practices in winemaking and farming are also a driving force that sets Stardust Cellars apart from the others. Biodynamic is an old concept about living with the land. This means growing grapes and other crops while using what natures provides to help counteract pests and other vineyard problems. It is not an easy practice, but it does pay off in terms of quality and environmental impact.

Wine Class with the Wine Mouths is back. They explore esters and how versatile they are in wines. For more information about the Wine Mouths, head to https://www.winemouths.com/ or find them on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok @Winemouths. The Wine Mouths theme was written and performed by Joshua Morris. You can find him at twitter.com/joshtimejosh.

Closing Content

If you like this episode, please leave us a rating and review. It really helps spread the word. Subscribing and sharing with a friend is another great way to support Cork Talk.

This episode was made possible in part by a grant from the North Carolina Wine & Grape Council. You can find out more information about the council by going to their website https://www.ncwine.org

Did you know we have a Patreon page that offers Patron Only content, early access to episode, blooper reels, and more? Head to patreon.com/CorkTalk to learn more and sign up!

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Sep

2020

In the Wine Light – National Honey Month

In the Wine Light is National Honey Month. September is National Honey Month. Started in 1989 by the National Honey Board, National Honey Month celebrates all things honey. September was chosen because honey collection typically concludes in September as honey bees are readying their hives for winter.

You’re probably wondering – what does this have to do with wine? Well, honey can be fermented into wine by adding water and yeast. That’s the traditional recipe for mead. Mead is a fantastic addition to your wine collection whether just to enjoy or to pair with your favorite foods.

Mead is made in a variety of styles from traditional to melomel (a mead that contains fruit) to braggot (a mead made with hops or malt) to cyser (a mead make with apple juice or cider) to pyment (a mead made with grapes or grape juice) and many more. While many people assume mead is always sweet since honey is so sweet, that’s not always the case. Meads range from dry to off-dry to sweet. Alcohol content can range from under 4% to nearly 18% ABV.

We’re fortunate to have many great mead producers in North Carolina. So, check out the NC Mead Alliance to learn more about mead, and be sure to go visit a local meadery!

#InTheWineLight #NationalHoneyMonth #NCMead

Nov

2019

Mead Making Starrs

This episode features Ben and Becky Starr of Starrlight Mead in Pittsboro, NC! Ben and Becky caught the mead making bug after falling in love with it at a Renaissance faire. For the past 8 years, Ben and Becky have been building up their business and refining their mead making skills.

They like meads with big bold flavors and surprising flavor combinations. Visit the brand new Mead Hall and you’ll find the expected off-dry traditional and semi-sweet to flavors more exotic like a Kickin’ Cranberry Orange (perfect for the holiday table and Ben’s favorite) and other fruit and herb infused meads.

If you liked this episode, please leave us a rating and review. If you really liked this episode, please share it with a friend. You can find all episodes of Cork Talk on our show page: NC Wine Guys Present: Cork Talk!

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Sep

2019

All You Mead is Love

In this episode, we sit down with Diane Currier of Honeygirl Meadery in Durham, NC! Diane was turned on to mead making in her early days as a home brewer. She talks about her surreal experience of walking through a fireweed meadow and then hours later tasting a mead made from that specific type of honey.

Listen to her tell her story about how she got started, where she finds inspiration, and how she continually makes a connection back to the ever essential honey bee. Enjoy!

If you liked this episode, please leave us a rating or a review. Every bit helps spread the podcast to new listeners.

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Apr

2015

Honeygirl Meadery

Before I knew about artisan mead, my mind always imagined a dark sweet drink that people in the middle ages drank in their local pub or in a grand hall. This may well be what many people think of when you mention mead. However, mead is making a come back. Nowadays mead can range from super sweet to bone dry with flavors galore. In our modern world of gluten-sensative diets, mead provides a great alternative to beer. For those who enjoy wine, mead is essentially a wine of a different flavor. We’re fortunate in North Carolina as we have several meaderies throughout the state. One of the newest is Honeygirl Meadery in Durham, North Carolina.

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NC Mead

Best of Cork Talk: Starrlight Mead & Cider

Recreating Ancient Methods

Closing Content

In the Wine Light – National Honey Month

Mead Making Starrs

All You Mead is Love

Honeygirl Meadery

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