From First Sip to Pouring Our Own: What the Texas Mead Fest Means to Vinland Meads

For me, the Texas Mead Fest isn’t just another date on a calendar—it’s a marker on a ten-year journey of tradition, travel, and the stubborn belief that heritage still belongs in the glass.

I learned to make mead the old way, listening to my grandfather, letting the honey speak for itself, and trusting that time could turn the simple into the exceptional. But for years, I brewed in my own little world—until I went looking for others in Texas who shared the same passion. That search led me to one place: the Texas Mead Fest.

The Spark — 2015

My first Texas Mead Fest was in 2015. You can see me in that moment here—a newcomer wide-eyed at the rows of bottles, the hum of conversation, and the feeling of community. I left that day with meads from every table I could : Meridian Hive, Texas Mead Works, Dancing Bee, and others. Some of those Meads still rest on our Mead Rack all these years later, though, they are all missing a large amount of sips.

The First Step Forward — Texas Mead Cup 2016

Clyde Hays with his First Texas Mead Fest Award 2016

Inspired, I decided to enter the Texas Mead Cup homebrewers’ competition the next year. My entry was a black cherry mead—today we call it Crimson Dusk at Vinland Meads, though back then it didn’t have a name.

Finding the right bottle to send is its own tale, but a few weeks later, I got the call: we’d won an award. That award still hangs in the meadery. It wasn’t just my first medal—it was proof that I was on the right path.

The Road Through Texas (and Beyond)

From that moment, I made it a mission to see what mead looked like in other hands. Across Texas, I visited:

Rohan Meadery (Blissful Folly Farm)
The Hive
Fox & Raven Meadery
Texas Longhouse Meadery
And earlier stops like Meridian Hive, Texas Mead Works, and Dancing Bee

Each visit added something to my craft—different honeys, different climates, different approaches.

The road carried me beyond Texas too—tasting in Washington at the old Bee Thinking Meadery, in Arizona at both Superstition Meadery and Nani Moon Meadery, and into New Mexico and Colorado with MeadKrieger. Each place taught me that while terroir shapes the flavor, it’s the story that shapes the soul of the drink.

Starting Vinland Meads & Joining the Texas Mead Association

When Sarah and I started Vinland Meads in 2024, becoming members of the Texas Mead Association was one of our top priorities. That year’s Texas Mead Fest was hosted by Rohan Meadery at Blissful Folly Farm.

It fell right in the middle of our annual anniversary trip—our one guaranteed escape each year—but we still drove six hours from Fredericksburg wine country to be there.

We had only been officially licensed for a month, and our first batches—started in June—were still in the tanks. Mead takes us at least six months to make right, plus more for aging. We had nothing to pour, just some stickers, and the excitement of finally standing there as a members of the Texas mead-making family.

This Year — Our First Mead Fest as Pourers

Now it’s 2025, and everything is different. We have bottles. We have mead we’re proud of. And for the first time, we’ll be pouring at the Texas Mead Fest as a licensed meadery and member of the Texas Mead Association.

For us, this isn’t just another festival—it’s the realization of ten years and more of hard work, travel, and dedication.

Vinland Meads at the Texas Mead Fest 2025

What to Expect at Texas Mead Fest 2025

This year’s Texas Mead Fest will be a full day of music, flavor, and fellowship.

Dozens of Texas meaderies serving everything from traditional varietal honeys to bold fruit blends, spiced melomels, and barrel-aged creations.
Live music throughout the day.
Food vendors offering perfect pairings for honey wine.
Marketplace booths with honey, handmade goods, and local products.
Homebrewer meet-ups and casual circles for swapping pours and stories.
A family-friendly atmosphere that feels like a community picnic with better drinks.

📅 Event Details

When: Saturday, September 20, 2025 — 12:00 to 6:00 PM
Where: Heritage Museum of Texas Furniture, 1370 Churchill Drive, New Braunfels, TX
Tickets: Includes 8 tasting tokens and a keepsake Mead Fest glass
More Info: Event Page

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO GET YOUR TICKETS **https://www.texasmead.org/texas-mead-fest**

Why We Should Bring Back the Texas Mead Cup

I’ll say it plainly—we need the Texas Mead Cup back.

It was a competition by Texans, for Texans, and it pushed all of us—homebrewers and professionals alike—to bring our best. For me, that first win in 2016 was the boost that kept me going. For others, it was a reason to push their craft to new heights. It wasn’t just a contest—it was a catalyst. Texas mead was better because of it.

Why This Fest Matters to Us

Our meads are rooted in heritage and shaped by a sense of grit and endurance. The Texas Mead Fest is where I first found the community that shared those values.

This year, when you stop at the Vinland Meads booth, you’ll be tasting more than what’s in your glass—you’ll be tasting generations of tradition, travel, and the belief that mead is more than a drink. It’s a story, and a Saga in every sip.