MEADERY
Vinland Meads is a proud generational project rooted in deep family traditions. Originating from our ancestors who left Scotland, our mead-making process has been lovingly passed down through generations. We honor this heritage with every bottle, using honey from our own bees and involving our family in every step of the process.
Clyde, our brewer, has been crafting mead for over 20 years, refining recipes handed down from his grandfather. With a rich blend of Scottish and East Texan traditions, we blend the old with the new, creating a modern meadery that respects its roots.
Mead, or "honey wine," is made by fermenting honey with water, sometimes adding fruits, hops, spices, or grains. It ranges from 3.5% to over 20% ABV and has a history stretching back 4,000 years. Vinland Meads takes about six months to transform honey, water, and yeast into our exquisite beverage. Our mead ages in oak barrels, developing rich flavors before being bottled or kegged.
At Vinland Meads, we use local honey from Texas, ensuring each batch reflects the unique flavors of the region. Honey production is a complex process; it takes bees visiting millions of flowers and traveling hundreds of miles to produce just a pound of honey. Each year's honey is unique, influenced by the types of flowers in bloom and the bees' foraging patterns. This natural variability adds a special character to our mead, making each batch one-of-a-kind.
Our brewing process adheres to old traditions, mixing honey, water, and other ingredients without any preservatives or sulfates. We allow the yeast to convert the sugars in the honey naturally, at its own pace. A unique step in our process, taught by Clyde's grandfather, involves "burning the honey" to achieve a caramelized flavor. This technique creates non-consumable sugars that the yeast cannot convert, imparting a distinctive taste to our mead.
Our commitment to tradition and quality ensures that each batch of Vinland Meads is a true labor of love, worthy of our ancestors' pride.
HAYS CLAN
The Hays Clan's storied history begins on the eastern shores of Scotland and extends to the deep woods of East Texas. Our lineage is rich with Celtic, Pict, Norse, Danish, and English ancestors, reflecting a vibrant tapestry of raiders, traders, farmers, and farriers from yesteryear. This diverse heritage led our forebears from the Northern Isles to Kentucky, then to Alba, Texas after the Alamo, and ultimately to fill the counties of East Texas.
We honor our ancestors in our daily lives, embodying their spirit through our hospitality, traditions, and the way we raise our brood of boys. Life as a Hays is a joyful mix of chivalry and tomfoolery, striving for the best while cherishing laughter.
Our Clan is bound by love, always ready to lend a hand or offer a shoulder. We are the first to shed a tear when moved and the first to defend what we believe in. Our hearth is a sanctuary for those in need, a place where everyone feels welcome.
Hays Manor, nestled in the Piney Woods of Murchison, Texas, stands as the heart of our clan. Here, wild boars roam the swamps, and white-tailed deer find refuge in the thickets. Clyde and Sarah Hays preside over their seven boys with a blend of love and warmth that echoes the families of old—filled with plenty of hollering and laughter, as seven boys are bound to keep them on their toes.
Our love for the sound of bagpipes underscores our connection to our Scottish roots, and our enduring hospitality is a testament to the timeless spirit of the Hays Clan.
OUR STORY - CLYDE & SARAH
Meant to Be
Life likes to take you on a journey to get where you are going, and Our Journey is just that, a wonderful adventure of Love. We have circled around each other for years, I went to school with Sarah's brother Josh, and she worked with my sister Wendy. So our circle of friends and family was ripe for our love story.
On a chill January afternoon we meet for Sarah's favorite meal of manicotti at a nice little Italian Restaurant in Tyler. I was frightened, as it was my first real date, Sarah was thinking at least she was getting her favorite italian dish. She was gorgeous and enchanting, we ate and talked and talked, then went for coffee and talked and found how much we had incommon and how we felt we could just open up to each other. One date lead to two, then three, then it was over... I was smitten with her beauty and cheer, she loved I could cook and my beard was nice. Love at first sight.
Mom and Dad of Seven boys combined, we are a house of adventure, chaos, adrenaline, sports, science, crafts, dirt and Love. Our lives are never slow or uninteresting. We are always taking kids or picking up kids, but in all of that mess, we sneak away to the garage to enjoy each others time and love, well she has a Cricuit and I have a 3D Printer.
Year One Falconry:
A Couple’s First Year Journey as Texas Apprentice Falconers,
A Memoir -
By Clyde & Sarah Hays
Ever dreamt of having a bird of prey as your wingman (or wingwoman)? This memoir chronicles one couple's hilarious and heartwarming plunge into the world of falconry. From childhood daydreams of soaring with hawks to the reality of, well, not quite soaring (at least not at first), this is a story of passion, perseverance, and the occasional mishap.
Expect a front-row seat to the author and his wife's fumbling yet endearing attempts to master an ancient art, guided (and likely frequently amused) by their seasoned falconry mentors. It’s less a “how-to” manual and more a “how-not-to-lose-your-sanity-and-possibly-your-face” guide, filled with laughter, lessons learned, and a deep appreciation for the wild beauty of these majestic birds.
In short: If you've ever wondered what it's really like to have a feathered friend with razor-sharp talons, this book is your chance to find out – without risking a trip to the ER.