Better Judge a Mead | Steve Fletty

It's a meeting of mead minds up in here! 2020 National Meadmaker of the Year Josh Holbrook interviews the two-time AHA Meadmaker of the Year (2007 & 2016) Steve Fletty. They discuss a LOT of mead making and mead judging topics including: what a good scoresheet looks like, how to be more than a “flaw detective” when judging, how to approach meads that have a long list of ingredients, why a judge should have experience with other alcoholic beverages for a broader perspective, how to appreciate dry meads, and what to look for when judging pyments. They taste together Hawaiian Lehua Blossom, a dry sparkling mead from Heidrun Meadery, which sounds phenomenal.
Here is a simple form for all BJCP members interested in continuing their edification and playing along at home with these educational seminars. You will get one non-judging point for each seminar you complete. Watch the vid, write some notes, do your tasting, write your tasting notes and boom. Points. bit.ly/BetterJu...
Better Judge a Mead Episode Schedule with Taste Along Mead Recommendation:
8/20/21 - Tom Repas
Taste Along Mead - Zen Bee: Mara Ume
8/27/21 - Carvin Wilson
Taste Along Mead - Lost Cause: Nine Deaths
9/3/21 - Kristen England
Taste Along Mead - Chaucer’s Mead
All Chop & Brew Mead Episodes:
• Mead & Meadmaking
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[@tkanddrinks]

My favorite part if this series so far is how all the guests focus on trusting your pallette, and not hunting for flaws. Let the mead do its thing and don't have preconceived expectations or personal bias towards flavor profiles that aren't what you were hoping for.

[@bobsodman5274]

I love how Fletty tells people to get out of their basement and try something else pertaining to meads... while he is in his basement.

[@ChopAndBrew]

Fletty is living the straight-up Silence of the Mead Lambs life in that basement.

[@GregNagelocbeerblog]

Solid judging info there. Would you like to drink more of this? It starts off a binary question, then evolves into why or why not providing descriptors.

[@ChopAndBrew]

Absolutely!

[@tkanddrinks]

Also, don't be afraid to admit you don't know everything. Ask questions of senior judges and try to learn as much as possible.

[@dlbuffmovie]

First of the series I have watched, and I TOTALLY get what Steve is saying. I judged a habenero beer that was technically great, vs some Belgian strongs that I love, and the habenero got better points. Judging is NOT a personal opinion.

[@ChopAndBrew]

Hope you'll watch the rest as well. They're long but so packed with info.

[@ChopAndBrew]

See our Mead & Meadmaking Playlist for more mead-related episodes including the Better Judge a Mead series: kzbin.info/aero/PLZK8QLGRuS_VpERZfDaUy972M-O0ahdm0

[@lindavox8396]

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