Showing posts with label Maryland Renaissance Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maryland Renaissance Festival. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Oh, Honey, Honey

I made my first ever home-brewed mead with a kit gifted to me by my sister-in-law. It's from The Bee Folks who are local beekeepers with booths at both the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival and the Maryland Renaissance Festival.

The kit (many to choose from) has the yeast, herbs, rubber band, cheesecloth, and instructions. You buy two jars of honey (many to choose from, too) and some spring water.

Mead

Follow the super easy instructions and you'll be brewing mead like a pro. Here's a photo showing the yeast at work.
Proof of Yeast

And here's a video where you can see the bubbles churning the herbs.


Since I didn't have a dark place to store it, I improvised by covering the jug in a dark dish towel.
In the dark...

Then - voila! The mead was done in a week.
Almost finished...

It was then enjoyed by friends during Sheep and Shenanigans.
Cherrs!

I recently tried brewing another batch using one of the kits I bought at MS&W. It was quite tasty but I liked the first batch I did better. There are so many combinations of mead kits with honey flavors to try. I've still got another one to try and I plan to buy a couple kits at this year's Renaissance Festival.

This brewing also helps me cross off an item from my Year of Lovely Things list. Which, now that I look at the list, there are a handful of items to also cross off. Where's that pen?

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Huzzah!

Sean and I and a group of friends are heading to ye olde Maryland Renaissance Festival tomorrow. I am so freakin' excited! It's such a fun way to spend the day. The cost is reasonable for the amount of entertainment you get. The food is fantastic and very well priced (i.e. you don't feel like you're getting robbed). And giant turkey legs! <-- though it technically falls under the food category, it deserves its own shout out. And mead! Wonderful mead! And pints of local microbrewed beer! And the piece de resistance - frozen chocolate covered cheesecake on a stick. Heaven!

I had hoped to have the pentagram spiral motif shawl done in time for the festival, but I only have 6 motifs done and none of them are joined. It really isn't a problem as it will be too warm for shawls tomorrow anyway. No costumes either it will be in the low 80's and I can't fit into my costume anyway. My cup runneth over and I can't seem to lace up my corset. C'est la vie. I will be wearing my crocheted skirt, though. :)

Here are some photos I took at last year's festival. The musical acts are all performing at the White Hart Tavern.

The Pyrates Royale

The Pyrates Royale


The Rogues

The Rogues


The O'Danny Girls
(though from the looks of the web site, they replaced a sister...)

O'Danny Girls


A sculpture on the grounds of Revel Grove

Sculpture in Revel Grove


More photos to follow from tomorrow's adventures... Huzzah!!