As anyone who has worked in customer service knows, you can't please everyone. Everyone who makes a product wants everyone in the world to love what they create, but that's just not realistic. People have different tastes and that's a great thing, because variety is the spice of life.
We asked our customer service rep, Joy, about the most common complaints she gets from customers (and potential customers) and how she responds to them, and we admired her patience the whole way through. Read about them below!
I don’t like mead!
We brew craft mead, which means it’s lightly carbonated, lower ABV, and packaged in a craft container (similar to craft beer or craft cider.)
At both Groennfell Meadery and Havoc Mead, our brewers have developed a flavor profile that is intentionally finished dry. Our meads are balanced without being overly sweet to create a supremely drinkable and refreshing beverage.
The brewers at Groennfell & Havoc do their best to brew for a wide variety of palates. We hope you get a chance to try one of our other products in the future so we can change your mind!
Due to State and Federal Law, we are unable to refund non-defective alcohol purchases. Therefore if you have any unopened mead, we recommend sharing it with a friend who might be interested, or using the product in cocktails and mixed drinks to bolster flavor.
Thanks for giving us a try :)
I don’t understand why mead would ever be carbonated or in cans!
“Why is this carbonated?”
We say, “Why not?”
Traditional meads are amazing--we love them, too!--but we wanted our meads to be more drinkable, more “crush”able, and lighter for the ability to drink more and feel it less. Providing carbonated mead in 16oz cans means you can have a can, or two, and not feel like you’ve downed a couple shots. Our style isn’t for everyone, but we love what we make and hope you do, too!
We believe that cans are the best packaging for our mead; they are fully recyclable and do a great job of protecting the mead without affecting the flavor.
I thought mead was supposed to be sweet!
Thank you for knowing your preference! Most of our canned brews are on the drier side of the spectrum because we brew down the residual sugar levels for a less sugar-loaded beverage. However, if you prefer drinks that have a subtle sweetness like some cocktails, you may be surprised to find that carbonation can bring sweeter mouth feels to the front!
As for our sweetest meads, we recommend both our bottled Ancient Collection (non-carbonated, higher ABV%, higher residual sugars) and our seasonal & limited releases (such as Buckland, Smoke on the Mountain, and Bee Proud, and Golden Apple of Discord).
As for a true product that resembles a dessert wine (ice wines are a particular favorite of ours!) we do not currently brew anything that has high enough residual sugars to leave that classic viscous rim. However, mixing some of our products into cocktails can give similar effects! If you would like to experiment, we’ve found that dehydrating our canned brews by slowly heating them to a soft boil (while adding 1/8 cup sugar if you want added viscosity per can dehydrated) over a period of 30 minutes, then stirring over low heat for an additional 30, produces a lovely cocktail syrup!
Please do let us know if you need any further assistance, (or more details on producing the cocktail syrup!)
We love our hazy meads! We believe that clarifying meads removes so much of the character of the beverage that we avoid it at all costs. Give it a little swirl before drinking to enjoy the full effect. And while you're swirling, check out this article on why we include the lees in our meads.
I thought mead was supposed to have a higher ABV!
Many meads are. In fact, our Ancient Collection line contains higher ABV meads. But craft mead is usually not. If you prefer a stronger mead, check out our Ancient Collection, including Vanir!
I'm not going to be home for my delivery! How am I supposed to get my mead?!
Don't worry -- we have a free and easy solution. We have partnered with UPS to provide a free service: if you don't think you'll be home to sign for your mead, you can have it shipped to a holding location, where they will sign for your mead and store it until you are able to come and collect it.
These holding locations are oft
The only caveat is that if you ask this question after your mead has been shipped, we cannot choose the location where your package is rerouted to. UPS will take it to the nearest Customer Care Center to your address. Usually, this is within a mile or two of your address, but sometimes, especially if you live somewhere very rural, it can be quite a drive! So if you're interested in this option, please use the HubBox app during your purchase to find a UPS Access Point near you to deliver to, or email us at info@groennfell.com right after you place your order and we'll help you find a location!
