Swiss Mead from A – Z

About the Metsiederei Eckert

Since 2013 I make mead in a small manufactory in Innerberg near Berne.
Mead is nothing else than fermented honeywater. It is known here on medival feasts and many associate it with vikings and horned helmets.
As a beekeeper honey is a precious material to me. My main goals are quality and naturalness.

My meads and honey are well known for gourmets and among others they are available in first-rated restaurants around Berne.

It’s all about...

Until now I am using organic EU-honey for my meads.
Now I want to realize an idea that I am thinking of for a long time: a 100% Swiss mead, made of Swiss honey by a native breed and aged in swiss wooden barrels.

As beekeeper I fell in love with the dark honeybee Apis Mellifera Mellifera. This race was once the only one in northern europe before mankind imported other beeraces and almost displaced it.

I want to ennoble their honey and as my honeystocks are not sufficent enough I’ll use the honey from the Apiary Soland, Twann.

After the fermentation the mead will age in a wooden barrel – a swiss made one, too.
Küferei Suppiger, Küssnacht am Rigi will make it.

The name of the Swiss Mead will be «Hung» – which is bernese german for honey.
The fermentation will take about half a year, until the mead will contain 12,5%vol.alc.
I’ll store it for another six months in a steeltank and age the mead afterwards in the wooden barrel.
After this the mead will be filled without filtering into bottles to preserve all the tastes.

Why Crowdfunding

Swiss Honey is a rare delicacy. Compared to honey from the EU it is more than twice as expensive.

The making of a barrel in Switzerland is more expensive as abroad, too.

«Hung» is going to be a high class product, but high priced, too.
I expect 50cl will cost around 75Fr.

Since now I build up everything with my own ressources.
But this mead is a bit too risky.

So…
Do you want to help to revive an ancient cultural heritage?
Do you want to keep an almost dispaced ancient beerace at the same time?
Now you have the possibility!

The rewards in detail

First, as we’re talking about alcohol:
You must be of age to support me.
Are you over 18? Yes? Fine, then here we go:

For 5Fr. you will receive 5 different cards with the description of my existing products and the meadery by mail.

For 7Fr. you will get one (1) 50g honeypot containing this year’s honey from my own dark bees.
Location of my colonies: Säriswil und Oberwohlen.
Delivery at the beginning of June 2017.
Limited to 100, as I never take all of the honey from the colonies.

«More sweet»

For 20Fr. you’ll get one (1) 250g honeypot containing this year’s honey from my own dark bees.
Location of my colonies: Säriswil und Oberwohlen.
Delivery at the beginning of June 2017.
Limited to 50, as I never take all of the honey from the colonies.

For the support of 30Fr. you’ll get (1) 50cl Bottle of Milfion.
Full honeyflavour with a sour sence of green fruit.
Milfion goes down well and is perfect for the summer.
Made of organic blossom honey, 12.5% alc.
Fermentation: 3-4months, Ageing: ½ year
available immediately

The 35Fr. pledge holds one (1) 50cl bottle of NorseMet for you.
NorseMet is the result of an experiment to made authentic mead. No spitting into the barrel, but I used a special honey. Wild yeasts turn the taste into a discovery.
Toasty resinous aromas shape this mead, who fits perfectly with appetizers, lamb, game or grilled meat.
14%alc.
Fermentation: 5-6months, Ageing: ½ Jahr
available immediately

For 35Fr. I want to give you one (1) 50cl bottle of Fleur de Miel.
Many people compare this mead with a muscat-wine where the honey taste can be found subtly in the backyard.
Multiflowerhoney, 12.5% alc.,
Fermentation: ½ year, Ageing: ½ Jahr
available immediately

For 50Fr. you’ll get a giftbox, containing one 50cl bottle NorseMet and one 50cl Bottle of Milfion.
Unfortunately I cannot send it via mail, so this pledge can only be picked-up at the Metsiederei.

«Hung – 100%swissmade»

For 60Fr. you get one (1) 50cl Bottle «Hung»-mead.
The Swiss Mead which was made with your help.
Mead made out of the honey of the dark Swiss bee.
Aged in a wooden barrel, made by a Swiss cooper.
Signed by me especially for you – a real unique.
Shipping propably 2019
250 pieces limited.

«6 Bottles of Milfion»

For your support of 150Fr. you get six (6) x 50cl bottles of Milfion.
Send via VinoLog of the Swiss Post directly to you.
Available immediately.

«6 Bottles of NorseMet – or Fleur de Miel»

For 180Fr. you get a box of six (6) 50cl bottles of either NorseMet or Fleur de Miel.
Send via VinoLog of the Swiss Post directly to you.
Available immediately.

«Mee aus en Chlepf vou Hung»
For your support of 375Fr, you get 6x 50cl bottles of «Hung».
Delivered to your home via VinoLog, shipping propably 2019.
Limited to 20 pledges.

«Bssssssuch mich – Visit the bees»
Have a beeesy afternoon with me and my bees for 500fr. Visit one of my beehouses in either Säriswil or Oberwohlen, take a look into one of my colonies and get to know the bees.
I do have equipment, you only have to bring long trousers and boots – and have to be non-allergic to bees.
Possible from April to September.

«Bsssssshicksuch mich – Visit the meadery»
Want to visit my meadery? For 750Fr. you and your companion have open doors. I guide you around and show you my stuff. ;)
Of course there will be a mead-tasting afterwards.

«Mead, mead, mead!»
Your meadcellar is empty?
Well, this reward for your 1000FR. is the right one:
You get 6x 50cl of each of my meads Milfion, NorseMet, Fleur de Miel and, of course, Hung via VinoLog delivered to your door.

If it’s too early to drink, you get 1kg of my honey for breakfast.Hung-Mead and honey will send to you as soon as they’re ready, the other meads immidiately.
Limited to 5 pledges.

«Just everything»
A big thank you for 2500Fr:
-a visit of one of my beehouses. (see pledge Bssssuch mich)
-a visit of the meadery and mead tasting. (see pledge Bsssssshicksuch mich)
-a box with two 50cl bottles each of Milfion, NorseMet and Fleur de Miel.
-one 50cl bottle of Hung, send to you as it is ready.
Persons who are allergic to bees, please choose another pledge: I’m sorry, but I don’t want to risk your life with a visit of a beehouse…
Limited to three pledges.

Stretch Goals

• 7’500 – Founded
• 10’000 – ?
• 12’500 – ?
• 15’000 – ?
• 17’500 – ?
• 20’000 – ?

faq – disclamer

Can I support you from outside of Switzerland?

• Of course. But be aware that the shipping costs will be higher and added after the funding. Travelcosts are not included, too.
  In doubt: Just write and ask me.

Who is allowed to support?

• You have to be of age to buy legally alcohol in your country.
  That’s the only restriction.
  You might be a single person or, of course, a legal person, because my meads work also perfectly as presents for your clients.

Mead: Best before?

• Honey preserves. So does mead.
  Within the refrigerator an open bottle will not change its taste for at least one month. A customer of mine said that even after two years the rest would have been good …