Thursday – This event is limited to industry members (Meadery owners, industry support businesses) to determine the way ahead for the Mead Association (Please RSVP to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it by 1 February to ensure a place in this session) (Limit 50 participants)

• 7:00 - 7:15 Where have we been? – Julia Herz, Gretchen Bliss
• 7:15 – 8:15 Where are we going? – Julia Herz, Harrison and Gretchen Bliss
  • Formation of a new Association
  • By Laws review
  • Board formation
  • Festival Format for next year
  • Committee Formation
  • Strategic goals – Association benefits
• 8:15 – 8:30 Break
• 8:30 – 9:30 Health of the Industry… – Julia Herz
  • Health of the Industry – Vicki Rowe
  • Industry Statistics – Vicki Rowe
• 9:30 – 10:00 Way Ahead and Due Outs – Gretchen Bliss

Friday – All Mead Competition supporters, meaderies, judges, and helpers – Crown Rock Room (Limit 100 participants)

• 7:00 – 8:30 Presentation by Mark Berans of Medovina titled "The Queen Bee, the Mother of All Fermentation" & "A Collage of the Past, Present, and Future of Mead"
• 8:30 – 8:40 Break
• 8:40 – 9:00 Preview of BJCP Mead Exam – Julia Herz (tentative)
• 9:00 – 9:30 Presentation by Ken Schramm author of the “Compleat Meadmaker” titled
• 9:30 – 10:00 Hang out and catch up

Saturday – All Mead Competition supporters, meaderies, judges, stewards, volunteers and invited guests – guests will register at the door and be given wristbands for in and out privileges. Participants may be given to chance to participate in a silent auction for exciting mead door prizes. (Limit 175 participants)

Meaderies – if you would like to donate items for the door prizes please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with a list and invoice of your donations for the event.

• 7:00 – 7:15 Social event
• 7:15 – 7:30 Introductions – Gretchen Bliss
• 7:30 – 8:00 Home Mead Maker Awards Ceremony – Petar Bakulic, Glenn Exline and Deborah Lee
• 8:00 – 8:30 Commercial Mead Competition Awards Ceremony – Marie Bird Struckman and Danny Williams
• 8:30 – 9:30 Silent Auction – Glenn and Dani Exline
• 8:45 - 10:00 Limbo Party (Light buffet provided by Spruce Mountain Meadery)

With over 100 Commerical Meads entered in the competition, we would like all qualified commercial judges to sign up for judging. This is a great opportunity to try some of the best meads on the market, not only in the US but in Canada, Slovakia and Poland. Sign up on meadfest.com under Commercial competition. Download a judging application form here: http://www.meadfest.com/2008Forms/Judge_Application_2008.xls

If you are going to be at the competition, the HMMC needs your help in Judging or stewarding. They have 188 meads from all over the US and Canada that require the best mead judges from around the world. If you are willing to help judge you can apply at http://hmmc.meadfest.com/hmmc_entry.htm Just select the Judge Entry tab and fill in your information! Approved judges, please bring business cards for the judging forms so you can promote your companies and show entrants the wide and diverse judge pool who evaluated their entries.

Please be sure to make your reservations now at the Outlook Hotel in Boulder (www.boulderoutlook.com) soon. Mention the “meadfest” rate to get the outstanding deals on your room at 65.00 + tax per night.