How'd mead and cider get to be part of a beer organization.

[beerrat]

Just wondering - as mead is more a wine than a beer, what is the history of it being part of AHA/BJCP? 

I did the old google thing and did not come across any of the history?

Same question for cider?

[mtnrockhopper]

When the homebrewing movement/AHA/BJCP were getting started, other organizations existed to promote and judge wine from grapes. But they weren't concerned with mead and cider, so mead and cider were sorry of adopted by the brewing community. I think at the time craft beer, mead and cider makers all felt like they were keeping alive a lost art, so that gave them something in common.

[hopfenundmalz]

Yep. Mead and cider were not worthy of the oenophiles attention, and the AHA/BJCP welcomed them.

Today there is a little shunning from the BA, as these are not legaly beer amd do not fit into the BA charter.

[jamminbrew]

And yet, a brewery has to get a vintner's license to brew either cider or mead...

[brewmasternpb]

There's a cider maker (brewer? Vitner?) that opened up here in Denver in the last year, I really want to check them out.  I have a soft spot for cider...whenever I'm stuck in beer wasteland's, I can almost always get strongbow.

[theDarkSide]

Mead...the Red-Headed Stepchild.  ( Michael Fairbrother, you are welcome to use this in your next promo )

[punatic]

Mead and cider - yes. 
Vodka, rum, whiskey...  no   

[nateo]

And yet, a brewery has to get a vintner's license to brew either cider or mead...

That varies by state. In MO you can get a license to make any kind of alcohol you want, as long as it's under 22% ABW. There's another license you can get to make any kind of alcohol of any strength. Where the wicket gets sticky is labeling and such with the Feds.

[beerrat]

Yep. Mead and cider were not worthy of the oenophiles attention, and the AHA/BJCP welcomed them.

Today there is a little shunning from the BA, as these are not legaly beer amd do not fit into the BA charter.

Yes, I've noticed in my own HBC that there is a bit of a condescending attitude about mead makers - "you're not a brewer, you're just mixing", "I'd be upset if a mead won Best of Show".  Likely complicated more in recent years as wine organizations are talking about, and judging meads; and you get the chance to taste meads at wine festivals.

I usually respond by saying, "If so easy, then go ahead and show me how well you can make a really good mead", or, "like brewing, it comes down to selecting the right ingredients, and properly managing fermentation."  You would never say extract brewers are not really home brewers because the upfront is not as hard as doing all grain.

(edited spelling)

[nateo]

You would never say extract brewers are not really home brewers because the upfront is not as hard as doing all grain.

Some people do say that. Some people like to feel like they're different and superior. If they can't actually be better than anyone, they make up stupid ways to dump on other people.

[deepsouth]

i'm glad it did, otherwise, i'd have probably not made the cider i did, nor the mead i plan to make.  lately i've been wanting to get one of those wine kits and try that. 

[punatic]

Go for it!  I've thrown yeast at just about anything with sugar and water in it.

Some are better than others, but pretty much, it's all good.

[skyler]

I find it odder that mead and cider are included, but sake is excluded. Sake is almost beer, after all.

[jeffy]

They used to include sake years ago, but there was almost no interest at the time or at least very few entries into the major competitions.

[mtnrockhopper]

"you're not a brewer, you're just mixing" 

Tell them that boiling is not very complicated either and technically mashing is also just mixing ingredients.