[pete b]

Have you read up on anyone experimenting with different yeasts?

Some, but not a lot of experimenting from sources that I would trust... I have done some blended fermentations with wine yeasts, but find some of the meads fermented with ale yeasts to be a bit wierd in general... same with ciders. Not saying there's anything wrong with that, but the BJCP training will not cover much outside of the traditional wine yeast + nutrient + water format. AND very little on historic or experimental meads, such as Tej or even bochet's. It is very focused on traditionals, melomels, cysers, metheglins and maybe a pyment; really hitting the basics first.

Gotmead.com is a good resource as well... and more old school mazers as well as a few of the experimenters.

I'm doing a tej soon. I might start a thread about it. The info on the web sucks, so I would like to see if there is other experience out there.

I had some tej made by an Ethiopian friend of Ken Schramm. Wow was that good stuff.

That's quite a source. Do you know anything about it, Jeff? Was it wild fermented? ale yeast? Wine yeast? Was it clear? Do you know what part of the gesho they used?

[hopfenundmalz]

Have you read up on anyone experimenting with different yeasts?

Some, but not a lot of experimenting from sources that I would trust... I have done some blended fermentations with wine yeasts, but find some of the meads fermented with ale yeasts to be a bit wierd in general... same with ciders. Not saying there's anything wrong with that, but the BJCP training will not cover much outside of the traditional wine yeast + nutrient + water format. AND very little on historic or experimental meads, such as Tej or even bochet's. It is very focused on traditionals, melomels, cysers, metheglins and maybe a pyment; really hitting the basics first.

Gotmead.com is a good resource as well... and more old school mazers as well as a few of the experimenters.

I'm doing a tej soon. I might start a thread about it. The info on the web sucks, so I would like to see if there is other experience out there.

I had some tej made by an Ethiopian friend of Ken Schramm. Wow was that good stuff.

That's quite a source. Do you know anything about it, Jeff? Was it wild fermented? ale yeast? Wine yeast? Was it clear? Do you know what part of the gesho they used?

All I know is that the guy from Ethiopia had some tej he had made. If I see Ken at his tasting room on Saturday I will ask if I remember.

[santoch]

Doing the written and then immediately following up with 3 meads was pretty brutal. I had to judge a local comp right after - and I think those sheets were some of the worse sheets I have ever scored. I was so fatigued.

So much fun though... had great classes hosted by Meridian Hive here in Austin.

Congrats! 80 is a great score!  I just recently got my mead exam results back too.  I've been feeling pretty guilty for not taking it sooner, but better late than never.

This exam was bad but not that bad.  The old legacy beer exam was 3 hours of total brutality.  10 essay questions with 4 interruptions when you had to stop what you were concentrating on, judge some beer they stuck in your hand, then page fault back in and keep going.  I'm glad I never have to take that one again.
This was a little easier, 2 hours for 8 questions, followed by a separate 45 minutes to score the 3 meads.
There's still the cider exam, though....