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By Greg Hunt
greg.hunt@ecm-inc.com
According to Greek myths, the gods dwelling on Mount Olympus would sip mead while watching the follies of their human charges below them. J. Bird Winery, located west of Grandy, continues the ages-old tradition of distilling the honey-based beverage, and the quality of its mead is no myth.
James R. Bird is the master brewer behind J. Bird Winery, commercially producing wines and champagnes since 1983. Sixteen years ago, he moved to rural Grandy, and creating meads steered his fertile imagination. J. Bird is now a three-generation affair, with son James E. and granddaughter Jessie Jean Bird assisting in the operations.
Pictured: Three generations of Birds working the J. Bird Winery of rural Grandy (l-r): James E., his daughter Jessie Jean, and winery originator James R. Bird. Photo by Greg Hunt
“We have a totally different mead than most people have tried. It’s geared toward highlighting the fruit flavors with less alcohol content than a typical mead,” explained James R., who learned about wine making from his grandfather who secretly distilled wines in his Minneapolis basement during Prohibition. “We found by keeping the alcohol level lower the flavor came through greater.”
Many local wine connoisseurs may have never heard of J. Bird Winery. Located just north of the Grandy Nine Golf Course, a long driveway leads to the distilling and distribution shop (if you’ve ever hooked your drive trying to over-swing on Grandy Nine’s par 5 No. 4 hole like me – on many occasions – that’s the Bird’s horse pasture where your ball landed). Their main clientele base has spawned from J. Bird’s selections being served at several regional Renaissance festivals, but the winery is making a push to expose the natural offerings to the locals.
The licensed “farm winery” will be holding open houses on Saturdays throughout May. Liter bottles of the selections are available, or customers can purchase bulk mead or wine by bringing in their own clean gallon or larger jugs.
Winery selections
A crowd favorite at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival is J. Bird’s “Egypt’n Mead” dubbed “Pharaoh’s Curse,” a ruby-rose colored drink which features the flavor of hibiscus. My neighbor, Frank, and I taste-tested the mead on a sunny Thursday afternoon, and we both had much respect for the flavor. James E. Bird said it was given the moniker “Pharaoh’s Curse” because “you can’t stop drinking it.”
Pictured: This is the Mead Booth at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival where musicians play throughout the day and the mead flows to satiate the audience. Revelers will often hear the command, “Put up the mead!” during breaks from the bands.
“I do a lot of traveling, and I came across a hibiscus tea in Egypt that was incredible. So I got to thinking, what if we had made a mead that featured hibiscus? And, as far as I know, nobody else makes a hibiscus mead,” continued James R., who was able to locate a hibiscus distributor in Oregon for their process.
Also made from honey created in hives on a Buffalo, Minnesota orchard is the “Classic Mead,” a smooth and (naturally) honey-sweet drink. I brought the sample Class Mead liter down to neighbors Stacy and Corky’s place last Sunday, and it received three “thumbs-up” as we finished the bottle while watching the rain come down from their open garage doors.
Another festival favorite is the “Scorpion Sting” mead which has a little more pucker than the “Curse.” Also, when the wild elderberries are in abundance, J. Bird will put out a seasonal “Bloody Mead” which I would wager a few pound notes is pretty dang good, too.
While the meads are aged in 1,000-gallon vats for three-to-four years, fruit and herbal wines continue to be distilled and bottled at J. Bird Winery, as well. Among the choices are mint, apple, strawberry, spiced raspberry and spiced apple, and a fresh rhubarb patch next to the shop will be turned into a rhubarb wine this year.
Festivals around the region
When the calendar turns to June, the Birds hit the road for a busy summer of serving meads and wines at a bevy of festivals, kicking off June 2-3 at the Sioux Renaissance Faire in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. June 8-10 is the Old World Faire in Twig (just west of Duluth). This past year, organizers of the Wisconsin Renaissance Faire approached J. Bird Winery to serve at the Chippewa Falls-based festival June 16-July 15.
Then, of course, it’s the annual trip to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival Aug. 18 - Sept. 30 where J. Bird selections can be found at “The Mead Booth” and seven other booths on the grounds. A different band plays in front of the booth every half-hour, and often the troubadours will bellow “Put up the mead!” to entice tipping the steins while on break.
“The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is where most people became acquainted with our meads. After the festival, people would drive up to our place – some from three or fours hours away – to make a purchase. Last year, a guy bought 15 gallons to be served at his daughter’s wedding,” explained the elder Bird.
Then from October to December, the Birds will have the winery open again so customers can satisfy their stocks for the holiday seasons. A sign on the shop says, “Pets and spouses are welcome if kept under control.” If you stop in and James R. has time, you can hear the Celtic legend of how mead got its name. A goal is to make a push to have the J. Bird selections back in area liquor stores and served at local pubs, and hopefully a booth will be approved for this year’s Isanti County Fair.
J. Bird Winery can be reached at 763-689-3920, 763-245-0314 or 763-222-6908. Complete stock list and Internet orders are available at www.the-mead-booth.com.
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