Continuing a Homer tradition of crafting award-winning meads, Sweetgale Meadworks & Cider House won two awards in the ninth annual Texas Mead Cup. According to a press release from Sweetgale owner Jason Davis, Sweetgale took first place in the berry melomel category for its Alpine Blueberry Mead and then won the grand prize in the Best in Show category.

Another Homer meadery, Odin Meads, also won second place in the varietal meads category for its oak-aged blackberry and honey mead. The results were announced live on Feb. 27 in La Grange, Texas.

Davis wrote that the “Best in Show” award is “further evidence that Alaskan honey and berries are world-class, and worth promoting.”

Davis described a melomel as a mead or honey wine made with berries or fruit. He wrote that the Texas Mead Cup had 92 entries from 18 states and the province of Quebec, Canada. Sweetgale won best-of-show against entries from Arizona, Texas, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, Illinois, Missouri, Washington, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, California, Colorado, Maryland and Alabama.

The former Ring of Fire Meadery in Old Town also had a history of award-winning meads, earning 10 gold medals, two silvers and two bronzes in mead competitions, Davis wrote.

Photo by Jason Davis Sweetgale Meadworks & Cider House owner Jason Davis received these awards for “Best in Show” at the 9th annual Texas Mead Cup, held in February. The Alpine Blueberry Mead from Sweetgale also took first place in the “berry melomel” category.

Sweetgale Meadworks and Cider House, seen here Oct. 20, 2020 on Main Street in Homer, Alaska, is now open for business serving berry meads and ciders using local fruits. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)