Your Home Governing Committee is here to help!
As the elected members of the home mead making committee of the AMMA, we’d like to take a moment to remind our membership that there are a number of ways to use the people on this committee.
Educational Services. Many of the members of the committee have much experience educating and running classes on mead making, mead education, and judge training. Homebrew shops, mead retailers, and commercial meaderies looking to host or hold events can contact us to set up a class or series of classes to hold at your facility.
Event Promotion. Hosting an event and looking to spread the word? Reach out to the committee members and we can help promote your event.
Mead Competitions. We are committed to helping mead competitions. Personally reaching out to find judges, stewards, and other volunteers is just one of the ways we can help your competition. The home governing committee wants to help grow the size of mead competitions globally and assist in maintaining quality judging.
Festivals. As home mead makers we have much experience serving meads at festivals to the public. Looking to expand the mead presence at a given festival and need knowledgeable pourers? Our board members could help serve mead at your festival and help organize other volunteers.
The Home Governing Committee By-laws can be found here: Link
Jason Elder (Kansas City, Kansas)
I have been homebrewing in Kansas City since 2010 and started making Mead and Cider in 2016. I wanted to broaden my brewing experience and found that my love for making mead was higher than for making beer and have won awards at several competitions such as NHC and Mazer Cup. I’m considered the “Honey person” for Kansas City as I have over a 2000lbs of honey in storage and about 110 different varieties. I love talking and drinking anything mead and enjoy mentoring people that are new to mead and are interested in making it for themselves. I am a BJCP Judge in Beer, Mead and Cider and am also a proctor for Cider exams.
I was President of the Kansas City Bier Meisters for 2 years as well as an officer on their board for 2 years before that. I have also been the First Round site organizer here in Kansas City for the past 5 years as well as part of the Mazer Cup staff for the past 2 years. I believe that I bring a unique perspective from my experience and knowledge along with a flair from the Plains!
Arthur Franke (New Jersey)
Arthur is a home mead maker from northern New Jersey, where he is a member of the Bergen County Brew Crew homebrew club. He has been making mead since 2013. His brews have won medals at competitions including the NJ State Fair, Valhalla, and the AHA NHC first round. He is passionate about exploring mead terroir, novel mead flavor profiles, and learning more about mead traditions worldwide.
Tim Leber (Seattle Washington)
I have been making mead, cider, wine, and beer since 1991, but consider myself a mead maker first. I am very passionate to learn about the hobby and share what I know with other mead makers. I have made several appearances on Basic Brewing Radio over the years discussing various mead making experiments to share my knowledge of mead making. I am a BJPC National Beer Judge, a Mead Judge, and a Cider judge. I also proctor BJCP exams and work as a grader. I have organized many homebrew competitions over the years and was the Judge Coordinator for the Seattle NHC Round 1 for over five years.
I have experience running volunteer organizations. I have been an officer of homebrew clubs and other service organizations. I was president of my homeowner’s association for several years and restructured our budget to provide more services and create a cash reserve without increasing the assessment. I have a strong background in planning and data analysis. Skills that I feel would be very useful as the AMMA grows into a larger organization.
Kevin Meintsma (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
I started making mead in 2017 with the exception of one Eastern Buckwheat methyglin that was “drinkable” but not good. My mead making has been focused on process and technique more than ingredients or yeast. Almost all of the medals and best of shows I’ve received have used “generic” ingredients and very prosaic yeast choices. Process and Technique continue to be major focus areas for me as I now shift toward the use of varietal honey and more exotic ingredients. My interest area and emphasis for the AMMA is to explore techniques and provide education that can be easily referenced and used by members.
Amy Olsen (Southeast Michigan)
My name is Amy Olsen. I’m a Chef/Teacher by day & a mead maker by night. In the world of mead making, I’m still pretty new. I’ve only been making mead for about 5 years. During that time, I have tried to learn as much as I can and improve my skills. I’ve attended 2 UC Davis courses, numerous workshops, and dove into the competition circuit, where I have been pretty successful. In my limited experience, I have won 3 BOS, 1 ProAm, 3 AHA 1st round ribbons, over 40 assorted medals, and 7 Mazer Cups. It’s important to me to share what I have learned with others, especially those new to the craft. I took the BJCP mead exam and have become a Mead judge. I am making an effort to judge as often as possible and develop those skills. I also helped to form the Michigan Mead Coalition and was recently elected Vice President. I try hard to take advice from those much more experienced than myself and putting their wisdom into practice has yielded some wonderful results. I’m eager to continue learning and share my knowledge with others.
Jonathan Zybala (Western New York)
I am a family man and a Geologist who enjoys people, nature, art, science, philosophy, and anything that pertains to fermentation – process & products with all the associated textures, colors, aromas & flavors. I made my first Mead in 2018 and have been smitten ever since. Mead is by far my favorite of all fermented beverages for its sugar source (bees!), history, versatility & nuances. Mead is one of the easiest, most flexible, rewarding, and fun of all the fermented foods I have experienced making at home and enjoy sharing with my friends and family. My passion for making and enjoying Mead brought me to the AMMA and I am grateful to be able to serve on the Home Governing Committee.
