And now for something completely different: The Next Quest

As many of my blogging friends will know, I felt more than a bit lost following the Welsh Castle Quest, and I wasn’t sure where to go after this epic adventure that had been so long in the planning. Suddenly it was all over, and I hadn’t thought beyond the last post.

Caernarfon town walls

Where do you go from here?

Several of these lovely people pointed out that, with the great passion I have for all things medieval, I’m bound to do more such Quests, that further adventures are surely inevitable. Wales couldn’t be the end. Throughout the rest of summer, your encouraging comments stayed with me. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and soul searching, and I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re all right: Questing is, it seems, in my blood now. I need to do some more. Thank you my friends, you’ve obviously made some keen observations that I’d missed myself. So I’ve made a decision.

I plan to do another big Quest after my dissertation in a couple of years’ time, and in the meantime, while I’m slogging through the last level of my degree, I’ll keep busy with a few ‘mini’ Quests. Recently, an irresistible idea pinged into my head, so I’d like to announce my next Questing project. This time, I’ll be doing something completely different – something that will fit in with my gruelling study schedule and hectic life. But it’s medieval, of course, and it’s going to be huge fun.

Starting in October and running up to Christmas, I’ll be embarking on a:

Mead-ieval Quest..!

The oldest drink in the world has been enjoying a merry revival in recent times, with sales shooting up, new flavours to sample and even mead bars popping up both in the UK and in America. So to celebrate this toast of historical libations, I’ll be setting out on a Quest of discovery. I want to get right to the heart of mead, so I’ll delve into its history, seeking out the stories and legends it has to tell and its place in the medieval world. In an act of selfless devotion to the cause, we’ll be tasting different and varying kinds of mead, and recommending some of the best to indulge in for some winter cheer or to give as a special Christmas gift. We’ll also be experimenting with some festive mead cocktails to welcome in the coming yuletide. In November we’ll also be taking a tour of a meadery to see how it’s made by the experts, and we’ll even have a crack at brewing our own.

Monk drinking booze

We’ll be brewing our own mead…

So join me for a journey of discovery into the magical world of mead. There’s many a merry time to come…

Mead goblets and jug

Goblets at the ready… Here’s to a new Quest – Cheers!

36 thoughts on “And now for something completely different: The Next Quest”

  3. The only time I’ve gotten drunk since Garry and I were together was in Ireland we they fed us pitchers of mead to celebrate our recent wedding. I got smashed. I didn’t even know it was strong enough to do that. I think I still have a headache!

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    • It’s a very quaffable drink, and it can creep up on you. Sounds like a good evening though… Still, forewarned is forearmed, so we’ll pace ourselves, but it is a great and ancient little tipple to investigate. Thanks for reading and commenting. 🙂

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    • Funnily enough, I think I’m going to enjoy it too! 😉 I like the sound of your lethal brew! I doubt mine will be anywhere near as adventurous. I’ve no experience whatsoever in brewing beverages. It’ll be a fun learning curve though. 🙂

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    • It’s amazing how many people do seem to like it, even now. It’s a great drink. I guess there’s a reason it’s stood the vast test of time. I hope you enjoy our mead Quest, John. 🙂

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  14. Ah! but if you try all those meads you’re investigating, will you be sober enough to write about it all? 😉 I like the goblets you’ve got in your photo. I have one pewter goblet (my ‘first solo’ goblet from my flying days) but of course you can’t drink from unlined pewter. I’ve also got a wooden one with a lid which I bought years ago from Glastonbury (the town, not the festival).

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    • Good point, Carol! I guess we’ll have to try and pace ourselves, or just hope I remember enough about what we’ve tried to write about it! 😉 Glad you like the goblets – these ones are from English Heritage and are ‘food safe’, so we can quaff in medieval style. I like the idea of a ‘first solo’ goblet for flying – I didn’t get that! I’ve got a couple of ceramic ones which I got from Rhuddlan Castle, but none in wood as yet, but I’d like one. 🙂

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    • Thanks Albert. Glad you fancy the idea of my first ‘mini’ Quest. The brewing kit has arrived and we’ll be starting it very soon. It’ll be a very interesting experiment as I’ve never brewed anything before – I’m a total novice! 🙂

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    • Thanks and hello! Mead is a great and varied drink and it’s also the oldest. Hopefully the quest will give you some pointers. I’ve never brewed anything before, so this is going to be fun. Thanks for reading. 😊

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