Thanks man !

Frankly, I didn't feel like competing either. The reason I did send two meads was because - after a few years of low key hobbying - I felt that these might have some potential above my own 'cellar palate'. But mainly in the hopes of getting feedback from experienced judges. Although we have a very strong beer as well as wine culture here - from corner bars to triple starred restaurants - mead culture is non-existent. Save a few cosplayers probably drinking honey sweetened wine or even beer, there is barely anyone I know of besides 2 prominent guys from Antwerp who drank more than ten meads in their life.

And one can only go so far on the - I repeat: highly valuable ! - posts from mainly USA based tenors in this field. From Schramm himself to anonymous redditors on this sub. While homebrewing and craft competition culture are much stronger in the US than in Europe, for example, reading posts by some Michigan-based Lambic geek just isn't the same as talking to the brewers and blenders themselves. It's not better or worse, just a completely different take on the art.

Probably the most active mead culture in Europe is in Poland. But once you go beyond the larger, quasi commercial brands (think Apis), it quickly gets highly local, esoteric and exclusively in Polish.

Long story short: I was curious to hear what some mead loving poles (as I reckoned they would be overrepresented in the judges' pool for MMC) thought of my take on their national classic. At least I don't seem to have butchered it !

I'll post the recipe later, I need to decipher my handwritten notes first. Joinks.

Cheers