A taste of one Michigan mead was life-changing for the meadmaker behind Garagiste Meadery.
Owner Chad Wiltz, an early adopter of craft beer who says he’s been a beer guy for as long as he can remember, discovered fairly quickly that nothing he could find in stores compared to the bottle of Ferndale, Michigan, mead his friend shared with him that day. So, in 2014, he started making his own as Garagiste Meadery — doing batches here and there, sharing with friends, and pouring at festivals and small events.
“And one thing kind of led to another,” said Wiltz, adding that he realized there might be an economic opportunity in meadmaking after happy sippers showed an interest in buying his small-batch, artisanal wares.
With that, Wiltz launched an Indiegogo campaign back in March. But it didn’t take long for his low expectations to be rocked — $10,000 turned into $20,000, $50,000 into $60,000. By April 2, the crowdfunding campaign had been 126-percent funded with $63,431, successfully meeting his Indiegogo goal of $50,000 or more.
Finding a site for his commercial meadery in Tampa Heights seemed like a no-brainer. Wiltz liked the vibe of the neighborhood and how it was changing; while he was looking, Foundation Coffee Co. had just gone in near Hidden Springs Ale Works, Rialto Theatre and other coming-soon projects, including Heights Public Market and The Hall on Franklin.
Garagiste began its federal and state permitting process in July, a step the owner says is mostly complete. Despite “some real nightmarish issues with zoning” (Wiltz says he’s been going back and forth with the City of Tampa about parking for four months), he’s pretty optimistic the meadery’s building at 1506 N. Florida Ave. will be finished by April.
A rustic, less-is-more look — with steel, exposed wood and concrete elements, as well as a view of big stainless-steel wine tanks — is planned. Aiming for an occupancy of 20 to 30, Garagiste is working with Dominique Martinez of Rustic Steel Creations on some concepts, but the meadery and tasting room won’t be completely polished when it premieres. Adjustments will likely be made through the first year.
“That way, when we open, we have products [people] like,” he said. “In that effect, they’ve really worked out for us.”
The meadery, which picks its own fruit when it can, doesn’t stick to one particular style — it does ’em all while keeping them relatable and as close to farm-to-table as possible. A peanut butter and jelly mead that took home first place in an international competition is a more out-there creation that put Garagiste on the map. But there’s also varieties like the Southshore Sangria, “an homage to Florida’s signature beverage,” that was bottled last week.
According to Wiltz, mead is typically 12 to 14 percent alcohol by volume and sold in six-ounce pours. It’s not uncommon for them to be $9 and $12 a pour, either. For that reason, he says he thinks the traffic at Garagiste, which isn’t trying to compete with breweries until 2 a.m., will be a little limited.
The meadery’s name, in case you haven’t guessed, is a reference to the group of rule-breaking winemakers who emerged in France in the mid-90s. With no opportunities for small entrepreneurs at the time, these garagistes, which translates to people who make wine in their garage, decided to get into winemaking, stealing grapes under the cover of night from corporate wineries that followed Old World traditions. The word, which was coined as an insult but has become tongue-in-cheek, reflects the humble beginnings of Garagiste.
“When we got into making mead, we were doing it under the cover of night in our garage. We adopted the name, and it stuck,” Wiltz said.
Hoping to open a month or so after its tanks arrive, the meadery anticipates a debut as early as May or June. Locals can get a taste of Garagiste Meadery before its doors open at Cigar City Brewing’s annual Hunahpu’s Day celebration on March 11, or the Spring Beer Fest from Cajun Cafe on Bayou, set for April 15.
This article appears in Feb 2-9, 2017.