In its third year of business, Meduseld Meadery has continued to prosper at its Harrisburg Avenue/North Mulberry Street location. Much of that sustained success can be attributed to Willie Wrede, one of its founders.
In 2017, when Meduseld was first established, its primary goal was to provide Lancaster with an accessible craft mead venue, something that was unique to the area while serving as a complement to the local craft beer scene. Its lauded mead selection, coupled with Wrede’s pioneering vision, afforded it the opportunity to branch out and explore other points of interest.
In early 2018, eight months after opening, Meduseld expanded its floor space to accommodate an axe-throwing range, which was another major first for Lancaster. To Wrede’s credit, the attraction has undoubtedly helped increase Meduseld’s appeal. Not only is it host to a seasonal axe-throwing league, it’s also the only range in the area that allows the under 21 crowd, including children, to participate.
Meduseld’s next endeavor will be a brewery and gastropub, Artifice Ales & Mead, slated to launch in the fall. The new project will be based out of the former Bickels potato chips factory located in Manheim. Artifice Ales & Mead will place an emphasis on beer and food pairings and it’ll also be offering Braggot, which is a beer-mead mixture.
“We’ve been doing small pilot batches and giving away free samples to our Meduseld guests. The beer has been very well-received thus far,” says Wrede. “Why Beer? It’s a return to the roots of what got us into craft alcohol to begin with, and we’ll be brewing signature house styles for our meadery guests to enjoy alongside our mead.”
Writer’s note: there’s a commonly held belief that mead is strictly a syrupy, honey-based beverage, but that’s a misconception. Meads can vary greatly by flavor and their ingredients, not unlike craft beer, are numerous. As many first-timers will notice, William “Willie” Wrede and the enthusiastic staff at Meduseld Meadery are always looking to educate patrons about mead while encouraging interest in home brewing. Lastly, the name Meduseld is Old English for “mead hall.”]
