We had the good fortune of connecting with Matthew Ackerman and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Matthew, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I am not so sure it was a thought process as much as it was an opportunity. I, along with my business partner, Eric, wanted to share our love of Norse culture for a long time. We believe that creative expression is one the best ways to share that culture. We started years ago by making music and then decided to make mead. Mead was very important to the Norse people and is a fantastic drink in general. Mead was a key part of creating and strengthening Norse communities and we believe that it can still bring people together in merriment. After developing our recipe and creating a following for our home-made mead, we decided it was time to take the dive and start making mead for the public. MeadKrieger Meadery was born out of an inspiration for Norse history and culture. We hope to continue fostering community and spreading our love of mead and Norse culture to Colorado.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We make mead that we think will surprise and delight people. It has a smooth and balanced flavor that appeals to wine lovers and beer lovers as well. It’s uniquely different; and it is also gluten-free, so more of the community can enjoy it. We are a production business currently, but are working hard on opening our tasting room in Downtown Loveland. We hope to open our tasting room in the spring of 2022. As a new business, we have found it challenging to navigate this new undertaking in the midst of covid while trying to keep all the logistics in order. We are excited for this opportunity and are committed to our mission of bringing the best crafted mead to the masses, as well as provide a gateway to learning more about the Norse culture.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Head to Downtown Loveland. I would suggest starting at Loveland Ale Works, and then try Verboten Brewing, Henry’s Pub, The Pourhouse, and plan to stay overnight at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott in the Foundry Plaza. There are always exciting events happening. Checkout downtownloveland.org for details. For Colorado in general, I would suggest going to Estes, Red Rocks, and possibly the Garden of the Gods. Skiing is always a terrific option. Colorado has so much to offer, listing it all here would take too long.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to thank my business partners, Eric and Susan, for all of their efforts. I’d also like to thank my father, Jay, and my wife, Jacynda. Without their support, I would not be where I am today.
Website: meadkrieger.com
Instagram: instagram.com/meadkrieger
Facebook: facebook.com/meadkrieger
Image Credits
Sean Gavlick, Leah Ackerman