Helderberg Meadworks
Established 2012
518.795.8964
Visit the website
$5 for 7 tastes;
Helderberg Meadworks is a unique “winery” located at the edge of the Helderberg Mountains where fresh water and local raw honey are used to craft the finest mead. They are one of the few meaderies in the state who primarily produce mead. Owner and meadmaker Peter Voelker has been making mead for many years. In 2010, he decided to open Helderberg Meadworks with his wife Kirsten to share what he considers the best mead in the country.
In 2015, the Voelkers were able to purchase more land to expand their small orchard and add a vineyard. While working hard to clear the land and plant rows of fruit, they were able to truly appreciate the beauty of the location and the view overlooking the mountains. It was clear this would be the eventual location of their tasting room, a perfect setting to relax and enjoy their mead and cider.
Savor This
The Meadhall is open! Sample everything Helderberg has to offer in their new tasting room. It’s open Thursday and Friday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons—the perfect spot to enjoy a session mead or one of Helderberg’s signature cocktails.
Inspired by their Apple Mead, in 2016 Helderberg Meadworks began producing their own hard cider. The philosophy of using all-natural ingredients extends to their ciders, allowing them to bring out the crisp, fresh apple flavor. Thanks to the positive customer feedback at festivals over the past two years, Helderberg decided to make hard cider a permanent addition to their tasting room offerings.
In addition to mead and cider, Helderberg makes a rare product called a “braggot,” a beer/mead hybrid made with grains and hops. The current braggot on tap is a collaboration with Serious Brewing called 9 Daughters, made using their IPA and Helderberg’s Odin’s Tears. It is named after the “9 Daughters” in Norse folklore who helped their father Aegir, known for making the best beer and mead in all the nine worlds, make a brew that filled a vessel that was said to be one mile wide and one mile deep.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Troy Meadhall Opens!
2022 marks the opening of a second meadhall at 45 3rd Street, in Troy, NY. While Esperance will remain as the primary location with large events, opening the Troy meadhall will provide the Capital Region with a location that is closer to home for many people.
Come and enjoy the same award-winning product line and atmosphere in a new location! Check the website for open hours.
DIRECTIONS
Hours
JAN–FEB
Sat: 12–9pm
Sun: 12–5pm
MAR–DEC
Thurs–Fri: 5–9pm
Sat: 12–9pm
Sun: 12–5pm
CLOSED
New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day
STAFF PICKS
MEAD
- Heritage Mead
- Maple Mead
- Odin’s Tears Dry Mead
- Feral Mead
- Sweet Feral Mead
- Staghorn Mead
- Black Currant Mead
- Cherry Vanilla Sweet Mead
- Pepper Mead, Medium Spicy
- Session Mead
- Loki's Lure
CIDER
- Classic Hard Cider
- Maple Hard Cider
- Cassis Hard Cider
- Cherry Hard Cider
MEET THE MEAD MAKER
Peter Voelker
Peter Voelker is an engineer by degree. His love for creating something personal and unique combined with a passion for history drove him to experiment with and study mead. He was born in NYC and lived his life in the Hudson Valley and Capital Region. He got his start making homebrew as soon as he graduated college, then branched out into other beverages. He began making mead over 20 years ago and has been perfecting it ever since.
Having discovered through genealogy that he is a descendant of the first King of Norway, Harald Fairhair, Peter developed a mead that he would feel honored to raise in a toast with his ancestor. In honor of that link, the label for Heritage was designed to include the “Swords in Mountain” monument of three bronze swords standing 30 feet tall. That monument was erected in Norway to commemorate King Harald’s historic final battle of Hafrsfjord.