It was an exciting weekend in New Sarepta — a hamlet about 50 kilometres south of Edmonton. After years of work and delays because of COVID-19, Old Station Honey & Mead was finally able to have its grand opening.
It’s a dream come true for 61-year-old Will Munsey.
“It’s surreal because this has gone from a dream to standing here at fermenters filled with mead,” Munsey said.
This dream all began 15 years ago when Munsey moved his family from Hong Kong to the Alberta hamlet. He decided to buy a berry farm and it grew from there. First, he got bees, then one day, Munsey’s friend gave him some mead that he had made from Munsey’s honey.
Munsey was hooked and thought maybe he should try to make mead himself.
“The very first mead I made was excellent and I thought it was going to be easy,” he said. “I spent the next four years trying to make a mead that good.”
Munsey’s said his golden ticket was when he was able to lease the Old Fire Station in New Sarepta. He got to work to change it from an empty garage to a functioning meadery.
It’s not just about making and selling mead, for Munsey, it’s also about bringing life back to the small community.
“Putting this here and trying to build it into something that people around the city of Edmonton and metropolitan area know and come to support, and bring people back to the community, I think it’s a great thing for this little community.
“All rural communities should have something.”
Many people travelled from the neighbouring community for the grand opening, including Ross and Sheila Lusk. After seeing a post on Facebook, they decided to make this their Sunday drive destination.
“I think it is very special because it’s local, it’s close, it’s a short drive and it’s something different,” Sheila said.
Sheldon Andres and Brynn Martin came from Leduc.
“I like seeing how such a small community and having this big idea, comes together,” Martin said.
“When you think of distilleries, you think of something big, something very upscale, but this one is very small, very local, very well built and well-grounded,” Andres said.
Munsey said his family has played a huge role in helping him. He said the community of New Sarepta has also been very encouraging.
“I show up here after a blizzard and my driveway has been plowed by somebody, I asked for rhubarb for a mead and there’s rhubarb at the door,” Munsey said.
“Rural Alberta has something special and it’s given that to me and I would like to give something back.”
Munsey added that he has plans to grow.
“We want to be a place where people can spend an hour or two, have a glass of mead, have something to eat, maybe have some ice cream and venture off into non-alcoholic sodas made from honey and the berries,” he said.
“There are seven or eight mead makers in Alberta and all of them are excellent and I’m the new guy on the block but I want to be as good as they are.’
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