In Summer of 2020, Artivem Mead Co. will open their meadery / tap room featuring meads, ciders, and pyments and will definitely be a welcome addition to the bustling new business activity at The Granary building in Bellingham. We had the chance to sit down with brewer Carlos Bassetti along with a lucky crew of new mead lovers from the Erdmann Graves and Partners leasing team to try a few samples of the Artivem collection and talk about the response and impact these surprisingly refreshing meads will have on the Bellingham beer community. We expect the response to be remarkably positive, and we’re looking forward to stopping in for another tasting flight after they open their doors.
The Meadery
Carlos certainly isn’t new to the mead and cider scene. He most recently served as the head brewer at the award winning Superstition Meadery in Prescott, AZ and is rated in the top 100 brewers in the world in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 (ratebeer.com).
Artivem plans to provide a continuous stream of new and experimental meads, ciders, and pyments, so you may not find the same thing on tap from one month to the next. What you can expect is to walk into a great collection of taps within an inviting atmosphere, and walk out with a new appreciation and understanding of meads.
Carlos hopes to source all of his ingredients from local suppliers and if what we sampled this week from the locally sourced ingredients he was working with is any indication of what to expect when the doors open, we’re all in for an amazing experience. Bright, dry, aromatic, complex; the variety Carlos was showing off with just a handful of his work is impressive. It will likely change the way you feel about mead.
The series we sampled included a Cyser, a Pyment, Cherry Pie Mead, Blueberry/Coffee Mead, and something with the working title of “Great Horned Owl” which, we’re just gonna let you learn about all on your own. It’s worth it. All of the names are TBD but will definitely follow the aviary branding. (If you haven’t noticed already, the Artivem Logo is an abstract illustration of Washington’s state bird, the American Goldfinch.)
The Location
You’ve probably heard rumors about new breweries, existing breweries, cocktail bars, etc finding their home at The Granary Building downtown. And while we can’t say yay or nay to all of the speculations about all new tenants, we can certainly confirm this one. Artivem Mead Co. will be located on the ground floor in the NE corner of the building. Their 2000 square feet tap room will borrow some of the styling from the building itself in an effort to commemorate the amazing renovation work that has been accomplished over the last few years.
Artivem Mead Co. will be joining a great collection of businesses already working within the 7 story building including Bellingham Yoga Collective, and Honey Salon. While we don’t have the floor plans in our hands, expect a cozy tap room with room for friends and a view behind the scenes of their brewhouse. While 99% will be served on site, there may be some very select taps around town, but don’t bank on it right away. Why would you when you can visit them right downtown.
Learn more about Artivem at their website www.artivemmead.com or follow them at Instagram and Facebook.
