B. Nektar

Ferndale, MI - United States of America

Driven by a wild imagination, influenced by sub-pop culture and never satisfied with the status quo, B. Nektar aims to bring a modern twist to mead as well as diversify into craft mead, cider and beer.

The meadery was founded in 2006 by Brad and Kerri Dahlhofer, with the help of their good friend Paul Zimmerman. Brad has been an avid craft brewer since 1998, making beers, meads, ciders and wine for his own enjoyment. When Brad and Kerri were married in 2005, he made a mead to toast their wedding and received great reviews from guests. Jokingly, he said he would one day open a meadery. Paul, a longtime friend and fellow brewer, soon began making meads with Brad in the Dahlhofers' basement. Their meads soon began winning awards in homebrewing competitions.

In the summer of 2006, Kerri was laid off from her job. Sipping a glass of Brad's vanilla-cinnamon mead, she thought, "Why not try to sell it? So the three of them decided to take their mead-making to the next level. In the spring of 2008, Brad was also laid off, and the three worked around the clock to prepare for their opening. Almost two years after its inception, B. Nektar finally opened its doors on August 2, 2008 (National Mead Day).