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10 CapitalPress.com September 8, 2017 Oregon Ancient alcoholic beverage makes a comeback By ALIYA HALL Capital Press CORVALLIS, Ore. — Brothers Nick and Phillip Lo- renz make mead, a beverage with lots of history behind it. Mead is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages. It was widely popular in ancient Greece and during the Middle Ages, especially in northern European countries where grapevines didn’t fl ourish. “On one hand, it’s not new at all — it’s the oldest alcohol, but it’s new commercially,” Nick Lorenz said. “Especial- ly our style. It’s a niche, but emerging marking. The op- portunities are endless and it’s just growing.” The production of mead starts with fermenting honey in a tank with water, yeast and — depending on the brew — additional flavoring Aliya Hall/Capital Press Nick Lorenz and his brother Phillip make mead, an alco- holic drink that has honey in it. Ginger-honey is one of their most popular meads, along with a lemon-lime brew called “Nectorade.” ingredients, such as berries. The mead is then filtered and carbonated in a tank be- fore packaging. The process takes around a month, Nick Lorenz said. At their company, Nectar Creek, the brothers produce session style mead, which refers to alcohol content, that ranges from 4 to 8 percent al- cohol. Nick Lorenz describes the taste as light and similar to beer and cider. For mead with addition- al fruit fl avors, the company picks fl avors that pair well together, along with giving brewers freedom to experi- ment. Nick Lorenz said that ginger-honey is one of their most popular meads, along with their lemon-lime brew they called “Nectorade.” Nectar Creek formed in 2012, but the brothers had the idea since high school to start a value-added agriculture business. “Selling strawberries is great, but strawberry jam is available all year round,” Nick Lorenz said. Phillip Lorenz started home brewing before going to work at Queen Bee Honey Co. When the brothers fi rst started Nectar Creek Phillip Lorenz kept bees, but eventu- ally sold them to Queen Bee Honey Co. “It’s too much,” Nick Lo- renz said. “Beekeeping is a whole separate business.” Instead, Nectar Creek re- ceives honey from local bee- keepers and describe them- selves as a “honey co-op.” Nick Lorenz said that they try to add a new honey supplier each year. As the company has grown, the brothers have de- cided to double the size of their operation and expand into a new facility that can also work as a tap house, as well as a distillery. The fa- cility is expected to increase operational effi ciency by 50 percent. Nick Lorenz hopes that the building will be done in No- vember. The biggest struggle that the brothers have had is edu- cating consumers about what mead is. “People in the beer indus- try know everything about beer and have never heard of mead,” Nick Lorenz said. “Or they’ll say, ‘My uncle made mead in his basement and it was gross,’ but they don’t re- ally know what it is.” He described interactions with bar owners where it took multiple attempts and sam- ples for the owners to even try the product. He said that even when the owners do like it, they aren’t sure if they can make any mon- ey from it. He contrasts that with getting a new IPA in bars. “A bar will just take it without trying it or even knowing if it’s good or not,” he said. Although Nick Lorenz knows there is still a lot of education to be done about mead, one of the most re- warding aspects for him is seeing customers’ eyes light up after trying it. “It’s the impact we have on people,” he said. “The goals we have rests on our positive impact on the envi- ronment, people and commu- nity.” Nectar Creek employs fi ve workers, and Nick Lo- renz said that the fi rst time he wrote an employee’s pay- check he knew “it was real.” “The more mead we’re making, the more people are drinking it and the more we can care for our employees,” he said. Table grape fi eld day set for Sept. 13 high yields year after year, and Canadice, a smaller red grape from Cornell Universi- Promising table grape cul- ty with good fl avor and uni- tivars, not to mention tasty form clusters. Agricultural grape samples, will be on researchers often share cul- display and up for discussion tivars among themselves for during a fi eld day at Oregon evaluation and OSU received State University’s North Wil- several over the years from lamette Research and Exten- John Clark, a University of sion Center. Arkansas plant breeder and The fi eld day is Wednes- horticulture professor. Clark day, Sept. 13, from 1 to 4:30 will attend the fi eld day and p.m. at NWREC, 15210 N.E. talk about his work. Miley Road, Aurora. Vance has a viticulture Research Assistant Aman- background and volunteered Aliya Hall/Capital Press da Vance, who has spent the to take on the OSU table past three years evaluating grape research project. She’ll From left, Jordan Sinn, Earthlight’s Oregon branch manager; Shaun George, Northwest Hazelnut co-owner; Polly Owen, manager of the cultivars, will talk abut her discuss her work, and OSU Hazelnut Marketing Board; Kevin Cameron, Marion County commissioner; Barb Yates, Ferrero representative; Gov. Kate Brown; Rep. fi ndings. Oregon is known for berry crops professor Ber- Rick Lewis, R-Silverton; and Larry George, Northwest Hazelnut co-owner, cut the ribbon on the company’s solar array. its wine grapes, of course, but nadine Strik will talk about Vance believes there may be grapevine morphology, phys- a table grape niche for small- iology, trellising, pruning scale growers who sell at and training. Javier Fernan- farmers’ markets or roadside dez-Salvador, an OSU Ph.D. stands. candidate and an assistant By ALIYA HALL setting an example for Ore- The grapes Vance found professor, will talk about or- Capital Press gon agriculture.” Hazelnuts rank 11th in most promising include Nep- ganic table grape production, HUBBARD, Ore. — farmgate value among Ore- tune, a green grape from the including disease and weed Northwest Hazelnut Co. has gon’s agricultural commodi- University of Arkansas with control. ties. Brown said she expects completed the installation of a the rapidly expanding crop to 435-kilowatt solar power sys- shoot to fi fth in the next cou- tem that offsets 100 percent of ple of years. the electricity the processing “Thanks for investing in plant uses. Hubbard, Marion County Company co-owner Lar- and Oregon Agriculture,” she ry George said the project, said. including the replacement of “SunPower’s reliable so- halogen lights in the facility lar energy solutions coupled with LEDs, ran up a bill of Aliya Hall/Capital Press with Earthlight’s commercial roughly $1 million. With the experience and local pres- energy savings and govern- The new solar array produces enough electricity to power the ence were strong reasons why ment incentives, however, Northwest Hazelnut processing plant. we decided to move forward George plans to offset the costs within fi ve years. 25 years, said Jordan Sinn, The cost of solar systems on the project. And knowing Northwest Hazelnut is part Oregon Earthlight branch varies based on size and lo- this is a long-term invest- of a network of facilities that manager. The panels should cation, and state and federal ment, the robust warranty and process the Oregon Hazelnut have a lifespan of over 40 incentives are available for higher effi ciency panels were harvest, and has three sister years. some businesses, McClelland extremely important to us,” George said. processing plants, according The company partnered said. Earthlight Technologies to its website. with Earthlight Technologies, Northwest Hazelnut held Courtesy Maine Extension Service As a result of going solar, a SunPower Elite Dealer, to a ribbon-cutting ceremony was founded in 2008 as a Canadice, a variety of table grapes, is one cultivar that will be fea- Northwest Hazelnut expects install 1,000 of the 435-watt Sept. 1 at the processing fa- family-owned and -operated tured at Oregon State University’s North Willamette Research to save $1.6 million on its commercial panels. cility. The ceremony was at- business. and Extension Center fi eld day Sept. 13. Since 2012 the company electricity bills over the next The 435-kilowatt system tended by Oregon Gov. Kate has installed over 2.5 mega- produces enough electricity to Brown. power about 40 average Ore- “It’s a great step forward watts of solar PV in both res- gon homes, David McClel- for sustainability,” Brown idential and commercial sites, land, senior program manager said. “(Northwest Hazelnut) and has over 50 employees at at Energy Trust of Oregon, is leading the way and im- its Ellington, Conn., and Sil- said. pacting the future. They’re verton, Ore., offi ces. By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press Hazelnut processor shifts to solar RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW SAVE 20% 2018 NW AG SHOW PORTLAND EXPO CENTER JANUARY 3 0 - FEBRUARY 1 WE SPECIALIZE IN BULK BAGS! 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