Meadery soon to start distribution

BUFFALO, Mo. -- A year after a planned meadery in south-central Missouri fell apart because the owners were indicted on federal charges, three former employees are forging ahead with their own venture to build a facility to brew mead.

The Buffalo-based Leaky Roof meadery will brew the alcoholic drink that results from the combination of honey, warm water and yeast. The facility could be the state's first dedicated meadery, The Springfield News-Leader reported.

Todd Rock, Leaky Roof's head mead maker, said the company was still waiting for approval of its recipes and labels but expected to begin distributing this month.

Rock, Jhett Collins and Andrew Steiger had been working at another planned meadery when the owners were indicted along with 18 others who were accused of selling synthetic marijuana. A trial is scheduled for next year, according to online court records.

"Did I know that the DEA was going to come in and, you know, arrest them and seize all their funds and put a lien against the meadery?" he said. "No. No idea. That was a pretty big shock."

The Monday after the indictments came in, the three were told they would have to be let go, and the planned meadery would close down. The operation was about a week away from beginning to ship.

Rock stressed the meadery was not connected to any activities mentioned in the indictments.

"People get really worked up about that, but they don't realize that the meadery was a completely different company," Rock said.

Rock estimated about $1 million has gone into the development of Leaky Roof. His parents provided most of the seed capital and the company held a successful Kickstarter campaign over the summer, which raised $25,000.

As with most meaderies, Leaky Roof will face the challenge of getting consumers to associate its product with a Friday night out, not just a Renaissance fair.

"Once they try the product, they're usually very, very receptive," Rock said.

The company expects to launch with four varieties that will initially be available only on draft. But the company hopes to have its canning line in place for the spring, with four 16-ounce cans retailing for $8.49 or $8.99.

"Not everybody gets a dry run on building a company," Rock said.

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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com