COLUMBUS - Bearded Viking Mead Company opened the doors to its brick-and-mortar location in Columbus on May 3 of this year.
“You just run out of things to do when you’re bored," said J.T. Robertson, owner and founder of the meadery. "I had three beehives and had harvested 100 pounds of honey … Life is about doing; so, don’t talk about it – just go do it.”
Mead is a honey, water, and yeast-based alcoholic drink thought to have origins as far back as 20,000 years ago, which took Robertson two weeks to learn to make through YouTube.
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“I also learned how to drink in the Marine Corps," said Robertson, who served a total of 14 years in the armed forces.
He enlisted on Sept. 12, 2001, the day after the 9/11 terror attacks.
“I had a nine-month-old daughter, and I had never been in a fight before," said Robertson, "I enlisted to protect her. I chose the Marine Corps because they were the fastest ones to teach me how to fight."
Bearded Viking Mead Company is run by 85% veterans.
“If you tell them to do something, they’re gonna go do it. I don’t have to babysit – or, I don’t have to micromanage, I guess, is the proper term," said Robertson.
The greatest reward, according to Robertson, is seeing his product, made with Montana-based materials, be enjoyed by Montanans.
“I go to Billings, or I go to Bozeman, or I go to Livingston, and I see people drinking the mead and they don’t even know who I am and I’m just watching them enjoy it," said Robertson.
The meadery is open for its winter hours on Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The company is located at 4595 MT-78, Columbus, MT 59019.
