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Who We Are
Mead Made Our Way in Gatesville, Texas
Curmudgeons Honey Mead is a disabled-veteran-owned and family-owned meadery in Gatesville, TX making honey meads, fruit wines and Glühwein for people who want something different from the usual bottle. We care about what goes into the glass, where our ingredients come from and whether the finished product is good enough to carry our name.
We source locally whenever possible, support small businesses and keep our prices fair. We also believe good drinks do not need complicated wine talk. Come in, taste what we make and decide for yourself. If we make a batch we would not proudly serve, we would rather dump it than sell it.
Our Standard
Make it well or don't sell it. Every bottle should taste good, look unmistakably Curmudgeons and give you a reason to pour another glass.
Our Mission
Make high-quality meads and wines at fair prices while bringing together a broad community of people who enjoy good drinks and good company.
How We Got Here
There Was a Lot of Life Before the Mead
Curmudgeons did not start in a corporate boardroom with a marketing plan and a focus group. It came after decades of military service, travel, technical work, family life and enough experience to know exactly how we wanted to do business: make something worth drinking, charge a fair price and speak plainly.
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The Face of the Operation
Caleb's path to mead started nowhere near a winery. After graduating from Salado High School, he played two years of college football at West Texas A&M before injuries changed the plan. He later enlisted in the United States Navy and trained as a Nuclear Electrician's Mate, finishing at the top of his class in A School and Power School.
He received the Personal Excellence award during prototype training and later served aboard the USS Harry S Truman before medically retiring from the Navy.
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The Original Curmudgeon
Buddy is a U.S. Army veteran and the original Curmudgeon behind the name. He retired after 36 years of federal service, including 12 years of active duty followed by service with the Communication Electronics Command. His career took him to 28 countries, included a total of seven years deployed and gave him the chance to see 39 states.
That lifetime of service, travel and experience helped shape the straightforward attitude behind Curmudgeons: do the work properly, stand behind what you make and don't waste people's time with nonsense.
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Then Came the Mead
Eventually, all those different roads led to Curmudgeons Honey Mead. Today, we make traditional and flavored honey meads, fruit wines and Glühwein from our Gatesville location. Some flavors are familiar. Others are combinations you probably will not find sitting on every store shelf.
We keep experimenting, keep improving and keep trying to make something original. One rule is permanent: we will never make pumpkin spice.
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From Electrical Work to Something Drinkable
After leaving the Navy, Caleb moved into industrial maintenance. He worked as an electrician, Engineering/Controls Technician and Maintenance Planner—jobs where details matter and shortcuts usually come back to bite you.
That technical background carried over into making mead. Recipes are tested, adjusted and judged by the finished glass, not by whether something sounds impressive on paper. The goal has always been simple: create distinctive drinks that taste as good as the label looks.
What We Stand For
Good Mead. Fair Prices. No Excuses.
We are not interested in making the same bottle everyone else already makes. Curmudgeons is built around original flavors, straightforward service and a simple quality rule: if we would not proudly pour it for you, we will not put our name on it. We support local businesses when we can, make our products with care and never expect fancy language to make up for what’s actually in the glass.
Meet The Curmudgeons
The People Behind the Bottles
Two veterans, one family business and very little interest in pretending to be a traditional winery. Buddy and Caleb bring different backgrounds to Curmudgeons, but they agree on the important parts: make good products, treat people fairly and don’t sell something you would not drink yourself.
The Original Curmudgeon
U.S. Army veteran, retired federal employee, world traveler and the original Curmudgeon whose straightforward outlook helped shape the business.
Buddy
The Face of the Operation
Navy veteran, former Nuclear Electrician's Mate and industrial maintenance professional who eventually traded electrical systems for fermentation tanks.
