Dude. Remember back in the day, when a cool movie or television show would blow up and fast food chains would jump onboard with signature glasses?
As a kid, I can recall having “Empire Strikes Back” ones, maybe a Smurf or Spider Man here or there. It was kind of fun watching them fade over heavy use. And nowadays, they’re hot items in thrift stores.
Here in Richmond, Black Heath Meadery, at 1313 Altamont Ave. in Scott’s Addition, is offering a signature glass from the cult Coen Brothers comedy, “The Big Lebowski” as part of their 12 Weeks of Dudemas promotion. You can stop by and score one every Tuesday through January. The Bunny Lebowski glass was released on Nov. 13.
All glasses except The Dude (sold out), Brandt (releases tomorrow), and Donny (releases 11/27) are available at the meadery for $20 each. They’re limited to 48 of each glass, according to the meadery’s founder, Bill Cavender.
“The 12 weeks of Dudemas celebrates all things Lebowski, and really helps tie the holidays together,” says Cavender, also the chief mead maker for the shop. “Because 12 days would be very un-Dude, we are celebrating with Lebowski-inspired meads and glassware through January.”
Also, Black Heath Meadery recently announced that it had outgrown its current operation and was “preparing to open a 4,400-square-foot [production] facility at 2004 Dabney Road,” according to a Richmond BizSense article. The Scott’s Addition location will continue to serve as a tasting room.
Since basic mead begins with fermented honey and water, Black Heath’s mission is to support Virginia beekeepers to help establish hives for sustaining the bee population and Virginia agriculture, according to its website.
“Our commitment is to re-create the world’s oldest fermented beverage by taking advantage of modern techniques and local ingredients,” it reads. Sounds like a beverage the Dude could get behind.
So you can feel good about their mission, too. If you’re a Lebowski fan, this is a no-brainer. This week it’s all about Brandt, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Oh how we miss you, Phil. How we miss you. Heroin is a helluva drug.