Any Mead Drinkers?

[winterland]

I see baronsamedi does. For those who haven't, it is a honey wine made with honey. No grapes. Supposedly one of the oldest alchoholic drinks.

We have a few places that make it here in Minnesota. A place called Winehaven and J. Bird Winery. J. Bird sells it at our MN Renaissance Festival. Spent some time there yesterday drinking a few from my leather mug while smoking my Churchwarden. Here is my favorite place to hang out at the festival.

 

[mrgunnar177]

Cool! Can't say Iv ever drunken mead but I wouldn't mind trying some

 

[sparroa]

I've had some from Quebec. I loved it. I greatly preferred the dry example I had to white wines of a similar price... I'm interested in making my own at some point.
You are lucky to have some meadmakers nearby - you can't buy it in my province or in most parts of Canada to be honest.

 

[photoman13]

I have had it and loved it but it was homemade and all of us who drank it got pretty sick. I don't think it was sealed properly or something. I would definitely like to try it again though.

 

[winterland]

Getting sick on mead does not sound fun. Yes there must have been something wrong. I have drank many kinds homemade and store bought. Some can be quite strong. The ones I like are sweet but not too sweet. Very easy to drink so you do have to be careful. They drink like a nice cider. Good cold and decent room temp. In the winter you can heat it up. Some add spices etc.

 

[photoman13]

We all each only had a sip so I don't think it was from drinking too much. If you know of any places in East Tennessee that sells it I would love to try it some time.

 

[pstlpkr]

I currently have

Hibiscus

Apple Cinnamon

Vanilla

Chocolate Cherry

Chocolate Habanero

aging.

 

[photoman13]

Apple cinnamon sounds awesome. I wonder if it tastes anything like woodchuck. I love that stuff. Also chocolate habanero sounds interesting but I don't know if I could handle that lol.

 

[nikko]

I have had three different types of mead, two I made myself and one was store bought. I like it, but I like beer a lot better. Although, I do still have four of five bottles that are about a year old now, might have to break those out soon.

 

[crk69]

I have always wanted to try it, but alas, I can not find it in my area... I know they used to sell it at the Renaissance festival near Houston, but haven't been there in years...

 

[gnatjulio]

I've been wanting to brew some but wanted to try it first. Finally scored a bottle while I was in Mont Tremblant this past august.still haven't cracked the bottle as of yet, but hopefully maybe this weekend........

Awesome picks btw.......

 

[taerin]

I would love to try it being a beer maker myself, can it be purchased at any stores?

 

[baronsamedi]

If you make beer you can make mead and it will be better than any store bought! You can even hop it and add malt and make Braggott, or ale-mead.

 

[photoman13]

If I'm ever in Texas I will have to raid your cellar Baron.

 

[pipeinhand]

If you offer me Mead and Champagne I will take the Mead. It has been my go-to drink since I was able to drink (legally).
Here are a couple of helpful links.

http://davespicks.com/writing/mme/

http://www.meadmadecomplicated.org/

 

[pens87]

EsNice pics. Love a good mead myself. We are fortunate here in central ny to have a good meadery close by. Earl Estates makes a nice selection of meads

 

[winterland]

Chocolate Habanero mead. Now that sounds amazing. I am curious if it has a habanaero hotness to it. I would think so.

 

[pstlpkr]

@Winterland it's going to be amazing!

But, it still has at least a year before it's really ready.

So far my tastings have indicated that the chocolate is developing nicely and the burn lasts for about 10 or 15 seconds. I'm really going to enjoy this when it's ready.
I'm thinking that I might give my Chocolate Habaneros from my garden a shot in a chocolate mead as well.

It will be a truly tongue searing mead.
Chocolate Habanero 300,000 SHUs:

The pepper's name refers to the color only... it has a smokey flavor, and is lightly sweet... and very hot.

 

[briarbird]

I have wanted to try Mead for longer than I can remember. Someday I hope to try someones home made Mead. How would you guys desrcibe it as?

@Lawrence: That pepper looks yummy but there would be no way I could handle that!

 

[baronsamedi]

It really depends on what you do to it. I've made it super sweet to the point where it was a dessert and much more dry. I have a cranberry right now that looks like a white Zin, but tastes more full-bodied with the cranberry on the back. I did a wedding Cyser that was just like a caramel apple. There's so much you can do with mead. I have a chocolate tha't going on I think its third year in the fermenter and has yet to clear! I'll probably age it another 2 years after bottling.
Lawrence is crazy with his peppers. He's got Ghost Chilis and a bunch of other weapons-grade peppers in his garden! I'm from Texas and I'm scared to eat those things.